Ms. Behave

Fandom Hearts #4.5

by Cathy Yardley, Serena St. Clair (Narrator), Jay Skelton (Narrator)

Simon has been away from his hometown for 12 years since a youthful prank got him kicked out of school, his home, and his best friend's life. Now, his work on the hit TV show Mystics has brought him back to Snoqualmie and face-to-face with his past.

Mallory is a corporate lawyer who just wants to be accepted for who she is, and Simon was the one person who always seemed able to do that until he left town, and her, behind. Determined to fix things between them by any means, she vows to joke, cajole, and otherwise pester Simon into getting things back the way they were.

But what if the way things were is different than the way she remembered? And what if they both learn that, while they still are the best of friends, they were always meant to be so much more?

Genres: Romance, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published September 30, 2018

About the author

Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed most of the books by this author that I've read so far. But this was not good! My main problem of the book is that Mallory is constantly hitting Simon. To the point where when he knows he's going to have to say something she isn't going to like he physically steps away from her because he doesn't want to get punched in the stomach or balls. But it's never even talked about how that's not okay for her to do! (well I did give up half an hour from the end because it was making me so mad.) I feel like men being abused isn't really talked about as much because people don't realize that men can be hurt by women but it's a thing. And it happens all the time. I feel like being raised in a time where women hitting men was just an acceptable thing to do definitely plays into it a lot. I know 10 years ago when I was in high school that that was how a lot of girls, including myself, flirted. Casually hitting someone is so cute and endearing, didn't you know?! (What was wrong with me??!!!) But for a book released in 2018 I wanted so much more. How is this still okay? I feel like also if you're going to make your character bisexual and then just have them end up with someone of the opposite gender, then that is just playing it so safe. Literally the only reason Mallory was bi was for plot reasons. It's the only thing that's keeping them apart is that he thinks she was lesbian. It's just so stupid and I hate it.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one in this series. Mallory super fun. Her relationship/backstory with Simon entertaining. Good chemistry. Recommended.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon left his hometown after being kicked out of high school and his home. Now his work on the TV show Mystics has him back in Snoqualmie and face-to-face with his high school crush.

This was a quick and easy novella. While it has been 12 years since he left, the relationship he has with Malory picked up right where they left off. Their relationship was sweet and fun. Malory helps Simon relax and live again. He has been too caught up in his career to enjoy life and Mal makes him see that.

Their relationship changes when Simon finds out that Malory is bisexual. It pushes him to admit his feelings about her. These two were just really sweet together. Overall, this was a fun and quick novella with very likeable characters.

This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Starfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really lovely novella with some great friends-to-lovers vibes. My only issue is that I really didn't love that the main conflict came from assumptions that both protagonists made about each other, and clearly fitted into the 'would have been solved by an honest five-minute conversation' category.

And I liked even less that on Simon's side, that conflict effectively stemmed from bi erasure. Seriously - yes, I get that Mal had identified only as gay as a teenager, but surely the possibility that she was bi wouldn't have knocked him off his centre quite as much as it did. And then, given that it was a revelation, Mal assuming the worst of Simon when he said he needed to process felt off too.

It's a measure of how much I enjoyed the book otherwise that I haven't marked it down a star for relying on my least favourite plot trope for conflict. But I *did* enjoy it that much, so it can stay a five-star.

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one, especially because I was curious about Simon after his appearance in Jake's book--I wanted to know the back story on why he didn't want to come back to his hometown. However, I'm not sure this is the best depiction of bisexuality? I'm not bisexual or a lesbian, so I'm not the authority here by any means, but the use of the phrase "just a lesbian" felt not great to me (as in, Mal thought she was "just a lesbian," but later realized she was also attracted to men...therefore implying that being bisexual is "more" than being "just a lesbian"?). Anyway, if you're on the fence, it might be a good idea to look at some ownvoices reviews before reading.

[Xan]

Content Warnings Parental bi antagonism. References to getting kicked out of the house by family as a teen, and continued family estrangement. Tickling as retribution for pranks. Reference to an ex who would not respect no with regard to tickling. Sex on the page.

This was a joy to read, all the way through, and is one of of my favorites in this series. There is wonderful humor and heart and glorious chemistry between the MCs. A very satisfying romance.

[Abigail Cossette Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was pretty short, and I didn't find Mallory and Simon as interesting as some of the other characters, but it is still a nice way to spend a couple hours.

[Rachel Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

After years of being away, Simon is back in his hometown of Snoqualmie while working on the hit TV show Mystics. 12 years is a long time, but some things don’t change. Simon’s best friend, Mallory, never left Snoqualmie. They were friends in school and are friends still, but is there something more growing between them?

This was a fun quick read. As always, Yardley’s writing style and story pull you in and you can easily finish this short book in a day.

I loved both Simon and Mallory. Simon is quiet and keeps to himself, even though he is an actor on television. Mallory was never understood growing up and even now is sometimes thought of as an outsider. She is accepted for who she is among her small group of geeky bookstore friends, but not everyone can accept that she’s bisexual. Simon always thought she didn’t like him growing up because she was only into women, but after finding out the truth, he won’t know what to do. I wanted to sock him over the head for being so dense when he found out Mallory was bisexual, since he can only think of himself in the moment, but eventually his winning nature shines through.

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

MS. BEHAVE was a quick and easy read and I breezed through it but I can't say that it made much of an impression. I enjoyed this while reading it but it doesn't stand out for me. We've known about Simon avoiding the town for a few books but now we finally learn why. Simon and Mallory jump back into their friendship with the ease of true friends and it was really sweet. They each understand the other in unique ways and they've missed that connection. But things get truly complicated when it turns out that while Mallory only dated girls in high school, she's since realized that she's actually bisexual and Simon is conflicted over what to do with this information.

Overall, this was a cute read with likable characters. Simon is a charmer hiding loneliness under an easy going smile and it takes Mallory's particular brand of fun and adventure to remind him what he loves about life. For her part, Mallory is satisfied with life but she's always felt like something was missing. I liked these two together because they had a lot of history and that really comes through in the story.

[Melissa Jacobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little novella in a series that I religiously read because I am trash. This followed one of my favorite characters in the series and while I enjoyed it I didn't love it as much as other installments in the series. That aside this was a solid installment and the bi rep made me very happy!

[TabReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mal + Simon

I love Cathy Yardly, especially this Fandom series. This quick little jaunt back to Snoqualmie was funny, sweet and sexy. I just wish it was a full length novel.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty cute! Definitely a friends-to-lovers trope happening, but I didn't mind it at all

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

In previous books in this series, we knew that Simon, medium-time TV star of a sci-fi series, has some mysterious past in Snoqualmie and that it probably has something to do with the gender-neutral, kick-ass lawyer Mallory and we finally get to find out what it is.
The two were best buds in high school but when Simon caught feelings, he tried to be super secret and respectful about it because he thought Mallory was a lesbian so he wasn't going to put all of his feelings on her. Which, he probably could have shared some but... teenagers aren't the smartest and I very much respect the "why lose a best friend" question. They did get handsy with each other one night but were yanked apart soon after so never had a chance to follow up.
Years later, Simon still thinks Mallory's hot, especially when she saves his butt from a potentially awkward situation. He is still trying to respect her feelings, even when she is coy (but that seems to have been their relationship in high school also.)
Maybe not the best representation of bisexuality (some things seemed stereotypical but I'm not an expert on the topic) but Mallory was strong and confident in who she was and I enjoyed that about her.

[Inna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.
Short novella that took me a bit to get into, but I ended up really enjoying. I hate the second chance and friends to lovers tropes, but in this case, the author did them well.

Safe
-Many years long separation
-MCs had one brief make out session in highschool, they get caught where they shouldn’t be, which leads to a huge blowout, and the hero leaves the next day. They don’t talk again until this book.
-Hero had been a manwhore in the past but was celibate for a while before being with the heroine
-I LOVED that the heroine has had really great sex before the hero, she’s no prude and owns her bisexuality
-Hero tries to hook up with OW prior to being reunited with the heroine, but it goes nowhere.
-No scenes either OM/OW
-No cheating

[Bex stark · Rating 2 out of 5]

It really bothered me that Mallory ended up with a straight white man. I’ve appreciated the rest of the series for being fairly diverse and not bending to gender norms, but this one used Mallory’s bi sexuality as the storyline for why they didn’t end up together in high school. Why couldn’t Simon have been a girl the whole way through? And we use this a discovery story of bi sexuality or being gay- the plot basically would have been the same except God forbid a hit tv show was about two brothers and their sister not three hot guys.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for Mal and was a little disappointed here. I kind of wanted this to be more focused on her being non binary I guess? Instead it was about miscommunication (I hate this trope).
If Mal had casually told him that she'd had a crush on him when they first caught up in that diner, this Novella wouldn't even be one. I really like Mal, but the relationship with her mom felt forced and Hailey immediately knowing why Simon was upset made it feel less special.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Longing Love.

I love how Mallory and Simon were always attracted with each other & always there to support each other. Just accepted who they are as one in the friendship but being more? It was a short story about them but man, it was just too dare cute!!! I love every minute of it! (Kindle/Audiobook)

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard sigh

I wanted to give this book a 5 but I can't be OK with somebody assaulting another person just because you don't like their reaction to something. The author doesn't have things go smoothly after that but doesn't address that that behavior isn't OK either. And I don't think the author thinks that behavior is OK based on her other books.

[Émilie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never use Bisexuality as a plot point, mostly of the love interest is of the other sex. It feels like she was "cured" which makes me mad.
Sorry, but now I'm nervous for the next book, particularly the one with Cress.

[Stephanie Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, this was a short little nugget of cute. I actually liked this one better then the other novella in the series, Hooked. The characters seem better drawn this time, and Simon's obsession with playing Tesla was cute.

I've only got two books left in the series, so onward I go. LOL.

[Dax · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the issue that happened in this story could have been fixed with just one conversation. That being said; the dynamic between our two protagonists is just so much fun. They bring out a joy in each other that feels infectious.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute & fun

[Tabs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat clueless hero. Badass lawyer bisexual heroine.

[Jenncw · Rating 3 out of 5]

For such a short novella, this story packed a lot of elements and emotions.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Kat Cup of Tea Bookblog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this novella! A great addition to the series!

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 really like the diversity aspect of things. I like that our female lead is the bi character. Story is a bit too short, but it is angst free and entertaining.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Bimisia
Disownment & familial estrangmenet

[Mella aka Maron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little novella. I liked the themes of sexuality and how that affects you and the people around you. I liked Mallory and Simon.

Short, sweet and cute! ❤️

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the series.