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Wrong in All the Right Ways
An attraction between foster siblings sets fire to forbidden love in this contemporary reimagining of Wuthering Heights.
Emma’s life has always gone according to her very careful plans. But things take a turn toward the unexpected when she falls in love for the first time with the one person in the world who’s off-limits: her new foster brother, the gorgeous and tormented Dylan McAndrews.
Meanwhile, Emma’s AP English class is reading Wuthering Heights, and she’s been assigned to echo Emily Bronte’s style in an epistolary format. With irrepressible feelings and no one to confide in, she’s got a lot to write about. Distraught by the escalating intensity of their mutual attraction, Emma and Dylan try to constrain their romance to the page—for fear of threatening Dylan’s chances at being adopted into a loving home. But the strength of first love is all-consuming, and they soon get enveloped in a passionate, secretive relationship with a very uncertain outcome.
Tiffany Brownlee's Wrong in All the Right Ways marks the exciting debut of a fresh voice in contemporary teen fiction.
Emma’s life has always gone according to her very careful plans. But things take a turn toward the unexpected when she falls in love for the first time with the one person in the world who’s off-limits: her new foster brother, the gorgeous and tormented Dylan McAndrews.
Meanwhile, Emma’s AP English class is reading Wuthering Heights, and she’s been assigned to echo Emily Bronte’s style in an epistolary format. With irrepressible feelings and no one to confide in, she’s got a lot to write about. Distraught by the escalating intensity of their mutual attraction, Emma and Dylan try to constrain their romance to the page—for fear of threatening Dylan’s chances at being adopted into a loving home. But the strength of first love is all-consuming, and they soon get enveloped in a passionate, secretive relationship with a very uncertain outcome.
Tiffany Brownlee's Wrong in All the Right Ways marks the exciting debut of a fresh voice in contemporary teen fiction.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 17, 2018
46 people are currently reading
1869 people want to read
About the author
Tiffany Brownlee
2 books39 followersTiffany Brownlee was born in San Diego, California, but currently lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she works as a middle school English teacher. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Xavier University of Louisiana.
Her debut novel, Wrong in All the Right Ways—a YA remix of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights—was published July 2018.
Her debut novel, Wrong in All the Right Ways—a YA remix of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights—was published July 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
July 14, 2018
First things first, HOW INSANELY GORGEOUS IS THAT COVER?!?! I've taken so many pictures of it, it's just so damn photogenic 😁!
Anyway, there's a few words that instantly sold me on this book, and those are all-consuming, passionate, and secretive. I am a sucker for all things when it comes to secret/forbidden romances. Some readers may view the foster sibling relationship as taboo but it was handled extremely well by the author. This truly reads like a YA contemporary with just enough romance, it isn't overly done which I can totally appreciate.
This is a reimagining of Wuthering Heights, and I have to say I was a little intimidated since I've never read it before, nothing a little spark notes can't fix though! Emma's class is reading Wuthering Heights and on top of that her teacher requires that they spend the first ten minutes of class writing in their journals. So what does Emma do? She writes her journal entries to Catherine, of course, which was such a nice touch to the story and where you can see the most similarities between this and Wuthering Heights.
While the synopsis of this story does make it seem that this is more about a secretive relationship it is so much more than that. It's a story about Emma finding herself with the help of Dylan (her foster brother). Even though upon meeting they have an instant attraction to one another, he does help shape the person she becomes at the end of this story. She goes from being friendless and so focused on her future in the beginning of this story that by the end she has A LOT more going for her. She finds her best friend in an unlikely girl at school, joins the dance team, struggles with which college to attend, and juggles family issues all at the same time. Oh, and did I mention there's a love triangle as well? Normally, I don't like love triangles, but this one had me so torn on who I wanted Emma to be with.
Meanwhile, Dylan is dealing with his own issues at the same. See what I mean about this being so much more than a love story? And while I don't want to touch too much upon his past for spoiler-y reasons, I have to say I really enjoyed his character as well. I was rooting for both Emma and Dylan together at times and individually. I absolutely loved the ending of this book, again I promise no spoilers. But I thought it was super fitting for this particular story.
All in all, this was the perfect contemporary to kick off my summer with. If you're looking for a brooding, complicated, coming of age love story than look no further. Wrong in All the Right Ways was so much more than I originally expected and I can't wait to read more from this author.
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Anyway, there's a few words that instantly sold me on this book, and those are all-consuming, passionate, and secretive. I am a sucker for all things when it comes to secret/forbidden romances. Some readers may view the foster sibling relationship as taboo but it was handled extremely well by the author. This truly reads like a YA contemporary with just enough romance, it isn't overly done which I can totally appreciate.
This is a reimagining of Wuthering Heights, and I have to say I was a little intimidated since I've never read it before, nothing a little spark notes can't fix though! Emma's class is reading Wuthering Heights and on top of that her teacher requires that they spend the first ten minutes of class writing in their journals. So what does Emma do? She writes her journal entries to Catherine, of course, which was such a nice touch to the story and where you can see the most similarities between this and Wuthering Heights.
While the synopsis of this story does make it seem that this is more about a secretive relationship it is so much more than that. It's a story about Emma finding herself with the help of Dylan (her foster brother). Even though upon meeting they have an instant attraction to one another, he does help shape the person she becomes at the end of this story. She goes from being friendless and so focused on her future in the beginning of this story that by the end she has A LOT more going for her. She finds her best friend in an unlikely girl at school, joins the dance team, struggles with which college to attend, and juggles family issues all at the same time. Oh, and did I mention there's a love triangle as well? Normally, I don't like love triangles, but this one had me so torn on who I wanted Emma to be with.
Meanwhile, Dylan is dealing with his own issues at the same. See what I mean about this being so much more than a love story? And while I don't want to touch too much upon his past for spoiler-y reasons, I have to say I really enjoyed his character as well. I was rooting for both Emma and Dylan together at times and individually. I absolutely loved the ending of this book, again I promise no spoilers. But I thought it was super fitting for this particular story.
All in all, this was the perfect contemporary to kick off my summer with. If you're looking for a brooding, complicated, coming of age love story than look no further. Wrong in All the Right Ways was so much more than I originally expected and I can't wait to read more from this author.
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July 1, 2018
Okay, I know I'm the author of this book, but I believe it's the best thing I have ever written :)
July 18, 2018
I was contacted by the author and publisher to receive a digital copy via NetGalley for an honest review!
T/W- Self-Harm, Drug Taking
I actually finished reading this one a little while ago, but needed some time to sit back and digest everything I read. This is a Wuthering Heights reimagine and considering how I disliked the original Emily Bronte version, I definitely gelled with this one a lot more. The main character Emma is top of her class and trying to get into a top College to major in English. However, her world changes when a new foster brother Dylan moves in. They both end up going to the same high school and have almost virtually the same classes together. In their AP English, both have to read Bronte's Wuthering Heights and then keep a diary written during their class. Straight away, some of Emma's closet secrets are written down. Including the most difficult one of all: She has a crush on Dylan. Although I'm not the biggest fan of forbidden romances, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I settled in to reading. Some of the romance does happen a little quickly, however, the aspect of using a diary to keep thoughts kept the story flowing well. I wasn't a fan of Emma's parents as characters. I will say that there are love triangles in this one. But if you didn't like the original Bronte novel, this one may just float your boat!
T/W- Self-Harm, Drug Taking
I actually finished reading this one a little while ago, but needed some time to sit back and digest everything I read. This is a Wuthering Heights reimagine and considering how I disliked the original Emily Bronte version, I definitely gelled with this one a lot more. The main character Emma is top of her class and trying to get into a top College to major in English. However, her world changes when a new foster brother Dylan moves in. They both end up going to the same high school and have almost virtually the same classes together. In their AP English, both have to read Bronte's Wuthering Heights and then keep a diary written during their class. Straight away, some of Emma's closet secrets are written down. Including the most difficult one of all: She has a crush on Dylan. Although I'm not the biggest fan of forbidden romances, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I settled in to reading. Some of the romance does happen a little quickly, however, the aspect of using a diary to keep thoughts kept the story flowing well. I wasn't a fan of Emma's parents as characters. I will say that there are love triangles in this one. But if you didn't like the original Bronte novel, this one may just float your boat!
October 25, 2018
I am sadly disappointed. I was very much looking forward to Wrong in all the Right Ways but unfortunately this debut novel just felt “safe”. Sure the main concept of being romantically involved with a foster sibling/adoptive sibling was a risk but the delivery definitely erred on the safe side. I feel like the author should have taken more risks.
Not too mention we have pretty much EVERY Young Adult trope in this one. Which is a huge turn off. It’s almost 2019 and everyone is over all these tropes. You know how you can tell a YA book is from like 2009 to 2015 just by reading the synopsis? I call it the tropes of the early 2010’s. Vampires and love triangles, plain Janes and emotionally abusive love-interests? Come on, I know you know what I’m on about.
So I took the liberty of listing each trope I came across in this book, at which I rolled my eyes harder and then began to laugh as I came across one after the other. Here they are in order of appearance:
-Insta love
-Forbidden romance
-Plain Jane
-Nerdy girl falls for bad boy
-Love triangle
-Pretend dating
-“I thought it’d be easier if you hated me” (break up because “we shouldn’t be together”)
-Coma
*whew*
What a spin. I think I listed them all?! Now don’t get me wrong I’m not hating on all these tropes. I luuuurve me some forbidden romance—that’s the whole reason I couldn’t wait to snap this up in the first place! But I’m more of a naughty little shenaniganer and I was picturing some naughty shenanigans with some mysterious boy the parents dragged into the home. But *yawn* this one might be found on the shelves at Christian book stores.
Too clean. Too dull. Too boring. The last half was just cheese. Nothing much really happens despite checking off pretty much every available trope. And I felt nothing for the characters. I literally snorted at the end.
Okay though. That being said, I *would* say this would be ideal for age 13 and up to an immature/sheltered/goody-goody 17 years old. But I just don’t fall into that category so this one was not for me.
Not too mention we have pretty much EVERY Young Adult trope in this one. Which is a huge turn off. It’s almost 2019 and everyone is over all these tropes. You know how you can tell a YA book is from like 2009 to 2015 just by reading the synopsis? I call it the tropes of the early 2010’s. Vampires and love triangles, plain Janes and emotionally abusive love-interests? Come on, I know you know what I’m on about.
So I took the liberty of listing each trope I came across in this book, at which I rolled my eyes harder and then began to laugh as I came across one after the other. Here they are in order of appearance:
-Insta love
-Forbidden romance
-Plain Jane
-Nerdy girl falls for bad boy
-Love triangle
-Pretend dating
-“I thought it’d be easier if you hated me” (break up because “we shouldn’t be together”)
-Coma
*whew*
What a spin. I think I listed them all?! Now don’t get me wrong I’m not hating on all these tropes. I luuuurve me some forbidden romance—that’s the whole reason I couldn’t wait to snap this up in the first place! But I’m more of a naughty little shenaniganer and I was picturing some naughty shenanigans with some mysterious boy the parents dragged into the home. But *yawn* this one might be found on the shelves at Christian book stores.
Too clean. Too dull. Too boring. The last half was just cheese. Nothing much really happens despite checking off pretty much every available trope. And I felt nothing for the characters. I literally snorted at the end.
Okay though. That being said, I *would* say this would be ideal for age 13 and up to an immature/sheltered/goody-goody 17 years old. But I just don’t fall into that category so this one was not for me.
August 19, 2018
dnf @ 160 pages. too dramatic, too immature. nopenopenope
July 19, 2018
DNF at 62% for so many reasons, mainly because the subgenres are not for me. I have always been skeptical with contemporaries because I am more interested in fantasies but some things just can't be forced. I think this book will be appreciated by those who love high school stories and forbidden contemporary romances.
June 2, 2019
1,5⭐️ Поуката след прочитането й е: “Хвърли поглед и на рейтинга, преди да се хвърлиш с някакви очаквания”. Честно, моите бяха просто да я харесам. Разочарована съм средно от 2% от книгите, които чета. Това не е предположение, а статистика. И да, правя си такава всяка година. Щом успя да разочарова мен, значи е мнооого зле положението.
Към феновете (ако има такива) на “Грешно по правилния начин”: това си е моето мнение!
И така, книгата се чете бързо, но не бих я препоръчала. Не я мразя, за да й дам една звезда, но и не я харесвам, за да получи три. Все още не съм сигурна какви са чувствата ми към нея, но и сърце не ми дава да й дам две звезди, затова й отнемам една половинка. Истината е, че съм ядосана. Това е чувството, което изпитвам в момента (заради нея).
Аз съм любител на драмата. Не само, че я очаквам. Предпочитам я. Абе направо я обичам, НО... Цялата книга беше низ от глупости. Да, това е точната дума. Драма, драма, драма и то поднесана по изключително глупав начин.
Ема се води умно момиче, а не спираше да прави, мисли, чувства и говори глупави неща. Не знам дали да го отдам на пубертета, но не ми хареса образът й.
Дилан (с “А”, това много ме дразнеше) е умен, красив, забавен, чувствителен и всичко. Не ми хареса, как авторката ни запозна с баща му и веднага след това реши да го изкара, като негово мини копие. Стоеше ми пресилено. Все едно Тифани си е казала “чакай да вкарам още драма тук”, че да си мислите теории за бъдещето му и как ще го провали.
До средата на книгата смятах, че има шанс да я харесам, но след това той просто се изпари.
Наистина харесах образът на Кигън. Жалко, че героят му явно е бил добавен само заради “Брулени хълмове” и допълнителната драма.
Родителите просто ще ги пропусна.
Един епилог след пет години щеше да завърши книгата, но в края си личеше, че авторката е бързала да я приключи. То и аз бях така.
Към феновете (ако има такива) на “Грешно по правилния начин”: това си е моето мнение!
И така, книгата се чете бързо, но не бих я препоръчала. Не я мразя, за да й дам една звезда, но и не я харесвам, за да получи три. Все още не съм сигурна какви са чувствата ми към нея, но и сърце не ми дава да й дам две звезди, затова й отнемам една половинка. Истината е, че съм ядосана. Това е чувството, което изпитвам в момента (заради нея).
Аз съм любител на драмата. Не само, че я очаквам. Предпочитам я. Абе направо я обичам, НО... Цялата книга беше низ от глупости. Да, това е точната дума. Драма, драма, драма и то поднесана по изключително глупав начин.
Ема се води умно момиче, а не спираше да прави, мисли, чувства и говори глупави неща. Не знам дали да го отдам на пубертета, но не ми хареса образът й.
Дилан (с “А”, това много ме дразнеше) е умен, красив, забавен, чувствителен и всичко. Не ми хареса, как авторката ни запозна с баща му и веднага след това реши да го изкара, като негово мини копие. Стоеше ми пресилено. Все едно Тифани си е казала “чакай да вкарам още драма тук”, че да си мислите теории за бъдещето му и как ще го провали.
До средата на книгата смятах, че има шанс да я харесам, но след това той просто се изпари.
Наистина харесах образът на Кигън. Жалко, че героят му явно е бил добавен само заради “Брулени хълмове” и допълнителната драма.
Родителите просто ще ги пропусна.
Един епилог след пет години щеше да завърши книгата, но в края си личеше, че авторката е бързала да я приключи. То и аз бях така.
January 13, 2020
When I read the synopsis of this book I was super excited because I love Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte so much and I have yet to read a retelling of it. I was also initially hooked because I love forbidden romances and wanted to see what happened between the two main characters. But I have to say I was quite disappointed.
I ended up getting halfway through this and wanting to DNF it. This was VERY over dramatic and I found myself constantly saying “what the heck?!” There are just many things in this book that was just too weird or abnormal.
I found this book somewhat interesting and promising up until the point Emma and Dylan met. After reading the first conversation I was just like, okay that’s not how a situation like that would go like and I just had this bitter feeling ever since that scene.
I was not a fan of Emma. At the beginning she claims that she’s a people pleaser, but through the whole book she’s constantly worrying about herself or her own relationship.
So consider this a DNF, since I only read up to half way and then just quickly skimmed and read the end. So I can’t give a 100% REVIEW of this book since I didn’t read the entire thing, but I still have this feeling toward this book, I feel that this could have been way better in my honest opinion.
I ended up getting halfway through this and wanting to DNF it. This was VERY over dramatic and I found myself constantly saying “what the heck?!” There are just many things in this book that was just too weird or abnormal.
I found this book somewhat interesting and promising up until the point Emma and Dylan met. After reading the first conversation I was just like, okay that’s not how a situation like that would go like and I just had this bitter feeling ever since that scene.
I was not a fan of Emma. At the beginning she claims that she’s a people pleaser, but through the whole book she’s constantly worrying about herself or her own relationship.
So consider this a DNF, since I only read up to half way and then just quickly skimmed and read the end. So I can’t give a 100% REVIEW of this book since I didn’t read the entire thing, but I still have this feeling toward this book, I feel that this could have been way better in my honest opinion.
August 14, 2018
Man. In all honesty, I thought I was going to rate this 2 stars but the ending really did it for me for some reason. Full RTC!
June 12, 2018
First off, this cover is absolutely stunning! How can you not want to read a book that looks this pretty?!
I was lucky enough to grab an ARC of this gorgeous book at ALA Midwinter, and I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to read it because its so good! The romantic relationship on this story reminds me of Callie and Brandon's from the Fosters, so if you liked that show, you'll love this book!
The forbidden romance between Emma and Dylan is such a taboo topic (with them being foster siblings and all) and I appreciate how the author was careful and prudent with this subject. it wasn't overly sexual for a YA novel, and I liked that. The pacing for Emma and Dylan's romance was beleivable, too...as in things didn't move too fast with them. Most YA romances seemed rushed, but here, the pacing was just right.
On another note, I also liked that Emma's storyline was about more than just her romance with Dylan. She had a lot of other things going on like school (college admissions stuff), dance, and family issues, and the author did well balancing all of that out.
Lastly, even though I've never read Wuthering Heights, this book makes me want to read it. Overall, great read! When I picked it up to read, I finished it in a day. it was that good! And I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for an amazing YA summer romance read.
I was lucky enough to grab an ARC of this gorgeous book at ALA Midwinter, and I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to read it because its so good! The romantic relationship on this story reminds me of Callie and Brandon's from the Fosters, so if you liked that show, you'll love this book!
The forbidden romance between Emma and Dylan is such a taboo topic (with them being foster siblings and all) and I appreciate how the author was careful and prudent with this subject. it wasn't overly sexual for a YA novel, and I liked that. The pacing for Emma and Dylan's romance was beleivable, too...as in things didn't move too fast with them. Most YA romances seemed rushed, but here, the pacing was just right.
On another note, I also liked that Emma's storyline was about more than just her romance with Dylan. She had a lot of other things going on like school (college admissions stuff), dance, and family issues, and the author did well balancing all of that out.
Lastly, even though I've never read Wuthering Heights, this book makes me want to read it. Overall, great read! When I picked it up to read, I finished it in a day. it was that good! And I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for an amazing YA summer romance read.
July 14, 2018
Wrong in All the Right Ways by Tiffany Brownlee is about forbidden love, a tough life, and bad choices. What would you do if you fell in love with someone you shouldn't fall in love with?
Wrong in All the Right Ways was a very cute book! It was entertaining and easy to read. It was simply written and very reminiscent of Erin Watt (so if you're an Erin Watt fan, this one is for you!) While some phrases in the book were laden with cliches, I still enjoyed it.
The pacing of the book was perfect for a Young Adult contemporary romance--swift and packed with interesting events and tense moments. The story flowed seamlessly without any jarring time jumps, and it hooked me from the very first page.
The story concept was interesting. Who doesn't love a good book about forbidden love, right? While the story concept was good, the main character, Emma, irritated me. She's supposed to be a genius, but she came off as fickle and shallow. Her relationship with Keegan was baffling, and I honestly hated how that part of the book rolled out. Though I didn't love the drama with Keegan, Emma's interactions with Dylan were wonderfully executed. I liked reading them and thought the relationship between Emma and Dylan was very sweet.
The ending was okay. It's not how I would have liked to see the book end, but it was still an adequate ending that brought a good sense of closure.
The characters overall were cute, though again, I wasn't a fan of Emma. I loved Dylan's character. I liked that he wasn't perfect and had a past that rocked his sense of self. He made bad choices and suffered for those choices, but overall, he was a good person. The secondary characters--the mom and dad, Keegan and Karmin--were also good. While not highly developed, they were all unique characters and easy to imagine.
Should you read this book? If you enjoy Young Adult contemporaries, check it out!
Thank you to the author and the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy for review purposes.
Wrong in All the Right Ways was a very cute book! It was entertaining and easy to read. It was simply written and very reminiscent of Erin Watt (so if you're an Erin Watt fan, this one is for you!) While some phrases in the book were laden with cliches, I still enjoyed it.
The pacing of the book was perfect for a Young Adult contemporary romance--swift and packed with interesting events and tense moments. The story flowed seamlessly without any jarring time jumps, and it hooked me from the very first page.
The story concept was interesting. Who doesn't love a good book about forbidden love, right? While the story concept was good, the main character, Emma, irritated me. She's supposed to be a genius, but she came off as fickle and shallow. Her relationship with Keegan was baffling, and I honestly hated how that part of the book rolled out. Though I didn't love the drama with Keegan, Emma's interactions with Dylan were wonderfully executed. I liked reading them and thought the relationship between Emma and Dylan was very sweet.
The ending was okay. It's not how I would have liked to see the book end, but it was still an adequate ending that brought a good sense of closure.
The characters overall were cute, though again, I wasn't a fan of Emma. I loved Dylan's character. I liked that he wasn't perfect and had a past that rocked his sense of self. He made bad choices and suffered for those choices, but overall, he was a good person. The secondary characters--the mom and dad, Keegan and Karmin--were also good. While not highly developed, they were all unique characters and easy to imagine.
Should you read this book? If you enjoy Young Adult contemporaries, check it out!
Thank you to the author and the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy for review purposes.
May 29, 2024
I know I was supposed to be rooting for Emma and Dylan but I kinda wish she just went with Keegan 😭 The way Emma and Dylan kept referring to themselves as siblings and lovers at the same time was kinda icky icl
The writing in this was very simple and easy to get through, which I liked since that's what I was in the mood for when I read this.
I feel like alot of the 'darker' topics weren't fleshed out and got skipped over, but I dont think that's a valid critique considering this is a ya romance which is clearly aimed at a young audience.
The writing in this was very simple and easy to get through, which I liked since that's what I was in the mood for when I read this.
I feel like alot of the 'darker' topics weren't fleshed out and got skipped over, but I dont think that's a valid critique considering this is a ya romance which is clearly aimed at a young audience.
April 15, 2023
I read this while waiting for a flight and I regret it. I just can't with the foster siblings
July 15, 2018
DNF @ 37%
Can I count this book as read on goodreads even though I only read 1/3 of it? Heck yes I can because it’s my life and I do what I want.
When I saw this book on Netgalley, I was excited. A Wuthering Heights reimagining? Heck yes. I loved Wuthering Heights when I read it at the end of last year, and was excited to see a different take on the classically tragic story. Now I’ve read adaptations of classics before. Jane by April Lindner is an excellent example of a classic turned modern retelling. Is it the best book in the world? No. But it does the classic justice while also giving me some trashy romance to love. So I went into this book with totally realistic expectations. I wasn’t expecting it to blow me away, but I was expecting to like it for what it was.
Boy was I wrong. The dialogue was ridiculously stilted. Sometimes we would change scenes within a chapter without any break or indication that it was happening. Kisses would come COMPLETELY out of nowhere. The main character has no redeemable qualities. Originally, she portrays herself as a plain Jane, easily forgettable type of girl. This assessment is backed up by the fact that she doesn’t have any friends and has never dated anyone: forgettable. However, as soon as the foster brother/love interest character, Dylan, comes into play, we learn that she’s extremely gorgeous. In fact, other female characters back up this fact. Why give us the false representation of her in the first place? Is this supposed to help us feel a camaraderie with her? Because it doesn’t.
I get that this is a reimagining of Wuthering Heights, but don’t make the dang love interest her foster brother. In Wuthering Heights, at least as far as I perceived it, the main roadblock to Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship is the social standing. Foster brother/sister situations back then were extremely different than they are now. He’s basically a glorified hired hand in Wuthering Heights than anything else. Make him the pool boy or something. The “sibling love” relationship trope needs to be OVER.
Now let’s dig in to this foster situation. Emma knows she’s going to be receiving a foster brother/sister. She assumes he/she will be younger to match in age with her younger brother. Before the potential sibling arrives, she’s already jealous of the attention they will be taking off of her from her parents (even though she blatantly disregards both of her parents’ affection for her throughout the book). When she sees it’s a boy her age, she flips immediately. She has a crush on him from the very first second. But then she also doesn’t understand why he won’t call her parents mom and dad. WHY would you want a guy you have a crush on to call your parents mom and dad? And why would he be expected to? He is a 16 year old foster kid and he just met all of you! The fact that she and her parents were bothered by him calling them by their first names/surname BOGGLES MY MIND. Not only that, but Emma and her family are under the impression they will be adopting Dylan when he seems to have no idea about that happening.
Sorry that I’m ranting but this book really gets my blood boiling. Beyond the fact that they’re foster siblings, Emma doesn’t care that their potential relationship could ruin Dylan’s prospects for a happy family life. She doesn’t even consider his side of things in any scenario. The first night he’s in her home, she interrogates him about his home life and is offended when he doesn’t trust her with the “secrets in his eyes” or some crap like that. I can deal with dislikable MC’s if it is shown that they will grow and evolve. I saw no indications of that happening within the 37% I read of this book.
The family relationships and dynamic were weird. Not just between Dylan and Emma, but between the parents and younger brother as well. I didn’t root for their relationship, even thought it was implied that I’m supposed to. Honestly, I DNFed this book for all the very valid reasons listed above, but also because I’m sure (based on how fast their relationship was moving) that there are going to be some very awkward sexual encounters between them, and I just would not be able to deal with that should they occur.
I received this book as an arc from Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wanted to like it, but I didn’t. There you go.
Can I count this book as read on goodreads even though I only read 1/3 of it? Heck yes I can because it’s my life and I do what I want.
When I saw this book on Netgalley, I was excited. A Wuthering Heights reimagining? Heck yes. I loved Wuthering Heights when I read it at the end of last year, and was excited to see a different take on the classically tragic story. Now I’ve read adaptations of classics before. Jane by April Lindner is an excellent example of a classic turned modern retelling. Is it the best book in the world? No. But it does the classic justice while also giving me some trashy romance to love. So I went into this book with totally realistic expectations. I wasn’t expecting it to blow me away, but I was expecting to like it for what it was.
Boy was I wrong. The dialogue was ridiculously stilted. Sometimes we would change scenes within a chapter without any break or indication that it was happening. Kisses would come COMPLETELY out of nowhere. The main character has no redeemable qualities. Originally, she portrays herself as a plain Jane, easily forgettable type of girl. This assessment is backed up by the fact that she doesn’t have any friends and has never dated anyone: forgettable. However, as soon as the foster brother/love interest character, Dylan, comes into play, we learn that she’s extremely gorgeous. In fact, other female characters back up this fact. Why give us the false representation of her in the first place? Is this supposed to help us feel a camaraderie with her? Because it doesn’t.
I get that this is a reimagining of Wuthering Heights, but don’t make the dang love interest her foster brother. In Wuthering Heights, at least as far as I perceived it, the main roadblock to Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship is the social standing. Foster brother/sister situations back then were extremely different than they are now. He’s basically a glorified hired hand in Wuthering Heights than anything else. Make him the pool boy or something. The “sibling love” relationship trope needs to be OVER.
Now let’s dig in to this foster situation. Emma knows she’s going to be receiving a foster brother/sister. She assumes he/she will be younger to match in age with her younger brother. Before the potential sibling arrives, she’s already jealous of the attention they will be taking off of her from her parents (even though she blatantly disregards both of her parents’ affection for her throughout the book). When she sees it’s a boy her age, she flips immediately. She has a crush on him from the very first second. But then she also doesn’t understand why he won’t call her parents mom and dad. WHY would you want a guy you have a crush on to call your parents mom and dad? And why would he be expected to? He is a 16 year old foster kid and he just met all of you! The fact that she and her parents were bothered by him calling them by their first names/surname BOGGLES MY MIND. Not only that, but Emma and her family are under the impression they will be adopting Dylan when he seems to have no idea about that happening.
Sorry that I’m ranting but this book really gets my blood boiling. Beyond the fact that they’re foster siblings, Emma doesn’t care that their potential relationship could ruin Dylan’s prospects for a happy family life. She doesn’t even consider his side of things in any scenario. The first night he’s in her home, she interrogates him about his home life and is offended when he doesn’t trust her with the “secrets in his eyes” or some crap like that. I can deal with dislikable MC’s if it is shown that they will grow and evolve. I saw no indications of that happening within the 37% I read of this book.
The family relationships and dynamic were weird. Not just between Dylan and Emma, but between the parents and younger brother as well. I didn’t root for their relationship, even thought it was implied that I’m supposed to. Honestly, I DNFed this book for all the very valid reasons listed above, but also because I’m sure (based on how fast their relationship was moving) that there are going to be some very awkward sexual encounters between them, and I just would not be able to deal with that should they occur.
I received this book as an arc from Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wanted to like it, but I didn’t. There you go.
September 5, 2018
I think this is a debut novel, so I'm going to be as lenient as possible. I believe that Brownlee has potential as a writer. There was an angst and level of emotion to the story that made me feel more like I was reading a memoir rather than something fictitious.
Really, some events and details seemed so specific that I wasn't totally sure this is fiction.
The foster brother - sister forbidden relationship didn't bother me -- I'm here for all the #ForbiddenRomance and normally enjoy fake-incest erotica (erotica with stepsiblings or stepparent/child). I was hoping for more of a romance, but I didn't realize this was a retelling of Wuthering Heights, which means drama and madness galore.
I also really liked the characters of Karmin and Keegan. Dylan, to me, was too much of the YA antihero -- flawed, tragic, but somehow teen-girl catnip and, at moments, too unrealistic...like a romance novel hero. Cue meeting each other at the bathroom door, wrapped in towels~! I believe there might have been issues with tone and flow of the language. Later in the book, when Emma has grown more comfortable with speaking up and interacting with people, she occasionally goes on rants that sound fervent and natural, unlike the weirdly stiff parts.
The book is overly fixated on showers (mentioned 30 times). Can we talk about this? It's unbelievable how frequently Emma thinks about showers, especially at strange times. For example, when she lies down on the grass ("But we already showered, doesn't this defeat the purpose?") and when Dylan suggests that they finger-paint their canvases ("But I just took a shower!"). It makes me wonder how she's able to get through a normal day in her life. No wonder she was so insistent on taking a shower before going to school, even when her shower drain was clogged. The perfectly normal concept of skipping one day must be revolting to her.
Aside from her apparent love of showers, Brownlee commits the classic amateur error of including too many mundane details and mentions of unimportant actions. Other fixations include Emma's guilt over graduating early and maybe going to college out of state, and her dad's pushy, competitive streak.
The weakest point of this novel is the writing and the plotting. Emma's "voice" is stiff and unnatural. She doesn't sound her age, even though she's supposed to be valedictorian. I took AP and Honors classes in high school, too, and I didn't sound like an adult at all. But meeting Dylan reduces the poor girl to a lovesick puddle in her Dear Catherine journal -- I guess it happens to the best of us? She turns from being a sensible (if dull) goal-driven young woman into a starry-eyed infatuated (and horny) teenage girl. Switching between these two voices was jarring and unlikely (shouldn't her journal entries sound just like her normal voice if the book is written in first person?). It's hard to say which part was worse. Plotwise, so many incidents were contrived, such as Dylan's sophomore English class getting merged with Emma's AP English class so conversations about Wuthering Heights could occur.
- Has Emma already read Wuthering Heights? I can't remember if it was mentioned. Her class takes an incredibly long time to finish the book (a full semester, it seems), and at one point in the book, when Emma is still in the early chapters of reading the book for her AP English class, she writes in her Dear Catherine journal that she hopes her romance with Dylan's ends up the same way as however Wuthering Heights resolves. So I would guess she doesn't know the ending, but assumes that it's something good?
- I don't recall much about Wuthering Heights because I read it almost 20 years ago. Was Heathcliff abusive? For some reason, not enough attention is drawn to the fact that Dylan is emotionally abusive to Emma. He appears to have inherited bipolar traits from his father -- surely his mood swings, jealousy, and violence can't just be the effect of the medication he's on. He has Emma walking on eggshells, doubting her own agency and making decisions about her future, and actually scaring her by being Jekyll and Hyde on alternate days.
I wasn't expecting an abuse plotline, but it's important to call it out so readers can recognize emotional abuse when they see it.
Really, some events and details seemed so specific that I wasn't totally sure this is fiction.
The foster brother - sister forbidden relationship didn't bother me -- I'm here for all the #ForbiddenRomance and normally enjoy fake-incest erotica (erotica with stepsiblings or stepparent/child). I was hoping for more of a romance, but I didn't realize this was a retelling of Wuthering Heights, which means drama and madness galore.
I also really liked the characters of Karmin and Keegan. Dylan, to me, was too much of the YA antihero -- flawed, tragic, but somehow teen-girl catnip and, at moments, too unrealistic...like a romance novel hero. Cue meeting each other at the bathroom door, wrapped in towels~! I believe there might have been issues with tone and flow of the language. Later in the book, when Emma has grown more comfortable with speaking up and interacting with people, she occasionally goes on rants that sound fervent and natural, unlike the weirdly stiff parts.
The book is overly fixated on showers (mentioned 30 times). Can we talk about this? It's unbelievable how frequently Emma thinks about showers, especially at strange times. For example, when she lies down on the grass ("But we already showered, doesn't this defeat the purpose?") and when Dylan suggests that they finger-paint their canvases ("But I just took a shower!"). It makes me wonder how she's able to get through a normal day in her life. No wonder she was so insistent on taking a shower before going to school, even when her shower drain was clogged. The perfectly normal concept of skipping one day must be revolting to her.
Aside from her apparent love of showers, Brownlee commits the classic amateur error of including too many mundane details and mentions of unimportant actions. Other fixations include Emma's guilt over graduating early and maybe going to college out of state, and her dad's pushy, competitive streak.
The weakest point of this novel is the writing and the plotting. Emma's "voice" is stiff and unnatural. She doesn't sound her age, even though she's supposed to be valedictorian. I took AP and Honors classes in high school, too, and I didn't sound like an adult at all. But meeting Dylan reduces the poor girl to a lovesick puddle in her Dear Catherine journal -- I guess it happens to the best of us? She turns from being a sensible (if dull) goal-driven young woman into a starry-eyed infatuated (and horny) teenage girl. Switching between these two voices was jarring and unlikely (shouldn't her journal entries sound just like her normal voice if the book is written in first person?). It's hard to say which part was worse. Plotwise, so many incidents were contrived, such as Dylan's sophomore English class getting merged with Emma's AP English class so conversations about Wuthering Heights could occur.
- Has Emma already read Wuthering Heights? I can't remember if it was mentioned. Her class takes an incredibly long time to finish the book (a full semester, it seems), and at one point in the book, when Emma is still in the early chapters of reading the book for her AP English class, she writes in her Dear Catherine journal that she hopes her romance with Dylan's ends up the same way as however Wuthering Heights resolves. So I would guess she doesn't know the ending, but assumes that it's something good?
- I don't recall much about Wuthering Heights because I read it almost 20 years ago. Was Heathcliff abusive? For some reason, not enough attention is drawn to the fact that Dylan is emotionally abusive to Emma. He appears to have inherited bipolar traits from his father -- surely his mood swings, jealousy, and violence can't just be the effect of the medication he's on. He has Emma walking on eggshells, doubting her own agency and making decisions about her future, and actually scaring her by being Jekyll and Hyde on alternate days.
I wasn't expecting an abuse plotline, but it's important to call it out so readers can recognize emotional abuse when they see it.
August 6, 2018
Read my review on my blog:
Wrong in All the Right Ways review
Beautiful writing and great family dynamics, but it brought up a lot of issues I didn't really vibe with. Read the full review on Literary Lexi.
Wrong in All the Right Ways review
Beautiful writing and great family dynamics, but it brought up a lot of issues I didn't really vibe with. Read the full review on Literary Lexi.
June 3, 2023
This book chewed me up and spit me out. But it also held my hand, told me that I'm not alone and made me smile, laugh, and PRAISE JESUS!
I'm so thankful that this revolutionary book exists. I've read love stories. I've read forbidden love stories. But I've never read a forbidden loved story like this one. It was such a tremendous journey and to be a retelling it had a very expected end which make ls Tiffany Bronwnlee an AMAIZNG author because when I tell yall I had virtually NO idea what was going to happen in the majority of this book, I truly didn't and it made the experience all the more rich.
It is so rare to find a book that is so youthful, so real and not afraid to go to those gritty places but that is also sweet and rocks you like a child whose never been appreciated but finally has the love they deserve.
A book chat is pending but for now I say to you: if you enjoy not only romances, but since true love represented by two young people; if you enjoy families that go through the ringer but never cause you to lose hope; if you enjoy the rawness of being human and consider yourself to be open minded enough to accept others and the lives they bring to the table; man if you like teenage stories with dynamic characters and a romance worth reading about - READ THIS BOOK! THANK YOU.
I'm so thankful that this revolutionary book exists. I've read love stories. I've read forbidden love stories. But I've never read a forbidden loved story like this one. It was such a tremendous journey and to be a retelling it had a very expected end which make ls Tiffany Bronwnlee an AMAIZNG author because when I tell yall I had virtually NO idea what was going to happen in the majority of this book, I truly didn't and it made the experience all the more rich.
It is so rare to find a book that is so youthful, so real and not afraid to go to those gritty places but that is also sweet and rocks you like a child whose never been appreciated but finally has the love they deserve.
A book chat is pending but for now I say to you: if you enjoy not only romances, but since true love represented by two young people; if you enjoy families that go through the ringer but never cause you to lose hope; if you enjoy the rawness of being human and consider yourself to be open minded enough to accept others and the lives they bring to the table; man if you like teenage stories with dynamic characters and a romance worth reading about - READ THIS BOOK! THANK YOU.
July 7, 2019
It's wrong all the way.
August 13, 2018
This is possibly the most gorgeous cover out there right now. But ... all the meta-ness and re-telling-ness of Wuthering Heights (including the awkward journal entries to Catherine as Emma's "rock" through the entire book) this was just hella strange.
Wuthering Heights is one of those books that gets romanticized like Romeo and Juliet. The eternal love of Healthcliff and Catherine (who may have classically and appropriately loved each other at some point but ...) and separated by their social class etcetera and so forth on ... but it's not a romance story. It's a tragic tale filled with woe and hateful people doing hateful things to each other under the guise of love (real, experienced, or forbidden). So then to attempt to reimagine it as a YA first-love romance with any type of hopeful ending is an awkward and forced fit.
This is circ'ing well at the library because of the cover. I am fairly certain that NONE of the teens who are taking this title out at my library have ever attempted to read (never mind read) Wuthering Heights. So a lot of the allusion and the retelling similarities will be lost on them.
Wuthering Heights is one of those books that gets romanticized like Romeo and Juliet. The eternal love of Healthcliff and Catherine (who may have classically and appropriately loved each other at some point but ...) and separated by their social class etcetera and so forth on ... but it's not a romance story. It's a tragic tale filled with woe and hateful people doing hateful things to each other under the guise of love (real, experienced, or forbidden). So then to attempt to reimagine it as a YA first-love romance with any type of hopeful ending is an awkward and forced fit.
This is circ'ing well at the library because of the cover. I am fairly certain that NONE of the teens who are taking this title out at my library have ever attempted to read (never mind read) Wuthering Heights. So a lot of the allusion and the retelling similarities will be lost on them.
March 29, 2018
What a fascinating concept and take on Wuthering Heights! Emma’s a straight-A student but unsure of who she really is. Her world’s thrown crooked when instead of bringing home the young foster child Emma expected, her parents return home with Dylan, who’s Emma’s age, and to whom she feels an inescapable attraction—though they both know if anything romantic is discovered between them, he’ll lose his chance of being adopted. From this high-stakes premise, things quickly intensify, with unexpected family drama coming to a head and an absolutely charming new love interest complicating Emma’s relationship with Dylan. The novel weaves in reference to Wuthering Heights, which Emma’s reading in AP English—it’s not a strict retelling, instead leaving room for Emma’s own analyses of the parallels to her life. Withering Heights fans, this is an intriguing rework of a classic!
July 19, 2018
Emma is intelligent, competitive and talented. She’s on top of her class and at senior high though she’s only 16. Emma dislikes the idea of having a foster brother or sister because she knows she’ll be jealous and she’ll lose her parents attention. Further, her biological brother Matt is excited to have another sibling. And they met, Dylan, Emma and Matt’s foster-brother and around Emma’s age. Dylan has a very tragic story that led him to live in foster care. He use art to express himself and to let go some of his feelings. Also, he goes to school with Emma and had become classmates in one subject. And an intimacy developed between Emma and Dylan. But there are things that hinders their relationship.
Read full review: https://wandererinneverland.wordpress...
Read full review: https://wandererinneverland.wordpress...
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April 30, 2018Debut author Tiffany Brownlee takes on quintessential tormented duo Catherine and Heathcliff in WRONG IN ALL THE RIGHT WAYS, a young adult retelling of the Brontë classic. A must-read for anyone seeking a swoony YA romance with plenty of obsession, darkness and brooding, complex characters who make big mistakes, and a nuanced exploration of a knotty ethical dilemma.
September 22, 2022
the cover was pretty. there were some beautifully written lines. but it’s a foster sibling love story.
June 28, 2024
мисля,че факта че бяха доведен брат и сестра ми дойде в повече
April 30, 2018
What a great take on Wuthering Heights! If you like your romances forbidden, complicated, and swoony, you need to read this book!
March 9, 2018
Tiffany Brownlee's retelling of Wuthering Heights opens with one of the best character introductions I've ever read and then gets even better. If you like your romance as complicated as it is swoony, you'll adore this one!
Read
December 12, 2019DNF @ 38%
Ugh, this one was such a disappointment. The basic premise, a contemporary retelling of Wuthering Heights, obviously had me squealing. Unfortunately, the whole thing falls apart due to the fact that Brownlee is no Emily Brontë. The writing is a mess, with strange, unnecessary details and painfully stilted dialogue.
The insta-love is perhaps the most atrocious and unconvincing I've ever read, with the MC falling in love with her foster brother practically on the spot. There's simply no comparison to the mesmerisingly toxic relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff.
Ugh, this one was such a disappointment. The basic premise, a contemporary retelling of Wuthering Heights, obviously had me squealing. Unfortunately, the whole thing falls apart due to the fact that Brownlee is no Emily Brontë. The writing is a mess, with strange, unnecessary details and painfully stilted dialogue.
The insta-love is perhaps the most atrocious and unconvincing I've ever read, with the MC falling in love with her foster brother practically on the spot. There's simply no comparison to the mesmerisingly toxic relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff.
Read
February 20, 2018Like its source material (Wuthering Heights), Wrong in All the Right Ways has a great title, a tumultuous romance, and devastating consequences. If you’re in the mood for a brooding love story, this one’s for you.
January 13, 2020
DNF at 20%. This is about to be harsh so heads up: Emma is annoying, Dylan is obnoxiously pretentious and their love story is dull. Everything about this book is dull. I got to the part where Emma falls in love with Dylan aka Chapter 5 and I’d like the hours back on my life. How incredibly predictable. And their early interactions were so unrealistic. Hugging each other after meeting for five minutes, her intense questions about his scars, him painting her eyes after knowing her a day. I know most people hate instalove but a part of me loves it. This however was horrendous. Like so bad. I had so much hope for this story. Gorgeous cover, simple yet intriguing storyline that’s super meta because they’re reading Wuthering Heights. I’m so incredibly disappointed. Wow. I have faith in the author though because her actual writing isn’t the worst. This story was just bland.
Want to read
August 29, 2018:/ I started reading this and realized it has my least favorite trope : pseudo incest.
I REALLY hate step siblings/adopted siblings love stories, SO much. and despite my hatred of them, the idea of a relationship happening under the roof involving a foster child who has been in and out of homes searching for a place to live, pisses me off. dating that person could lead to him being kicked out, instantly. I couldn't get over that to go further.
I'll have to try later.
Also, I ordered this on amazon and received an arc. like wtf lmao. I'm still pissed.
I REALLY hate step siblings/adopted siblings love stories, SO much. and despite my hatred of them, the idea of a relationship happening under the roof involving a foster child who has been in and out of homes searching for a place to live, pisses me off. dating that person could lead to him being kicked out, instantly. I couldn't get over that to go further.
I'll have to try later.
Also, I ordered this on amazon and received an arc. like wtf lmao. I'm still pissed.
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