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Hidden Falls High #1
Crushed
Welcome to Hidden Falls High...the private exclusive academy in Malibu's hidden community.
I was supposed to be ecstatic now that I finally had the chance to transfer to my best friend and forever crush, Nat Donovan's school...
Only this was the year my long time crush, Nat Donovan, crushed me, and I would never be the same afterwards.
For as long as I could remember, Nat Donovan and I had been best friends. Every summer he and his younger siblings Drew and Rachel, and I would get together and spend it at my Aunt Sookie's Malibu beach house.
So when I moved in with my Aunt Sookie and transferred to Nat's school Hidden Falls High, I thought he would be happy. Only he wasn't.
Little did I know...the most popular boys at Hidden Falls High thought I was easy target. The new girl. The girl who didn't belong...and they happened to be Nat's best guy friends, The Knights of Hidden Falls High (#HFH).
Little did they know this girl isn't someone who would be easily crushed. Summer Jones may seem like a nice girl, but I am definitely not a pushover. So bring it on...
**Crushed is a YA/NA prequel book for that can be read as a standalone or as the prequel to the soon-to-be-a-film series, Loving Summer Series (first published in 2012 and has continued growing as a series with spin-offs. Over a million copies of the Loving Summer Series has been sold). Crushed is a bully romance and touches upon issues such as bullying, self-esteem, self-confidence, and image. It is appropriate for 17 and up due to language and some mature issues. If this doesn't bother you, then dive in!
I was supposed to be ecstatic now that I finally had the chance to transfer to my best friend and forever crush, Nat Donovan's school...
Only this was the year my long time crush, Nat Donovan, crushed me, and I would never be the same afterwards.
For as long as I could remember, Nat Donovan and I had been best friends. Every summer he and his younger siblings Drew and Rachel, and I would get together and spend it at my Aunt Sookie's Malibu beach house.
So when I moved in with my Aunt Sookie and transferred to Nat's school Hidden Falls High, I thought he would be happy. Only he wasn't.
Little did I know...the most popular boys at Hidden Falls High thought I was easy target. The new girl. The girl who didn't belong...and they happened to be Nat's best guy friends, The Knights of Hidden Falls High (#HFH).
Little did they know this girl isn't someone who would be easily crushed. Summer Jones may seem like a nice girl, but I am definitely not a pushover. So bring it on...
**Crushed is a YA/NA prequel book for that can be read as a standalone or as the prequel to the soon-to-be-a-film series, Loving Summer Series (first published in 2012 and has continued growing as a series with spin-offs. Over a million copies of the Loving Summer Series has been sold). Crushed is a bully romance and touches upon issues such as bullying, self-esteem, self-confidence, and image. It is appropriate for 17 and up due to language and some mature issues. If this doesn't bother you, then dive in!
185 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2019
54 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Kailin Gow
345 books2,501 followers2025 News!
https://ventsmagazine.com/2025/04/10/...
Kailin Gow is an USA Today Bestselling author, publisher, screenwriter, director, producer, and speaker with hundreds of books published. She is also the owner/founder and organizer of mega-book signing events like Rockin' Hollywood, Naughty Mafia in Las Vegas, which has featured the very top authors of Romance and drawn thousands of readers, including being in a documentary film now out on Amazon Prime.
Over 14 Million copies of her books have been downloaded around the world and translated into 25 languages. 2 of her book series, FADE Series and Red Genesis Series, has been optioned by the Academy Award-winning team behind Netflix #1 most Liked and Top 10 Netflix Original Film, Wish Dragon, also the team behind the special effects magic of Star Wars and Marvel films.
She owns a traditional publishing company with an API (Asian Pacific Islander) Diversity initiative that has partnerships with production companies across the globe with distribution through Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney and more! Kailin Gow is a go to media guest on Women in Film and Television and is a voting member of the Academy Awards.
Her Worldwide Brand, Kailin Gow's Go Girl has won awards for its tv series, books, cosmetics, fashions, beauty and health products, and soon-to-be home and travel products. As of 2021, Kailin Gow's Go Girl is excited to expand into its own line of hotels, starting with a 70+ room hotel in Texas. In 2022, her books will be adapted into entertainment venues called Sparklesoup World, offered in various locations throughout the U.S. and internationally.
She has been a host on world-class stages, an invited speaker for BEA and a regular radio/TV guest for major stations. She is an official voice of AAPI, She has a TV Reality show on her as an author and personality. She is also the host and publisher of a leading author industry guide, subscription newsletter, and podcast called Authors Voices. Five of her pen names are USA Today Bestselling authors and will be traditionally published in 2022. She is also a recurring speaker/instructor of writing series and serials for professional screenwriters and producers as of 2021.
She was called an "innovating author" and an "Author as Influencer" by Goodreads executives at Book Expo America 2014 in their speech.
Kailin Gow is one of Cindy Crawford's Beauties, who is beautiful on the inside as well as the outside, along with Gabrielle Union.
She was called "a successful author who knows how to balance being an author and life" by Huffington Post. USA Today recommends her steamy romances while PBS Kids have recommended her Teen Fantasy Series.
Amazon highlighted her author success story on the homepage of Amazon.com and in their book, Transformations and was invited by Amazon to be an author spokesperson for Amazon's launch of the Kindle fire in Santa Monica.
In the publishing industry, she has written and presented many articles and workshops for major publications as well as conventions. https://www.fastcompany.com/user/kail...
and is the host/founder of the podcast and newsletter Author Voices. Additionally, she owns a law firm specializing in consumer advocacy.
Kailin Gow holds a Masters degree in Management from USC and degrees in Social Ecology (Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, and Ecology/Climate), Drama, and Film making from UC Irvine where she once ran and DJ for a radio station that helped discovered OC bands like Sugar Ray and Gwen Stefani.
https://ventsmagazine.com/2025/04/10/...
Kailin Gow is an USA Today Bestselling author, publisher, screenwriter, director, producer, and speaker with hundreds of books published. She is also the owner/founder and organizer of mega-book signing events like Rockin' Hollywood, Naughty Mafia in Las Vegas, which has featured the very top authors of Romance and drawn thousands of readers, including being in a documentary film now out on Amazon Prime.
Over 14 Million copies of her books have been downloaded around the world and translated into 25 languages. 2 of her book series, FADE Series and Red Genesis Series, has been optioned by the Academy Award-winning team behind Netflix #1 most Liked and Top 10 Netflix Original Film, Wish Dragon, also the team behind the special effects magic of Star Wars and Marvel films.
She owns a traditional publishing company with an API (Asian Pacific Islander) Diversity initiative that has partnerships with production companies across the globe with distribution through Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney and more! Kailin Gow is a go to media guest on Women in Film and Television and is a voting member of the Academy Awards.
Her Worldwide Brand, Kailin Gow's Go Girl has won awards for its tv series, books, cosmetics, fashions, beauty and health products, and soon-to-be home and travel products. As of 2021, Kailin Gow's Go Girl is excited to expand into its own line of hotels, starting with a 70+ room hotel in Texas. In 2022, her books will be adapted into entertainment venues called Sparklesoup World, offered in various locations throughout the U.S. and internationally.
She has been a host on world-class stages, an invited speaker for BEA and a regular radio/TV guest for major stations. She is an official voice of AAPI, She has a TV Reality show on her as an author and personality. She is also the host and publisher of a leading author industry guide, subscription newsletter, and podcast called Authors Voices. Five of her pen names are USA Today Bestselling authors and will be traditionally published in 2022. She is also a recurring speaker/instructor of writing series and serials for professional screenwriters and producers as of 2021.
She was called an "innovating author" and an "Author as Influencer" by Goodreads executives at Book Expo America 2014 in their speech.
Kailin Gow is one of Cindy Crawford's Beauties, who is beautiful on the inside as well as the outside, along with Gabrielle Union.
She was called "a successful author who knows how to balance being an author and life" by Huffington Post. USA Today recommends her steamy romances while PBS Kids have recommended her Teen Fantasy Series.
Amazon highlighted her author success story on the homepage of Amazon.com and in their book, Transformations and was invited by Amazon to be an author spokesperson for Amazon's launch of the Kindle fire in Santa Monica.
In the publishing industry, she has written and presented many articles and workshops for major publications as well as conventions. https://www.fastcompany.com/user/kail...
and is the host/founder of the podcast and newsletter Author Voices. Additionally, she owns a law firm specializing in consumer advocacy.
Kailin Gow holds a Masters degree in Management from USC and degrees in Social Ecology (Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, and Ecology/Climate), Drama, and Film making from UC Irvine where she once ran and DJ for a radio station that helped discovered OC bands like Sugar Ray and Gwen Stefani.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 3, 2019
As a big fan of Kailin Gow's since 2010 with her book The Phantom Diaries, I have followed her career and her various series. Lately with the bullymance trope and seeing Crushed, I knew I had to read it as I had, had a little background knowledge of her Loving Summer series with Summer and the Donovan family. Crushed is the book that takes place three years before Loving Summer. It starts with Nate learning about his father's discretions, Summer coming to live with Aunt Sookie as her mother is deployed on a long-term mission. When Nate learns Summer is coming to their high-school for the elites, he and a few of the other Student council leaders have been tasked in getting her to leave and will do anything in their power to do so as in Nate's words "it's high school politics and elites rules" The other part that happens in the second half of the book is an attempted kidnapping /beating of the Donovan family and them leaving suddenly . I have to admit the leaving suddenly felt rushed to me and Crushed does finish on a cliffhanger, but lucky for readers they can enjoy the already released series of "Loving Summer/The Donovan Brothers". Crushed was a quick read and sets the premise for the Loving Summer/The Donovan Brothers series.
October 25, 2019
Um, I am at a loss for words at the moment. WHOA I totally read this book in one sitting. I could not put it down. This book is the perfect set up for the upcoming series.
Summer moves in with her Aunt while her Mom goes to do a job overseas. Nathaniel, Rachel and Drew all grew up with her and are like family. Only now things have changed with all of them. They are all growing up. Summer starts school at Hidden Falls High and learns that Nat is different. As well as all the other Knights. Oh lawd, these knights are hot!! You will see why when you read about them. Anyways, the story builds like wildfire and I feel bad for all of them. I want to tell you what happens but I can't because I am still trying to wrap my head around what happened.
This book was amazingly awesome and cannot wait to read what happens next. How they all change either in a good or bad way? You definitely need to read this book
Summer moves in with her Aunt while her Mom goes to do a job overseas. Nathaniel, Rachel and Drew all grew up with her and are like family. Only now things have changed with all of them. They are all growing up. Summer starts school at Hidden Falls High and learns that Nat is different. As well as all the other Knights. Oh lawd, these knights are hot!! You will see why when you read about them. Anyways, the story builds like wildfire and I feel bad for all of them. I want to tell you what happens but I can't because I am still trying to wrap my head around what happened.
This book was amazingly awesome and cannot wait to read what happens next. How they all change either in a good or bad way? You definitely need to read this book
October 26, 2019
WOW WOW WOW
Loved it!.. This was an amazing read that I read instantly as soon as I got it and once I started I could not put it down. It moves along at a very comfortable reading speed which makes it an enjoyable read, has characters that will grab you and no matter what you cannot help but fall in love with them and a story that once you start you cannot put down. When you are done, you are like I need more. This needs to be read, there is no doubt about it.
Loved it!.. This was an amazing read that I read instantly as soon as I got it and once I started I could not put it down. It moves along at a very comfortable reading speed which makes it an enjoyable read, has characters that will grab you and no matter what you cannot help but fall in love with them and a story that once you start you cannot put down. When you are done, you are like I need more. This needs to be read, there is no doubt about it.
October 30, 2019
Crushed is a great first look into the Hidden Falls High Series. We get introduced into the world of Summer and the Donavans. This shows their history and reveals events that have happened. Summer, Nathaniel, the twins Rachel and Drew all grew up together. Summer has always had a crush on Nathaniel. This is their start, how their feelings evolved. The ending leaves things open. I am wondering what happens next. Will they change for the better or worse?
October 26, 2019
Good read
This book is fast paced and a great read. You get to see how summer and the Donovans relationship was before summers move and after. Without giving anything away all I can say is it's full of action and various twists. So you just need to pick up a copy and let it take you on the start of a long journey.
This book is fast paced and a great read. You get to see how summer and the Donovans relationship was before summers move and after. Without giving anything away all I can say is it's full of action and various twists. So you just need to pick up a copy and let it take you on the start of a long journey.
October 26, 2019
Great read
This was such a happy yet sad story. You get to see how things were with Summer and the Donavan’ s. Learning of some of their history and events that happened was great. This is a great read. I don’t like to give stuff away so you’ll just need to read it to find out what happens.
This was such a happy yet sad story. You get to see how things were with Summer and the Donavan’ s. Learning of some of their history and events that happened was great. This is a great read. I don’t like to give stuff away so you’ll just need to read it to find out what happens.
January 13, 2020
This book is a prequel to a book series that I was considering reading.
However, this book is bad. It skips any kind of slow build up to the relationship between Nat Donavan and Summer and goes straight to 100! With her jumping his bones pretty. Ugh from the get go the minute the couple set eyes on each other at Aunt Sookie’s beach house (the place both families have frequently over the years and grown up together)
Considering the ages 15 and 16 years old, the teenagers are extremely sexually active. They seem to quite happy to put themselves in sexually provocative situations. Which I find disturbing for the girls in particular,. Their only value and self worth only seems to be what they offer sexually to the guys. Not to mention some of the scenario’s are pretty far fetched, and come out of nowhere. Ie: the kidnapping, the whole bit with Summer & River doing the sketching with him naked ( I mean, what could possibly happen 😱) This book came across as being very rushed, with no real flow or character development. It just jumped from one sex scene to another. Only made it to chapter 14....Two stars
However, this book is bad. It skips any kind of slow build up to the relationship between Nat Donavan and Summer and goes straight to 100! With her jumping his bones pretty. Ugh from the get go the minute the couple set eyes on each other at Aunt Sookie’s beach house (the place both families have frequently over the years and grown up together)
Considering the ages 15 and 16 years old, the teenagers are extremely sexually active. They seem to quite happy to put themselves in sexually provocative situations. Which I find disturbing for the girls in particular,. Their only value and self worth only seems to be what they offer sexually to the guys. Not to mention some of the scenario’s are pretty far fetched, and come out of nowhere. Ie: the kidnapping, the whole bit with Summer & River doing the sketching with him naked ( I mean, what could possibly happen 😱) This book came across as being very rushed, with no real flow or character development. It just jumped from one sex scene to another. Only made it to chapter 14....Two stars
August 27, 2020
Nat and his siblings spent endless summers with Summer and her aunt. A strong chemistry between Nat and Summer. Nat is one of the three Knights that rule over the private school.
Summer is sassy, smart and tell it like it is girl. Enrolling late at a private school can be h*ll.
When Nat and his family are put in danger, he does the unthinkable.
A great introduction to a new series.
Summer is sassy, smart and tell it like it is girl. Enrolling late at a private school can be h*ll.
When Nat and his family are put in danger, he does the unthinkable.
A great introduction to a new series.
May 17, 2020
I really loved reading this and was just a treat to read. We have Summer meeting the Donovans again and her Aunt enrolling her in HFA which the Student Body Led by Nat wants her to drop out. So the bullying begins.
August 27, 2020
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Romaine
December 10, 2019
This book was a great read I enjoyed it very much. We meet summer who is the main female character and has to stay with her aunt during the summer while her mother does a job overseas. This is something that she's done in the past and has grown up knowing some of the people and made friends with some of the kids in the area. Summer ends up having to go to the local school where her friends go but she soon learns that something has changed and the main male character Nate who she has a crush on is not the same as he used to be. She don't understand what's going on as the boys try to force her to leave the school we're taking on a journey twists and turns that definitely kept me wanting to know what happened next. This was actually a prequel to The Loving summer series
October 28, 2019
I’m not sure what I just read because this book was all over the place! So many grammatical errors where the past tense is used instead of present (see notes), and the plot was all over the place. Everything just seemed rushed and forced. It started out really good but halfway through I was like....Yo! Hold your horses! What the eff is going on? It’s supposed to be a bully romance but other than that one scene towards the end, there really wasn’t any in the book.
The cover is freaking hot though!
The cover is freaking hot though!
November 1, 2019
Crushed was what i was at the end of this book! That ending made me want to cry out HELL NO!! you cant end it like that. It absolutely killed me. I just loved Summer and the Donovans. Summer is smart, witty, sweet and shes right in the middle of a love triangle. Between her and the Donovan brothers (Nat and Drew). One she loves herself and one shes oblivious about. Shes also best friends with their sister Rachel and their family are close with hers too. Bullying, love and family combine in this book. Its just a damn fine read and im dying to find out what happens next
November 2, 2019
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This is a prequel to the Loving Summer series. Summer has grown up with several of the characters in the book. She normal spends the summer with her aunt, but this times she is spending the school year as well. This is while her mother is on a job overseas. She ends up going to a different school and finds out one of her childhood friends and crush is not the same as she knows him nor has his friends that call themselves the Knights. It is a short and quick read. I enjoyed it and could see it become more then just a single book.
November 8, 2019
This was a good read! And I thought it was a great start to the new series! It had its ups and downs and it was a great look into other... parts (I don't want to do spoilers!) but I can't wait to read what comes next!
October 31, 2019
Wow, what a book and one I am completely hooked on. This is a great prequel into Summer and the Donovans story. The characters Nat and Summer were seriously some of my favorites including Rachel and Drew. I truly could not put down and am so looking forward to the next book to see what's going on with all of them.
October 27, 2019
Good Start
This is a fast paced young love story. There are lots of little twists and turns throughout and some suspense to keep you wondering what is going to happen next.
This is a fast paced young love story. There are lots of little twists and turns throughout and some suspense to keep you wondering what is going to happen next.
October 29, 2019
I loved it. So in love with the sexy River. I can't wait to see what summer does next. She is such a strong character and thinks for herself. Anything by Kailin Gow is always a wonderful read!!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews