Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Natalie and the Nerd

Rate this book
She doesn't want a tutor. He doesn't want a student.
Natalie’s school work is the last priority on her long list of things to worry about. Since her parent’s divorce, her mom’s boutique—their only source of income—is about to go under, and Natalie spent all summer and most of her senior year trying to save the little shop. Now that she’s in danger of failing high school, the assistant principal (who happens to be her evil step mother) is making Natalie join daily tutoring sessions with Jonah Garza, the school’s valedictorian.
Taking math lessons from the rich nerdy boy is the last thing Natalie wants to do, but Jonah needs these community service hours to get into Harvard, so he’s not going to give up on her. In addition to working at the boutique and studying with Jonah, Natalie’s lifelong crush just started paying attention to her. She’s being pulled in so many directions, she doesn’t think to question why the son of the biggest business mogul in town is suddenly trying to win her affections.
When her crush betrays her and the store goes into foreclosure, Natalie has to choose between fighting harder to keep her mom’s dream alive, or fighting to pass high school and start a future of her own.

ebook

First published May 30, 2017

100 people are currently reading
143 people want to read

About the author

Amy Sparling

101 books807 followers
Amy Sparling is the USA Today Bestselling author of books with swoony first loves and heartwarming endings. She lives on the coast of Texas with her family, her spoiled rotten pets, and a huge pile of books.

By day, she works as a librarian, and by night you can find her curled up with a book–either one she’s reading or one she’s writing.

Amy Sparling is the pen name of author Cheyanne Young, but she’ll answer to either name!

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
67 (26%)
4 stars
91 (35%)
3 stars
66 (25%)
2 stars
27 (10%)
1 star
6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Jamie  (The Kansan Reader).
686 reviews105 followers
September 6, 2018
For all of my reviews:https://jaynikkibelthoughts.wordpress...

3.5-4 stars (haven't decided.

Natalie has had her mother's store The Magpie in her life since she was little. It's senior year. While most of her friends are partying, she's working at the store to make sure it won't go under. While she was doing that she has been skipping school and her grades have gone down drastically. So she gets a two days a week detention along with tutoring to make up for everything she has missed.  

This was adorable. There were certain times Natalie is immature but it wasn't bad enough where it fully annoys me. The ending seemed a little rushed. I wasn't a major fan of the triangle between Caleb, Jonah, and Natalie. 

I was in the mood for a little YA high school drama llama so this hit the spot. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Really adorable. Full review will come tomorrow
Profile Image for Jacqueline Smith.
Author 44 books309 followers
August 18, 2017
This book was so adorable.

Natalie and her mom are down on their luck. Their store, the Magpie (cute!), is not doing well and is in danger of foreclosure. Natalie has spent so much time working in the store that she's fallen behind in her schoolwork and is assigned a tutor. A really nerdy tutor. But a really nerdy tutor who is actually really cute and smells good.

But things couldn't possibly work out between Natalie and Jonah the nerd. Because Natalie has a huge crush on Caleb, incidentally the son of the man who's hoping to buy the Magpie. Caleb is hot and a jock. Though he doesn't smell as good as Jonah.

I think it probably goes without saying that I was rooting for Natalie and Jonah throughout the entire book. I mean, Jonah is the ideal boyfriend (at least in my opinion). He's smart, he's funny, he's attentive, he doesn't play games... Why can't all guys be like Jonah?

No, seriously. I'm asking.

I can't wait to read the rest of Amy Sparling/Cheyanne Young's books!
Profile Image for Alyssa.
740 reviews7 followers
May 29, 2017
quick rundown: Natalie has been working in her mom's gift shop ever since it started, but business is slow and it's getting worse. and she has to worry about failing school. then came in a nerdy tutor... that she might actually have a crush on.

I love this book! I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint!

the plot is pretty simple but how the story maneuvers is pretty addicting. i even saw myself reading the first half of the book in one sitting. and if i wasn't supposed to sleep, i would have read the whole thing. it's a very engaging read!

the romance game is definitely up! this is quite light and fluffy in the most amazing way! we have this word in Tagalog/Filipino, 'kilig.' it doesn't have a direct translation in english, and it means the feeling of those butterflies in your stomach, the feeling of your heart soaring, the feeling of romantic elation, and so much more i cannot explain in english. the closest is 'swooning' but you won't pass out! lol! and i swear, i had major 'kilig' feels while reading this. (btw, this word is now part of the Oxford English dictionary)

i also love the fact that this is not just about romance. it tackles family relationships, the difficulty of growing up, friendship, and just having problems that a teen shouldn't have. and the thing that made me want to read this bad is the education part of the story. this is YA, a contemporary young adult book to be exact. and school seems to be a very minor part or even nothing to the books i've been reading lately. school is more of a place in most books, and the learning part is either very small or none. so this book tackles more education, but not a lot. but i still appreciate it. and don't get me wrong, meeting a guy through studying is not a bad thing either! lol!

if there are anything i didn't like, one is the very perfect love interest. he might be nerdy (nerd, i think is derogatory but even the author thinks so too which is a plus!), but i think he has no flaws. two, is the lack of aesthetic in friendship. i know it is not really the main point of the story, but i did love that it was quite unconventional and true. and three, it has a tendency to be very cliche and predictable. but it definitely compensates with how the character's reactions and feelings were written.

speaking of writing, i like the author's writing style. it was not overly explained, it was simple yet it made you feel with the character which is the most important thing.

i wish there was more to this story. it's the type you want to last forever! it's really good, great writing style, amazing characters, and very engaging plot.





*i received an eARC to participate in a book blitz in social media
Profile Image for ✨ A ✨ .
444 reviews2,271 followers
July 18, 2017
So cute and cliche but LOVED IT. I'm a sucker for nerd boy romances. I'm sick of reading about bad boys so this was refreshing.
Profile Image for Mss Sunrise.
531 reviews5 followers
November 6, 2019
Natalie and the Nerd by Amy Sparling explores the difficult life of a teenage girl whose parents are devorced, grades are bad and her family's business and dream is going through a rollercoaster! Beside her efforts to save the store,she is forced by her stepmother,who works in her school, to catch up her studies , increase her grades, not to miss classes, and to study with this male nerd,Jonah. Natalie comes across her long-time love who starts recognizing and meeting her very often after silence and ignorance for many years.
.
I did really enjoy the love story and i think it's a solid, somehow a special story as it includes this nerdy stuff that is underrated in many similar stories🙄 the writer's style is good as well. However, i think that the interpersonal relationships weren't crafted vividly. Besides, the ending feels somehow rushed in terms of representing the father and all the stuff related to Natalie's family.
.
Nonetheless, i flied through the story and it got me out of the reading slump that I've had for quite a bit!
Profile Image for Bella.
806 reviews28 followers
June 11, 2017
2 Stars

It took me some time to get in to this story - honestly I actually decided to stop reading at one point, but at the last second I decided to keep going - and I’m glad for it. Because while the story didn’t exactly grip me, it turned out to be an okay read.

Thumbs UP

The story was fairly low on angst, but there was just enough of it to keep me interested. The heroine’s issues mainly revolved around her families struggling business, and her failing grades. The love story took a back seat for the most part, but it was still cute.

I really loved the ‘nerd’, Jonah. He was just a sweetheart. He was also like this guy I’ve seen in YouTube videos – he looks a certain way with his clothes on, but when the shirt comes off he’s all of a sudden, very attractive. Of course it was his friendly personality that I cared about, and his kindness and patience could not be faulted.

Once the heroine, Natalie, got over her prejudice toward Jonah, I really liked them together. They were good together, and I was actually surprised at how forward Jonah was once they got together. He definitely wasn’t lacking in male hormones.

Thumbs DOWN

I was very quickly bored of the heroine stressing out over her Mum’s shop. It sounded like an abysmal failure and I didn’t know why she was trying so hard to keep it, especially considering how down it was making her Mother.

The whole Caleb thing was so predictable.

When you took out the drama over the shop, there wasn’t a lot happening in the story. As a said above, there was nothing that really gripped me.

Final Thoughts

It was a nice idea – I mean, obviously the story appealed to me – but this wasn’t the read I was hoping for. Maybe next time… ✌
Profile Image for Tonja Drecker.
Author 3 books236 followers
June 18, 2017
What a sweet romance for young adults and perfect for a Summer read!

Natalie is about to graduate high school. . .maybe. Her grades stink, she's always ditching class, and her and her mother's store is sinking faster that a submarine made of pure concrete. When the school forces her to tutor sessions and extra credit work, she's anything but thrilled. But if she doesn't take the chance, she's saying goodbye to every dream she might have had.

There's a lot to love in this book, and it isn't just the guy Natalie falls for. The author weaves in several things, which the young adult audience can easily identify with and take Natalie in as if she were one of their own best friends. Natalie's life is messed up, but it's not really her fault. Not completely. She's trying her best to protect something that is important to her and her mother--their dreams. Natalie is simply in over her head and needs a life-line to pull her out. This love for family and trying to fight despite the bad odds makes Natalie a true heroine despite her mistakes. She's a nice girl, and one worth cheering for until the very end.

The romance works parallel to Natalie's family struggles, letting both sides of the story weave together without one over powering the other. The romance is not love at first sight and needs to be worked for and discovered. The opposite side--an seemingly easy relationship--is dropped in as a harsh comparison. Between both this romance struggle and Natalie's family one, a message comes through clear - things worth having require effort, patience and determination.

There are other messages as well, but these flow along with the heart-touching plot. The read is easy, comes across smooth, and never has a boring moment. Fans of YA high school romance are going to enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy and wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Profile Image for Nicole Feezel .
14 reviews1 follower
March 14, 2018
Honestly I have a hard time writing reviews because I’m the type of person who doesn’t want to ruin a single moment of a good book! I guess I already gave away that this book is amazing. Essentially Natalie and her mom are on a road to disaster with their business which affects Natalie in more ways than one. Her schooling to be exact. Little did she know that everything in her life was leading her to something special, even when it seemed like all hope had been lost. Around 50% finished in the book and I was smiling from ear to ear! I was sooo excited for the outcome! There is so many stories about the girl that gets hurt by the bad boy but not enough of the nerdy love stories 😍

I am such a huge fan of Amy Sparlings writing. The first book I read of hers was “Deadbeat” probably not long after it was released, I had never read anything like it. I am unsure how she comes up with such great stories, and so many of them but she is such a talented writer.

I have a goal to read and review all of her books! So be on the look out for new reviews.

No I don’t get paid to review these books, no I don’t get the books for free, no one is deciding for me, I absolutely love her uniqueness!
Profile Image for Lissy LeBlanc.
56 reviews1 follower
December 21, 2021
This story is sweet for a quick read even though from the start, it kinds of made me frustrated. I think a lot could be improved like the ending could be more well written not rushed.

At first, I can't stand the heroine but understandable since this story was in the pov of 18 y.o teenager who is a girl. We've been there so yeah. But then, the story picked up and i can't tear my eyes of the pages.

I love that this story showed that the jock kind of guy is really shallow, bad and put it straight on there that it was pathetic for the girl to wait for any scrap of attention they could give.

God, the mom of the heroine was something else. I'm glad she has ex step dad that cared about her and bless his wife that didn't give up on her and being so considerate. Also props to the Hero ofc, he being so smart and in love with the heroine helped save the day. Although, there's something a bit sketchy going on to me but well... In reality *shrugs*
1,030 reviews18 followers
August 26, 2017
Ending felt really rushed

I liked this book at first but it went downhill for me. The ending was really rushed with some major plot gaps. There was so much building with school and the store and the ex-stepfather. The ending just left so much hanging. What actually happened with her mom and dad? Nothing seem to be resolved with her mom other than saving the store. There were obviously a lot of issues there with her mom but nothing gets addressed. There was also so much building with school and that just kind of went away with the Jonah relationship. I felt like this story had a lot of potential to be something more and it just wasn't for me. I think this author has a lot of potential.

Note: This does have a lot of language (f-bombs and everything else),and a slightly descriptive kissing scene. There are also quite a few editing errors.

Happy reading!
Profile Image for scottishgirlreads.
271 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2017
This was super cute. Jonah was the cutest thing ever, he was my favorite. But other than him and the best friend April, I really have to say that I wasn't taken with the rest of the characters. Natalie and her mum in particular vexed me to no end, I learned to love Natalie but man it was a slow process. The story as a whole, trying to save a small business close to her heart while navigating senior year and the dark abyss that is the male mind, was a success. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a little nerdy love story. P.S. I hate the word nerd now just cause of the amount of times it appeared in this novel 😅
Profile Image for K.E. Drake.
Author 5 books22 followers
August 3, 2022
Cute story! Jonah was the sweetest (we need more genuinely good guy characters in fiction), I really liked Natalie (I related to her personality and life story actually a lot), and the plot was fresh and fun.
This one would have been five stars except for a lot of unnecessary language, a couple of scenes that leaned too far into the steamy side of romance despite the "clean to sweet" marketing, and the time-jump-and-then-a-recap ending.
Plus, there were some things that are mentioned in the blurb that never even get addressed in the actual story, so that was confusing.
Profile Image for Megan Besing.
Author 9 books156 followers
November 26, 2017
Good read

This story is as the blurb explains: tutor boy is smart and cute, but a little nerdy. The girl is trying to save her mom's business and ends up missing a lot of school, which leads to low grades which leads to boy and girl spending time together. Only real complaint is the end comes super quick once things started lining up. I would recommend readers ages 15 and up for language and more 'detailed' kiss scenes.
Profile Image for Culture-Vulture.
540 reviews
March 16, 2022


The plot was engaging, and the romance was really sweet. I give this 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, even though the many typos/spelling mistakes got annoying.

The protagonist's mother came across as a really selfish and haphazard woman, who would continue to cause issues for those closest to her. I think the best thing for the protagonist would be to get FAR AWAY from her semi-evil and very selfish mother, and live her own life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Heather Hampsey.
58 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2017
Jonah

So in love with Jonah. He is definitely my type of guy. It was good story that really hit the drama aspect with Magpie, but I feel it was like watching a sitcom, Happy Climax drama then everything wrapped up in a cute little bow.
168 reviews
January 9, 2018
Will revisit!

Amy Sparling has an amazing way with young love and teenage angst. I don't know how someone wouldn't fall for Jonah, nerd or not. I identified with the mom and her depression too and it was nice to feel like an adult and a teen in one fell swoop. Loved this book!
Profile Image for Tina Creek.
Author 2 books3 followers
March 2, 2018
New favorite!

I absolutely loved Natalie and the Nerd! I can completely understand why Natalie fell for the Nerd, aka Jonah. It was impossible to put down! I hope to read more about Natalie and Jonah in the future.
Profile Image for Manda.
151 reviews8 followers
June 1, 2017
Loved this book. Never judge a person by their looks alone as they have many hidden talents. Looks are only skin deep and it's whats on the inside that counts. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Profile Image for Ashley Harris.
61 reviews25 followers
August 20, 2017
I couldn't get past the first few chapters. I like my characters less foul mouthed. Call me crazy...
Author 41 books152 followers
September 9, 2017
Sweet first love

I loved that it was the girl with a bad rap who was the slacker. It was refreshing and I loved the twist.
55 reviews
December 22, 2017
It was quite refreshing to read about a good boy :)
Author 35 books12 followers
January 20, 2018
Loved it!

Loved it! Nice, cute love story... I’d recommend for anyone of any age I really enjoy reading all of Amy’s books.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.