Schooled

Travesty #1

by Piper Lawson

My best friend's brother grew up. Hot.

Do you know what a dream come true tastes like? Validation.

In two semesters I'll finish business school and launch a fashion label in New York with my best friend. All the planning, the long days and longer nights, and saying 'no' to every distraction are about to pay off.

Until he transfers in.

Dylan Cameron's more than my best friend's younger brother. He's tall, dark and broody, and there's a reason I haven't seen him in years.

But when Dylan shows up at my birthday party, he's all grown up, quick with a joke, and hotter than hell.

He's also not the guy I thought he was--not even close.

But one scorching hot night of confessions, and enough chemistry to burn down the science building, could turn everything I've worked for upside down.

So it should be easy to say no. Right?

Wrong. I might be two years older, but I'm sure as hell not smarter. Because the second Dylan Cameron gets me alone...

I'm the one getting schooled.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, College, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Friends To Lovers

327 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 27, 2015

About the author

Piper Lawson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of smart, steamy romance! She writes about women who follow their dreams (even the scary ones), best friends who know your dirty secrets (and love you anyway), and complex heroes you’ll fall hard for (especially after talking with them). Brains or brawn? She’ll never make you choose. Piper lives in Canada with her tall, dark and brilliant husband. She believes peanut butter is a protein, rose gold is a neutral, and love is ALWAYS the answer.

Join her VIP list now ➜ http://www.piperlawsonbooks.com/subsc...
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Books by Piper Lawson:

DENVER KODIAKS SERIES

Hard to Fake
Hard to Take
Hard to Break
Rookie Season

KING OF THE COURT SERIES

Game Changer
Shot Taker
Play Maker
Game Day

WICKED SERIES

Good Girl
Bad Girl
Wicked Girl
Forever Wicked

RIVALS SERIES

A Love Song for Liars
A Love Song for Rebels
A Love Song for Dreamers
A Love Song for Always

ENEMIES SERIES

Beautiful Enemy
Beautiful Sins
Beautiful Ruin
Beautiful Salvation

OFF-LIMITS SERIES

Crave
Collide
Claim
Tempt

TRAVESTY SERIES

Schooled
Stripped
Sealed
Styled
Satisfaction

PLAY SERIES

PLAY
NSFW
RISE

MODERN ROMANCE SERIES

Easy Love
Bad Love
Twisted Love

Reviews

[Jess☺️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schooled by Piper Lawson is the first book in the Travesty series it's a great start to the series but a little predictable 🙄 (best friend falls for other best friends brother yep you can guess the rest).
It's a quick sexy fun read,if you're looking for something light hearted with a little naughtiness then this is definitely the book to read, it can be read as a standalone but if you want more from Dylan and Alexis then book 2 is needed which is the best friend story.📖

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schooled is a debut novel for Piper Lawson, and is a stand alone novel with an HEA. It's a college based love story, between Alexis Caine and Dylan Cameron. For a first timer, well done Ms. Lawson. I applaud the efforts.

Best friends Alexis and Ava, have always had a dream to start their own fashion label. Ava, being the designer and, Alexis, would handle the business side of things. Ava is a carefree, artsy type, whilst Alexis, is more cut of the mill, and goes by the book type of girl. Focused and driven because within the fashion industry, fashion is constantly evolving. It's a grueling industry and timing is everything, especially in light of old favourites within the industry, making cut backs and going bankrupt due to different variables within the market. Alexis, knows that they will only have one chance to get, Travesty, there label off the ground. And missing that one chance, is not something Alexis, takes lightly.

Now enter Dylan Cameron, the bad boy within the Cameron household. Dylan is the stud of all the Cameron offspring, so of course his high school years would be plagued with the entire bad boy persona, and filled with raging teenage hormones and lost of girls. Looks are really deceiving. Never judge a book by it's cover. Dylan is such a complex character. He has a bigger heart than he lets on, and such a sweetie pie. So caring and tender, and extremely understanding. He seemed soulful and older than his age. More philosophical to me.

His first semester at college, throws both him and Alexis for a loop, after they meet unexpectedly at her birthday party. Keeping each other company while hiding away in Alexis's bedroom, the stigma Alexis always attached to Dylan, soon looses its meaning. She finds out that Dylan kept secrets to protect his entire family. While he struggled, and endured hardships, based on these secrets. Not for naught, though. Dylan's persistence and perseverance, gave him a full scholarship.

Dylan's reputation precede's him. Bad boy, man-whoring Dylan, is actually more inexperienced than his reputation makes him out to be. Slightly inebriated, and feeling bold, Lexi decides to School Dylan a little, in Anatomy.



Now this is where things really slow down for me. I started to feel, ok, the story is going to WAW! me, but honestly it didn't. I started to get bored with Lexi. Reading this from her POV only, wasn't thrilling at all. I felt we needed some Dylan thoughts here. I thought Lexi was also playing games, and I didn't understand why, after the kiss, and a friendship starting between her and Dylan, she wanted to keep it all a secret. They had such a fantastic, easy going, sarcastic, funny friendship. With loads of sexual tension bursting at the seams. I understood focused and driven, but definitely not, selfish. Lexi came off as scared more than anything else. Ridge even, like her mother.

As the story progresses, Lexi and Ava, start making stepping stones towards developing and launching their label, while Lexi has a secret affair with Dylan. Soon enough, things turn bad, and Dylan becomes rejected. His pain was more realistic than Lexi's.

For me Schooled was simply an ok read. Lexi and Ava's characters were so different and yet exuded strength and they had so much personality. I really loved Dylan, the quiet, brooding type. I will, without a doubt read more from this author and I am actually looking forward to a second book.

*ARC provided by AToMR PRomotions on behalf of the author for an honest review* Thanks!!

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review

OK OK OK...


I wanted to LOVE this book.. I read the first chapter online and instantly likeD Dylan... but then.. IDK...


It was just ok for me...


The book starts out at Alexis birthday party soon after her high school boyfriend broke up with her... She is still a lil heart broken licking her wounds when she runs into her best friends younger brother Dylan... Dylan and Alexis share a moment and she spends a lot of time rejecting her feelings for him...

Alexis is about to graduate college and kind of discovering herself after the end of her relationship... She is a smart girl.. knows what she wants and although there is some fear she is going for it.. I really like that about her... she's not looking for anything serious and focusing on jumping into the fashion business with her best friend after college...

Dylan has just recently transferred to the college his sister and Alexis are attending.. he's misunderstood and and his reputation is kind of tarnished.. but that is not who he is.. and you learn that throughout the book... he's a great guy with his heart on his sleeve...

Alexis and Dylan relationship develops slowly.. really slow.. I will be honest I almost gave up in the middle.. Alexis is attracted to Dylan but spends soooooo much time convincing herself that she doesn't want him.. I get it... best friend lil brother.. goes against girl code or whatever... but when they FINALLY get together... she's even more annoying pushing him away..


I wanted more of a connection with them.. how they joke and are sarcastic with each other I enjoyed..

This book is from her POV so you spend A LOT of time in her head... not much dialogue (which I'm not a huge fan of) I just wanted out of her head... the inner tug a war drove me crazy... I really would've liked to know what Dylan was thinking... or just more interaction with him... it focused a lot on Alexis day to day life.. I liked Dylan's character a lot more than Alexis.. I think this story would work a lot better from both POV's...

But the sexy scenes...



All in all I liked the idea behind the book.. It could've used more character development and less step by step daily routine stuff (I did this.. then I did this... then this because of that).. more explanation for important topics.. for example there was a fight... it was important to the story... it happened... you get little explanation about it.. then the story moves on... when it is brought up later... it still skimmed over... forgiveness was easy in the storyline... and how the fashion stuff worked so easy after college wasn't believable... The story jumped around and fast forward head ... there just seemed to be missing pieces... and the ending was kind of predictable.. I just.. it needed more life..



I WANTED MORE

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 to 4,5 stars.

Schooled is the first novel published by Piper Lawson and as far as I’m concerned, it’s certainly not a bad one! I really had a blast reading this college romance story.

Who should read this book?
Fans of YA novel with college romance. If you’re looking for a light read with a driven heroine and a sexy but quite innocent best friend’s younger brother with a little something different, it could be your book.

The plot in a nutshell:
Lexi and Ava are best friends for life, both in their last college year. Ava is in fashion design, creative and gifted at making clothes and Lexi is a very dedicated business student. They want to make their dream come true: launching their own fashion business once out of college. Lexi has already made interesting contacts with a fashion magazine and is working on their business plan . Dumped by her four year boyfriend, Lexi made a “no boy” pact with Ava and is determined to respect her deal as boys would only distract them from their main goal.
At her birthday party, Lexi will speak with Ava’s younger brother, Dylan. She barely knew Dylan but thought she knew his type. He was the type of guy ”that ignited female imagination and libidos despite zero potential for anything serious.” And Lexi was the type of girl ”who rolled her clothes for optimal packing and alphabetized her books .” A little bit drunk, she’ll have a scorching kiss with the surprisingly inexperienced hot boy. She will become obsessed with him but will fight their attraction with all her might. He does not fit in her plan, is a bad idea and best friend’s younger brother are a no go. But…Dylan is persistent.


What makes it different from current other college stories and why did I enjoy it so much?
-the “one person” point of view (Lexi’s) helped to retain some secrecy. Dylan had secrets to keep and we could only discover them when he decided to confide in Lexi. It aroused my interest;

-this is not the nerd/jock love story. Dylan is not the college star quarterback/hockey star/soccer player. Neither is he your traditional womanizer bad boy. He is still sexy, dark, muscled with a bad boy vibe but…he is a (very hot) nerd undercover!

-the heroine is older (not by much) than the hero. She is not the inexperienced virgin waiting to be deflowered by the hero. It’s a role reversal and I loved it!

-Dylan is a complex character. Not an über alpha but he is still protective and caring nonetheless. He is not a player but he’s got the reputation of one. Innocent in some ways (yes, I mean sex) he is an eager and fast learner (yay!). He is hiding some secrets and may have a hidden agenda. He was unpredictable, never reacted as I expected and surprised me all the time. I loved it! No telegraphed reactions, he was sneaky and “played” stubborn Lexi with finesse. All’s fair in love, right?

-Lexi is not the feisty/kickass heroine but she also is not the shy and broken type. She could be a sexier version of the girl next door with a strong drive. She is stubborn, has her own issues but was not overwhelmed by them. Sarcastic but not in an overboard way, her humor and banter was fun and entertaining.

-annnnd I loved Dylan’s physics lesson about “friction”. I’ll never look at a sink in the same way!!!!

So congratulations Piper, I had a great time.

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

:: 5 Flirtatious Stars ::

This book was provided by publisher/netgalley for an honest review- thank you!

Schooled by Piper Lawson is the first book in the Travesty series. It is a new adult/college romance. There is NO cliffhanger. The second book will be in the point of view of another character- Ava. For fans of happily ever after books, pick up this one. It is fairly short (199 pages), contains sexy book boyfriends, and makes you crave the type of relationship portrayed in this book.

All in all, I really loved this book. Dylan is certainly book boyfriend material. I couldn’t help but picture him as Zac Efron (yummmmm). He isn’t the sleaze ball that has had hundreds of girls and just hooks up with anything with two legs. In fact, readers will be delighted to find that Dylan is much more innocent than he appears. Alexis, the object of Dylan’s affections, is slightly older than Dylan and her best friend’s brother. While the romance is supposed to be forbidden it is hard for the two to stay apart. Their relationship is a whirlwind, totally unexpected in the beginning, and a secret. You’ll have to read to find what kind of HEA occurs ;)

Awesome book for a debut! Highly recommended for those looking for a quick romance with some steamy scenes and true love.

Genre: New Adult/ College Romance

Price: Kindle Book is $2.99

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Would I Recommend: Yes

Find my review here: http://bookendsxbookblog.blogspot.com/

You can also find me on TWITTER and FACEBOOK! :)

[The Talented Miss Ripley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Good

Actually I can't wait to see what the next book will bring. Funny, hypnotic, tasteful, and delicious to read! I couldn't put it down!

I recommend anyone that loves a good romance book!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

* A review copy was provided by the author for the Blog Tour *

~ 3.5 Stars ~

Schooled is the Debut novel for Piper Lawson and I thought it was a good first novel for her. I enjoyed this story, but it didn't WOW me. I thought the writing style was really good and the flow and pace of the story was spot on.

I think my only real complaint was that it wasn't anything new or original. The storyline is like many I have read in this genre and nothing really stuck out to make it different from other college based stories that I have read. I also thought that at times the author provided us with a little too much information to the story. There were some things that could've been left out without it effecting the overall story. With that said it didn't slow down the story or drag anything out, it was just stuff I don't think we needed. I do also wish that we would've gotten maybe one more chapter to finish off the story. To show where Lex and Dylan end up. I thought the ending was kind of abrupt. I know there is another book coming out, which is Ava's book, so I am hoping that we see more of Dylan and Lex in that book. .

What I did really like about this story was the female characters the author created. Ava and Alexis (Lex) were both very strong female leads. I say they are both leads in this story because the storyline truly focused on these two getting the fashion business off the ground. The love story between Lex and Dylan (Ava's younger brother) was kind of like a sub story to the main plot. Lex and Ava knew exactly what they wanted and were determined to make their dreams come true. I loved their determination and drive, we don't see that in many heroines in a book these days. I also really liked Dylan. He was sweet, thoughtful, caring and had a dirty talking mouth ;) I have to say that the mistakes that Dylan and Lex made throughout the story, started to drive me crazy. They both were so quick to walk away and not try to work things out together. I will say though, they had smokin' chemistry….They melted my kindle many times :)

SCHOOLED is a stand-alone novel with a happy ending. If you are a fan of the college based love story that is in the New Adult Genre, then you should definitely give this a try. This book was filled with laughter, love, angst, and some really steamy scenes. (I loved when Dylan explains friction to Lex) I look forward to reading Ava's story and hopefully seeing Dylan and Lex again. I know I will continue to read books by this author.

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[✿ℎazℯℓ - thℯ ℛock Cℎick ℱairy✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is light hearted and HOT. AND I MEAN HOT. . .

To be very honest, I thought that this book would just be like the regular ones nowadays. You know? The ones with broken characters and such a heavy burden on both ends?

However, nope.

Both characters are damn smart! Lex is your ultra smart business-woman-to-be while Dylan is your future engineer. Both of them like studying, which by the way, already makes them very unique among other lead heroes/heroines. They're both driven. I like that about them.

Now what could be wrong with these two since they sound oh so perfect for each other?

Ambition. I think that's the main thing here.

You see, Dylan is the younger brother of Lex's best friend, Ava. He's 14 months younger than her, so at first, I though it was going to be an issue... but nooo. It's just a minor detail when it comes to the two of them. Lex is ambitious while Dylan wants to straighten his life out. Ava and Lex have wanted to build a fashion brand ever since they were young, which is the main reason why Lex took up business while Ava took up fashion design. It sounds amazing and they are really trying to make it all real. However, just like with so many other people's dreams.. There are some who doesn't approve of it.

Ambition, Love... Is there any way wherein these two would jive?

Their lives get entangled and even though sparks truly fly between them, they couldn't act out on it straight away because of the complications. I was frustrated a bit because I felt that Lex was being so stubborn, but in truth... I kind of understand her reservations.

What you have to find out here is how they will get together and how Lex pulls off everything in order for thins to go maybe not the way she started it out to be, but how it's really meant to be. :)

An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a writer but there are rules every book 'has' to follow in certain genres, I get that. And I can understand it's hard to write something different and create something special with a story that has a HEA but this wasn't just my kind of book I guess. Everything was very predictable, very plain and I didn't get to a point where I cared about the characters. Alexis is a very average girl who I never got to like, and Dylan is just the typical hot guy, lots of muscle, good looks, every girl wants him bla bla, but only has eyes for bla bla... What annoyed me as well is that some chapters went into so much detail it got boring, and other stuff was just rushed through: 'and then we drunk way too much and partied for the rest of the night'.

The short version pretty much goes like this:

Girl meets boy (again)
Boy looks hot hot hot, girl looks hot hot hot
Girl drools all over him for 50% of the book
Boy and girl hook up.
Hook up again
And again
And again
Let's be together
Oh wait, we can't + tears + text messages + voicemails
Separation + lusting
More lusting and stupid reasons on why it can never be
Boring climax
Oh wait, suddenly the stupid reasons don't matter anymore ~magic
HEA

I hope this book does more for you than it did for me.

[Henz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schooled is a novel I did not expect to like given the typical plot; college romance where a girl and a boy had something in common and ended up in a very steamy relationship. If you’re a New Adult reader then you should expect that most of them are like this but despite the tropes, Piper Lawson did well with her debut novel.

New Adult MC’s tend to exasperate me but thank the universe that Alexis “Lex” was not the immature type, she’s actually a girl who wants to be empowered, she wants control in everything she does and doesn’t act on an impulse although there are moments where she kind of did but it’s bearable enough to not hate her, in fact I love her. A hardworking girl needs to break off steam every once in a while, she’s not a robot and not a saint either.

Dylan was an “okay” character; he doesn’t really stand out for me though some readers might love him. He’s interesting enough. Not only that he’s fourteen months younger than Lex but he’s also the little brother of her best friend Ava. And despite his manwhore façade he’s actually inexperienced and a science nerd (ehem .. His Friction lesson was kinda HOT, where do I sign up?!? Hahaha).

I love the chemistry between Lex and Dylan, the whole “brothers are off limits” and Lex’s inner tug of war; getting serious with her fashion business and being with Dylan was interesting for me. Though most readers would like Lex to focus on Dylan but I liked how she’s conflicted with her Fashion business and not hurting her best friend than go “WTH I choose him” but guys don’t worry it’s still a happily ever after.

Piper Lawson’s writing is fun and light and not too angsty. There’s no abrupt chapter breaks, it flows and you can read the book in just one sitting. I only rated it 3 stars because the story was unoriginal but still engaging enough. So if you’re looking for a fun and steamy book and don’t bother about unoriginality then I recommend this book.


( a digital copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.
I didn't expect much judging by the blurb, but even my low expectations were hit with disappointment.
A guy two years younger... Hmm is that supposed to be a dramatic effect?
A bit like a bad college party.

[~Mindy Lynn~]

***FREE today!*** 5/29/17
https://www.amazon.com/Schooled-Trave...

[Pick a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

ebook provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review: Thank you

Review in english and portuguese.

4 "OMG! I need a Dylan in my life" stars

SCHOOLED is Piper Lawson's debut romance that bring us a delicious story about a subject I love so much but there was a long time I didn't read about: the college romance.

Lex is a business student who dreams of opening a franchise of clothes along with her childhood best friend Ava that goes in the same college studying fashion. The story begins with the two of them with 19 years old talking about this dream and this time we are presented to Dylan, Ava's 18 years old brother, that seems to be a bad boy. The story jumps two years where Dylan had begun college in another city and decided to return to San Diego to continue his studies in engineering. Dylan, now 20 years old, is taller, stronger, more attractive than before and kind of unintentionally ends up creating a friendship with Lex.

That's how SCHOOLED started. As you can see, it's not a totally new story, but for sure worth the reading. A cute college romance.

I saw a few reviews saying that this book is HOT. I don't agree. It has a really good description of the sex scenes (they were VERY good), but they are few, not qualifying it as a hot romance, but as a New Adult.

The characters are super charismatic. The story is told by Lex, a girl who knows what she wants and go after her dreams. She is the kinda of girl who is way too uptight, but I enjoyed so much how strong she is.

Dylan is my newest book boyfriend crush. The guy who shows that not always what you see is what you get, that good looking can also be intelligence and he is soooooo cute!!!!! I want one, ok Piper? You can deliver him at my place. lol

For those who like the genre, college romance, I recommend, It's a must read. The next book (which I didn't even know about) tells the story of the crazy and disorganized Ava. Can't wait!

----------

Ebook recebido em troca de uma resenha honesta.

4 "PELAMOR! Preciso de um Dylan" estrelas

SCHOOLED é o romance de estréia de Piper Lawson que traz uma história gostosa sobre um tema que há muito tempo não lia: o romance de faculdade.

Lex é uma estudante de administração que sonha em abrir uma franquia de roupas junto com sua melhor amiga de infância que estuda na mesma faculdade cursando Moda. A história começa mostrando as duas, com 19 anos, conversando sobre esse sonho e neste momento somos apresentadas a Dylan, o irmão de 18 anos de Ava, parecendo ser um bad boy problemático. A história avança dois anos onde Dylan havia começado a faculdade em outra cidade e resolveu voltar a San Diego para continuar seus estudos em engenharia. Dylan, agora com 20 anos, é mais alto, mais forte, mais atraente que antes e, meio que sem querer, acaba criando uma amizade com Lex.

Bom, essa é a premissa de SCHOOLED. Não é uma história nova, mas com certeza é uma que vale a pena ser lida. Um romance fofo de faculdade.

Vi algumas resenhas dizendo que esse livro era HOT. Eu não o considero. Tem cenas muito bem descritivas de sexo( foram MUITO boas), entretanto são poucas, não o qualificando como romance hot, e sim um New Aldut.

Os personagens são super carismáticos. A história é contada por Lex, uma pessoa que sabe o que quer dá vida e corre atras de seus sonhos. Ela é um pouco certinha demais, mas eu curti o tanto que ela é forte.

Dylan é minha mais nova paixão. Aquele cara que demonstra que as aparências enganam, que o cara bonito também pode ser inteligente e ele é muito fofo!!!!! Eu quero um pra mim, viu Piper? Pode mandar aqui pra casa... rs

Pra quem gosta do gênero, de romance de faculdade, super recomendo. O próximo livro (que eu nem sabia que ia existir) conta a história da doidinha e desorganizada Ava. Mal posso esperar.

PS: Antes que alguém fale algo, o Travesty do subtítulo não tem nada a ver com o nosso travesti. Travesty aqui é a tradução literal da palavra que em inglês significa: "representação distorcida de alguma coisa/ paródia" - e é o nome da empresa de Ava e Lex.

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[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

3.5/5
Schooled is the first book in a new adult contemporary romance series called Travesty. Travesty is the name of a fashion brand created by two college best friends. The first book in the series is Lex, or Alexis', story. And the second book is Ava's story. I am not sure how many books there are going to be, or if after these first two is subsequent books will continue to follow new couples or will shift back to Lex and Ava. That is my preference, but I have a feeling the series will also follow some of their other friends like Jane.

Either way, the book was told entirely from Lex's point of view. I do wish that we had a smattering of chapters from Dylan because I love dual narrative in new adult contemporary romance, but it worked out ok with just Lex. I had a love hate relationship with Lex. I really liked her, but then sometimes she would just be so bull headed that I wanted to shake her and give up on her. She sabotaged everything it seems like. It is strange, because Lex herself is not a dramatic person, but if you remove her from the storyline all of the drama in Schooled would have been gone too.

Dylan was the best part of the story of Schooled for me. I thought it was so cute how he was with Lex. It was clear as day that he has always had a thing for her, and he was more than patient with her crazy moments. I know it sounds like I didn't like Lex, but I did. I really liked her with Dylan and I really liked her when she wasn't overthinking everything and she just let go. She was wonderful in those moments when she wasn't second guessing herself and all of her actions at every turn. Most of all, I just wanted Lex to let go and just Live. And I think that is what Dylan was able to bring out in her.

Schooled is a very easy flowing read. I really enjoyed it and I loved the romance. There are lots and lots of speedbumps along the way, but I think readers will be rooting for Dylan and Lex. I hope we get to check in with them more in Ava's story. For readers that love new adult romance in a college setting and don't mind a controlling main character, especially since the romance more than makes up for it, I think schooled and the travesty series is one for you to check out.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Lauren - SERIESous Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

-- Want to know if the whole series is worth reading? Read my overall review of the whole series at seriesousbookreviews.com! Spoiler Free!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**

This book was everything I thought it would be and a little bit more!

I loved Lex and Dylan's story and their connection. These two not only had great passion and sexual tension, but they also had a great relationship as friends which completely sold me over. It was so easy for me to see why these two would fall for each other and I loved their scenes together.

What I also found to be very refreshing was their relationship dynamic. Instead of some meek girl who falls for the experienced older boy, the roles are completely reversed! It was great to see a confident woman in Lex who knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to ask for it. And Dylan was so swoon-worthy! Definitely a new book boyfriend for me!

This story also had a great balance between the romance and the "coming of age" aspect. While the two plots worked well together, I thought they developed great individually as well.

Overall, this book was so much fun to read but definitely had its touching moments as well! A new favourite for this year!

Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Full Review: http://wp.me/p3txrs-1gB

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love when I read a book and fall in love with it, only to find out that it's a debut novel and this book fits in that category easily.

I was crushing on Dylan pretty much right off the bat. It's obvious that he has secrets but I had no idea what they could be. He didn't seem to be hiding behind them as much as just trying to move on from them. The way that he and Alexis immediately clicked after seeing each other again was fantastic because their chemistry was off the charts. Their romance was sort of slow burning one but that made it even better. Between Dylan's innocence in the bedroom and Alexis' need for keeping their relationship a secret, it was even that much more hot.

My only problem with this story was how easily the conflict was resolved. I'm still left with questions about how long Dylan was lying and, for that matter, how much of it was he lying about. I just wish there had been a little more of a confrontation about it from Alexis. Although it's easy to guess the answers to those question, I just wish there was more a clear-cut explanation of it all.

Other than that small complaint, I really enjoyed this book and really see great things coming from Piper Lawson in the future.

*I received an ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written enjoyable debut novel .

Lex and Ava are best friends. They are ambitious and have a goal they want to reach together. They are trying to steer clear of boys. That changes when Ava's little brother Dylan turns up!

If you like forbidden romances then I recommend this story. It's a slow building romance with great characters. Although the storyline didn't blow my mind I enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more from this author.

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Argh, I love a story about falling for your best friends brother and the characters hiding their love/lust etc but in this case it just really wasn't for me.


I didn't enjoy the style of writing and I didn't find Alexis particularly likeable. The story slowed down and I wanted to skip parts.

[Ursula · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this CR/NA.
I always wonder what I am doing reading college romances, but this was so much better than I thought it would be. Sexy but cute, with the protagonists more mature than usual. Also, Dylan is a couple of years younger than Lex, yet it works really well.
Definitely worth a look!

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

A very cute read. Not overly amazing but not boring either. Well written with heart racing moments in it. I would totally love to read the second book about Ava's story :)

[Piper Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Coco.V]

FREE on Amazon today (10/26/2017)!

[Sania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Standalone/Cliffhanger: Standalone
Ages of H and h: Lex is 21 and Dylan is 20 (14 months between them)
Was There Descriptive Sex: Yes
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM: No but OW(Marcia) tries to get with Dylan constantly calls herself his girlfriend, nothing happens)
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup: N/A
Contains Cheating: No
Amount of Sex In The Book: A decent amount.
HEA/HFN/etc Ending: HFN
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval: Yes
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail:
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: Yes
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes

My Thoughts
Really enjoyed this book. I initially thought it would be quite superficial but both characters were quite fleshed out and developed. I really them both and their relationship. I just wish that the relationship between Lex and her mum was explored a little more. Can't wait to read Ava and Nate's story!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexis Caine has a dream of launching a fashion line with her best friend Ava. The road to accomplishing this has not been easy, between being dumped by her boyfriend of four years and the demands of college Alexis plans to stay focused and dating free her senior year.

Enter Dylan Cameron, Ava's younger brother. Alexis and Dylan strike a friendship of sort but Alexis is trying to wrap her head around Dylan. Rumors swirl that the bad boy is a player, does drugs, and a few other legendary tales that add to his bad boy reputation. However as private as Dylan is, Alexis realizes he is different than the rumors lead him to be and she is falling hard. Their path is not smooth by any means if they stick together they may just work out.

Intriguing story. Dylan had a lot of depth to him and was a bit of a mystery that was fascinating to see how it unfolded. I thought the shift from Alexis from seeing Dylan as a younger brother figure to something more was perfectly paced. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Arghh!! I loved ‘Play’ and ‘NSFW’ but this one was pretty bad! I think this may have been the author’s debut book, so I can let her off sort of! I mean, her writing has obviously developed a lot since this, which is great because like I said her more recent books were great!
Characters
Alexis
I didn’t like Alexis!😱She was immature, selfish and treated people badly. She was obviously one of those characters who are stunning but can’t see it yet all the men want her blah blah blah, not heard that one before!
Dylan
Dylan seemed nice, not sure what he saw in Lex....
Ava
Well considering she was the best friend and business partner of the MC, we didn’t get much of her character, and Lex was quite critical of her I thought?!
The plot was slow and I skipped and skim read a large part of the middle section as I was bored. Also it ended quite abruptly I felt?!
Some of the sex scenes were hot, Piper Lawson sure knows how to write them well 😊
Overall I feel disappointed in this and probably won’t continue this series. I am still excited to read ‘Rise’ though.

[BookWorm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! It was hilarious and filled with the right amount of heart tugging and sexiness! Lex and Ava were written wonderfully, and don't get me started on Dylan..super hot! Quick and easy read! Looking forward to seeing what else this author puts out!

[Lauren Seiberling (Romance Novel Giveaways) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some major sneak-up-on-you-hotness in this book!

This was the second book I read in this series; I started with book 3 and loved it so much I wanted to start at the beginning. Schooled was an awesome "first of the series" in that it established a perfect foundation for the rest of the series.

But good gracious, I was NOT expecting the level of HOT contained in these pages!

Dylan is certainly broody and VERY intense. I really liked him, and I really liked him when he finally went after who he wanted; Lex.

And I loved when Lex finally pulled her head out of her bottom and went after Dylan right back! I was really rooting for Lex, as she went through a streak of horrible luck and couldn't wait for her to get her happy ending.

This is an outstanding New Adult Romance series, and I can't wait to read book 2!!!

(I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)

[Maheswari · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 🌟 ⭐️ 🌟 Travesty

It’s been a while - wow oh wow is it a friends to lover ? Not really
Is it taboo ? Absolutely not
But OMG , Dylan Cameron did twist my panty and some author should make more H like him

The chemistry between him and h was beyond hot

I have to hold the one line star, really after all they’ve been through the don’t deserved a well perfected epilogue than just another quickies???

[rj]

DNF. I was bored and the OW pushed me over the edge. No point in forcing myself to finish this anymore.

Safety spoiler:

Got the part where H is apparently dating OW and talks to h about kissing her but putting a stop before it led anywhere more. Also, he's asking for sex advice from the h for this OW??? That's a huge turn off. I thought this book was safe. Dating/kissing OW after making out with h is a no-go for me.

[Jag · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 stars for quality but bumped up to 3 for how embarrassingly hooked i was. started out as a joke, turned into a light summer read and suddenly couldn’t put it down. oh no, oh well.