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Rockford High #1
Don't Bet on Love
All's fair in love and high school.
It was just a simple bet.
Get the school’s ice queen to go to Homecoming with him. Lane didn’t think it would be a big deal. He was on the football team. Girls liked him. He takes the challenge. What he didn’t know was that the ice queen overheard the whole thing.
Trudy was having the worst day of her life. And then she overhears Lane and Gabe talking smack about her. If Lane thought he could sweet talk her into going to Homecoming with him, he was going to be disappointed.
But when the principal forces her to tutor Lane in calculus, she’s stuck.
Trudy devises a plan to get back at him. What she didn’t plan on was losing her heart to him.
Buy Don't Bet on Love today!
It was just a simple bet.
Get the school’s ice queen to go to Homecoming with him. Lane didn’t think it would be a big deal. He was on the football team. Girls liked him. He takes the challenge. What he didn’t know was that the ice queen overheard the whole thing.
Trudy was having the worst day of her life. And then she overhears Lane and Gabe talking smack about her. If Lane thought he could sweet talk her into going to Homecoming with him, he was going to be disappointed.
But when the principal forces her to tutor Lane in calculus, she’s stuck.
Trudy devises a plan to get back at him. What she didn’t plan on was losing her heart to him.
Buy Don't Bet on Love today!
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2020
569 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 19, 2019
This was super cute.
Don't Bet on Love was a book that definitely reminded me of the movie She's All That. Mostly because it's set in high school, the jocks are making a bet, and jock ends up falling for the girl. Of course, this one was a bit different since the girl in question heard said bet taking place and was down for her own twist.
Again, it was cute. I really liked Lane and Trudy together. Especially when they got to know more about the other person. Whether it was what their family life was like or their own personal issues they deal with on a daily basis. These two were kind of like two peas in a pod and definitely got one another. It just sucks that they had to deal with such bullshit drama along the way.
Thankfully, it all worked out in the end. I still hate Gabe and I wonder what ever happened to him once Lane and Trudy felt out that he duped them both. Then there's the little cliffhanger about Jessica and her little crush - so yeah, long story short I'm down to read the next book. Whenever that comes out.
Don't Bet on Love was a book that definitely reminded me of the movie She's All That. Mostly because it's set in high school, the jocks are making a bet, and jock ends up falling for the girl. Of course, this one was a bit different since the girl in question heard said bet taking place and was down for her own twist.
Again, it was cute. I really liked Lane and Trudy together. Especially when they got to know more about the other person. Whether it was what their family life was like or their own personal issues they deal with on a daily basis. These two were kind of like two peas in a pod and definitely got one another. It just sucks that they had to deal with such bullshit drama along the way.
Thankfully, it all worked out in the end. I still hate Gabe and I wonder what ever happened to him once Lane and Trudy felt out that he duped them both. Then there's the little cliffhanger about Jessica and her little crush - so yeah, long story short I'm down to read the next book. Whenever that comes out.
March 16, 2019
Personality, Depth and Charm
This is one of the better YA, high school age stories I've read in a while. It had personality, depth and charm. I thought the author did a good job of capturing typical high school drama and balancing that with family relations without it becoming overwhelming. The characters are flawed but that is what keeps you rooting for them from beginning to end. I really loved this story.
This is one of the better YA, high school age stories I've read in a while. It had personality, depth and charm. I thought the author did a good job of capturing typical high school drama and balancing that with family relations without it becoming overwhelming. The characters are flawed but that is what keeps you rooting for them from beginning to end. I really loved this story.
March 15, 2019
I love a cute YA romance and this one has a few layers to unravel. The biggest message that I loved was you can't make rash judgements. People always have things going on that you might know nothing about until you really get to know them.
Trudy has some really hard things going on in her life. Like really hard. And football bully, Gabe, doesn't make her life any easier. When she overhears Gabe making a bet with his friend, Lane, about her, she comes up with a plan to get them both back.
I really liked these characters. Trudy is a tough one to crack, but is sweet on the inside. I loved watching her shell crumble and really loved her new friendship with band geek, Jessica. Lane isn't who he seems at all. As his masks are peeled away, his true teddy bear self is revealed.
There are moments to laugh, moments to feel anger, moments to swoon, and even moments to cry all wrapped up in this tender romance. I thought the author did a great job in portraying the hardships of teenage life, while allowing for great characters growth through mistakes, life lessons, and emotional challenges. This is definitely a new series to lose your heart to and I've got my eye watching out for more.
Content: mild romance; mild moments of grief; mild moments of bullying
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Trudy has some really hard things going on in her life. Like really hard. And football bully, Gabe, doesn't make her life any easier. When she overhears Gabe making a bet with his friend, Lane, about her, she comes up with a plan to get them both back.
I really liked these characters. Trudy is a tough one to crack, but is sweet on the inside. I loved watching her shell crumble and really loved her new friendship with band geek, Jessica. Lane isn't who he seems at all. As his masks are peeled away, his true teddy bear self is revealed.
There are moments to laugh, moments to feel anger, moments to swoon, and even moments to cry all wrapped up in this tender romance. I thought the author did a great job in portraying the hardships of teenage life, while allowing for great characters growth through mistakes, life lessons, and emotional challenges. This is definitely a new series to lose your heart to and I've got my eye watching out for more.
Content: mild romance; mild moments of grief; mild moments of bullying
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
April 16, 2019
I'm going to admit something...I absolutely love YA fiction! It's the truth! Maybe because I feel like I'm still a kid at heart and so I'm drawn to this genre. Because come on, let's face it...the ship of being a kid sailed years ago. Years! Ha! But I love fairy tales and YA fiction. I feel like I'm at a YA anonymous group meeting. Hi, my name's Julie and I love YA fiction. Anybody else who feels the same way, we can be friends!
When I saw that this author had a YA book coming out and it was about a bet and a misunderstanding and revenge...well yeah, I totally jumped on board for reading it. I'm a little slow on writing my review for it...life *sigh* kept me hopping.
True to her fun and witty writing style, Victorine Lieske delivers a book that had me laughing, cheering, almost crying, and sighing. I was so impressed with the depth and family messages within this book and yet the light side that made it fun and rounded out the story so well. It had a good combination of light and fun but also some harder issues that really reflects what comes in life and can affect teens (really anyone in life).
I did have fun with the references to Never Been Kissed (loved that movie-still do)! If you've seen it (some of you youngun's might not know what I'm talking about. Hee Hee!!!)
So, if you're looking for a great YA read, I can highly recommend this one for you. And you're welcome to join me in my YA fan group anytime!
Content: Clean. Some emotional and family issues but I thought the author did a great job showing the character working through them.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
When I saw that this author had a YA book coming out and it was about a bet and a misunderstanding and revenge...well yeah, I totally jumped on board for reading it. I'm a little slow on writing my review for it...life *sigh* kept me hopping.
True to her fun and witty writing style, Victorine Lieske delivers a book that had me laughing, cheering, almost crying, and sighing. I was so impressed with the depth and family messages within this book and yet the light side that made it fun and rounded out the story so well. It had a good combination of light and fun but also some harder issues that really reflects what comes in life and can affect teens (really anyone in life).
I did have fun with the references to Never Been Kissed (loved that movie-still do)! If you've seen it (some of you youngun's might not know what I'm talking about. Hee Hee!!!)
So, if you're looking for a great YA read, I can highly recommend this one for you. And you're welcome to join me in my YA fan group anytime!
Content: Clean. Some emotional and family issues but I thought the author did a great job showing the character working through them.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
April 1, 2019
Trudy's going through a lot--her sister's in the hospital with a terminal illness, her mom spends most of her time at the hospital and her dad spends most of his time at work. Trudy's an honor student who's trying to get into Harvard, but she's not having a great day at school, then she hears two football players (Gabe and Lane) making a bet about her, and things go from bad to worse. On top of that Lane gets them sent to the principal's office because he won't quit talking to her in calculus class.
Before leaving the principal's office Trudy finds herself assigned to tutor Lane so he doesn't fail the class and get kicked off of the football team. Lane thinks this is great--he'll get to spend time with Trudy, get her to go to the homecoming dance with him, he'll win the bet with Gabe so Gabe will have to shave his head, and Lane won't have to wear a cheerleader uniform to school. Lane doesn't know that Trudy knows about the bet. Trudy becomes friends with Jessica, who's in the band. They form their own plan on how to get back at Lane and Gabe, but as Trudy learns more about Lane and his family issues she has second thoughts.
Lane and Trudy aren't what they seem to be at first glance. Trudy isn't an "ice queen" and Lane isn't a dumb jock who's a bully. Both of them have family issues to deal with that others don't know about--it's not something teenagers usually talk about at school.
I really enjoyed the story and wondered if Trudy would go through with the plan she and Jessica had come up with since she was becoming friends with Lane. I was surprised by the twist--Gabe really is a bully--and wanted to see how Trudy and Lane would clear up the big misunderstanding Gabe's interference caused. I also liked Trudy's friendship with Jessica, the "band-geek".
I don't usually read YA, but this is a good one--it's not just a lot of teenage angst or fluff. It's the first in a new YA series and I may find myself reading this genre more often.
Before leaving the principal's office Trudy finds herself assigned to tutor Lane so he doesn't fail the class and get kicked off of the football team. Lane thinks this is great--he'll get to spend time with Trudy, get her to go to the homecoming dance with him, he'll win the bet with Gabe so Gabe will have to shave his head, and Lane won't have to wear a cheerleader uniform to school. Lane doesn't know that Trudy knows about the bet. Trudy becomes friends with Jessica, who's in the band. They form their own plan on how to get back at Lane and Gabe, but as Trudy learns more about Lane and his family issues she has second thoughts.
Lane and Trudy aren't what they seem to be at first glance. Trudy isn't an "ice queen" and Lane isn't a dumb jock who's a bully. Both of them have family issues to deal with that others don't know about--it's not something teenagers usually talk about at school.
I really enjoyed the story and wondered if Trudy would go through with the plan she and Jessica had come up with since she was becoming friends with Lane. I was surprised by the twist--Gabe really is a bully--and wanted to see how Trudy and Lane would clear up the big misunderstanding Gabe's interference caused. I also liked Trudy's friendship with Jessica, the "band-geek".
I don't usually read YA, but this is a good one--it's not just a lot of teenage angst or fluff. It's the first in a new YA series and I may find myself reading this genre more often.
June 1, 2019
Sketchy at best.
The story attempted to tackle multiple subjects. Dyslexia, teenage suicide, cancer and death. It doesn't do a very good job at portraying any of it. The emotional depth is not there.
Trudy, the main character is rather self-absorbed and shallow. She has a terminally ill sister who stays in a hospital twenty minutes away, yet only visits her for a brief time on Saturday mornings. She can't seem, or even attempt, to try and understand situations from other people's point of view. Not her mother, who is about to lose her youngest daughter. Not for her father, who uprooted his family and is dealing with a sick daughter, a suicidal daughter, medical bills and keeping the family afloat. And certainly not the boy she's too cowardly to confront about a conversation she overheard but is all too willing to jump on the bandwagon (pun intended) regarding a plan to hurt the boy put forth by a girl she just met. Seriously, who goes to, or cares about, Homecoming when their sister just died the day before?
All in all, Trudy would have been an interesting character if she had been fully developed and fleshed out more. Same goes for the storyline. The story started with a bet and we don't even find out how the boys resolve the issue, especially after what Gabe did.
The story attempted to tackle multiple subjects. Dyslexia, teenage suicide, cancer and death. It doesn't do a very good job at portraying any of it. The emotional depth is not there.
Trudy, the main character is rather self-absorbed and shallow. She has a terminally ill sister who stays in a hospital twenty minutes away, yet only visits her for a brief time on Saturday mornings. She can't seem, or even attempt, to try and understand situations from other people's point of view. Not her mother, who is about to lose her youngest daughter. Not for her father, who uprooted his family and is dealing with a sick daughter, a suicidal daughter, medical bills and keeping the family afloat. And certainly not the boy she's too cowardly to confront about a conversation she overheard but is all too willing to jump on the bandwagon (pun intended) regarding a plan to hurt the boy put forth by a girl she just met. Seriously, who goes to, or cares about, Homecoming when their sister just died the day before?
All in all, Trudy would have been an interesting character if she had been fully developed and fleshed out more. Same goes for the storyline. The story started with a bet and we don't even find out how the boys resolve the issue, especially after what Gabe did.
March 12, 2019
Really good story. I always enjoy this author’s work. Lots of different themes and twists and turns in this one. I tried to think of whose work I would compare this to. Anne-Marie Meyers, Laura Ann, Judy Corry come to mind, along with others. Ideally written with teens in mind, this is a clean romance. Appropriate for all ages. I recommend it. Well done. 👍🏻
June 24, 2019
The nerdy, Trudy, has always been teased and is a bit of an outcast. Labeled as an "Ice Queen" she just wants to keep her head down and work toward her goal of getting into Harvard. Lane is a jock and accepts a bet to see if he can get Trudy to go to the homecoming dance with him. He doesn't mean anything sinister by accepting the bet. In fact, as he gets to know Trudy while she tutors him in math, he actually likes her and she begins to like him. I'm sure you can guess the rest of the plot.
This is a cute high school romance. It was a little immature and predictable, but that's ok. I appreciated that Lane wasn't a bad guy to begin with. Sure, he made some poor choices but he didn't intend any harm. I must admit that while I am happy about how things ended up, I am wondering the future of these characters.
This is a cute high school romance. It was a little immature and predictable, but that's ok. I appreciated that Lane wasn't a bad guy to begin with. Sure, he made some poor choices but he didn't intend any harm. I must admit that while I am happy about how things ended up, I am wondering the future of these characters.
July 22, 2019
Awesome read!
I couldn't put it down. The characters felt real and the story moved quickly. I loved the bet and how they kept doubting each other's feelings. I'd recommend anything by Victorine and this one is no exception.
I couldn't put it down. The characters felt real and the story moved quickly. I loved the bet and how they kept doubting each other's feelings. I'd recommend anything by Victorine and this one is no exception.
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March 8, 2025
Angsty teens shallowly dealing with all this stuff that is sort of deep but only on a surface level.
There's an abrupt happy ending after a tragedy.
The epilogue is just a plug for the next book in the series.
The style of this one just really bugged me. So many hard things were included in the story but the focus was a high school dance and a revenge date. Two teenagers dealing with that level of difficulty have no business looking for emotional stability from other teenagers in distress. The initial motivation for the relationship is bullying/revenge, then it's lust, then it's complicated. The author glossed over a parent having an affair and the death of a sibling as though they were just bothersome scheduling conflicts around a homecoming dance. It just made me cringe.
Minimal violence. No sex. Mild language. Themes of grief, loss, suicide, mental illness, family drama, bullying, major illness, etc
There's an abrupt happy ending after a tragedy.
The epilogue is just a plug for the next book in the series.
The style of this one just really bugged me. So many hard things were included in the story but the focus was a high school dance and a revenge date. Two teenagers dealing with that level of difficulty have no business looking for emotional stability from other teenagers in distress. The initial motivation for the relationship is bullying/revenge, then it's lust, then it's complicated. The author glossed over a parent having an affair and the death of a sibling as though they were just bothersome scheduling conflicts around a homecoming dance. It just made me cringe.
Minimal violence. No sex. Mild language. Themes of grief, loss, suicide, mental illness, family drama, bullying, major illness, etc
March 27, 2019
This is a cute YA book set mostly in a high school. Characters Trudy and Lane are super cute and I grew in love with them pretty quickly. Both are very different from each other. Lane is a popular football player who easily charms the girls. His friend, Gabe, bets him he can’t get the ice queen (Trudy) to go to the dance with him. Trudy overhears and decides to get Lane back, since he’s planning something sinister. It was fun to watch this story unfold and see the misunderstandings, the heart tugging, and the light in the brain moments when enlightenment hit both characters. This is a very clean YA and the high school characters do immature, silly things, but this story was super endearing. Well done!!!
March 14, 2019
I loved Don't Bet on Love. This first installment from Victorine E Lieske's Rockford High series. Trudy and Lane are completely opposites. Trudy is the smart and quiet girl in class forced to tutor the star football player. However, they have undeniable attraction for one another. The story is sweet, clean and funny at times, but there are some heartbreaking scenes that will bring a reader to tears.
I give Don't Bet on Love five plus stars, I can not wait to find out what happens next in the Rockford High series. I highly recommend this one.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I give Don't Bet on Love five plus stars, I can not wait to find out what happens next in the Rockford High series. I highly recommend this one.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
July 22, 2019
All's fair in love and high school!
While I'm thrilled to no longer be in high school, I do love reading high school stories. So when I heard that Victorine Lieske was going to be releasing this one, I knew I wanted to read it. Not to mention the plot just sounded like too much fun to pass up.
Don't Bet on Love was a touching, fast read. Things were constantly changing between Trudy and Lane. She was so determined to not like him and he was so convinced he didn't like her.
While I liked Trudy because she reminded me a little of me, I liked Lane despite not being a thing like him. He was the dumb jock with his heart in the right place, despite what Trudy thought. He struggled with school and tried to do well enough to not be kicked off the team. (I do have to say, though, that it wasn't realistic that he would have been in Calculus - at least he wouldn't have been when I was in school.) The way Trudy was able to help him was sweet.
There was an underlying reason in the story why this was the worst day of Trudy's life. Serious and heavy matters were handled well without weighing the story down. Yes, I was sad about the situations both Trudy and Lane faced at home but it was far from depressing.
If you enjoy high school stories with some depth but no angst, it's a sure bet you will enjoy Don't Bet on Love!
Read my full review with a Preview at Among the Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
While I'm thrilled to no longer be in high school, I do love reading high school stories. So when I heard that Victorine Lieske was going to be releasing this one, I knew I wanted to read it. Not to mention the plot just sounded like too much fun to pass up.
Don't Bet on Love was a touching, fast read. Things were constantly changing between Trudy and Lane. She was so determined to not like him and he was so convinced he didn't like her.
While I liked Trudy because she reminded me a little of me, I liked Lane despite not being a thing like him. He was the dumb jock with his heart in the right place, despite what Trudy thought. He struggled with school and tried to do well enough to not be kicked off the team. (I do have to say, though, that it wasn't realistic that he would have been in Calculus - at least he wouldn't have been when I was in school.) The way Trudy was able to help him was sweet.
There was an underlying reason in the story why this was the worst day of Trudy's life. Serious and heavy matters were handled well without weighing the story down. Yes, I was sad about the situations both Trudy and Lane faced at home but it was far from depressing.
If you enjoy high school stories with some depth but no angst, it's a sure bet you will enjoy Don't Bet on Love!
Read my full review with a Preview at Among the Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
March 17, 2019
Sweet Teenage Romance
Trudy has entirely too much bad in her life, the last thing she needs is two football players making a dumb bet about her. She goes along with it planning her revenge and everything goes right for awhile, until it all goes horribly wrong!
Trudy has entirely too much bad in her life, the last thing she needs is two football players making a dumb bet about her. She goes along with it planning her revenge and everything goes right for awhile, until it all goes horribly wrong!
March 23, 2019
I wanted to love this one, but I just liked it. I think it was the dual POV’s that I didn’t like. It got redundant and there was something about the inner dialogue that was just too much.
But it had some cute parts and was clean, so I’m glad about that!
But it had some cute parts and was clean, so I’m glad about that!
July 23, 2019
I really liked the interesting dynamics between our heroine and the hero, and the bet that began a whole lot of miscommunications. I didn't like her sister being terminally ill, because terminally ill is something to be dealt enough with in real life and I was hoping for more escapism. Still, the book was funny and sweet and swoony between all the tears. A clean YA romance with a (too) serious side.
August 22, 2019
This was a really cute teen/high school read. Enjoyed the characters and while there were some major issues being dealt with it didn't feel too weighty or overwhelming. Sweet.
Moral Note: Don't remember anything
Moral Note: Don't remember anything
June 11, 2019
A fun YA book... the characters deal with all sorts of teenager issues ... I thought it was a lot of drama for one book... but, life does happen. A good clean story!
May 21, 2019
Bookwyrms and friends, Don't Bet on Love turned out to be a massive cringefest for me that I ultimately called it quits 55% through the book. The concept sounds like the start of a light and fluffy read set in high school but instead flopped out of the water. Much of the writing felt forced and the story didn't just wasn't engaging or interesting enough for me to push through to the end.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
March 26, 2019
When Trudy overhears Lane making a bet that he can get her to go to Homecoming with him, she decides to teach him a lesson. At first, she’s good at blowing him off, but then they start to become friends, and then the lines blur entirely.
I loved that Trudy was aware of the bet, and that Lane came clean about it before he got caught. There was a lot of emotional depth to the story from bullying, to cancer, to suicide, and parents with marital problems. The content wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns, but the humor and relationships helped balance out the heaviness.
I loved Lane and Trudy together. He was so considerate, and would go out of his way to do kind things for Trudy. I also loved Trudy’s friend, Jessica, everyone needs a friend like that who will have your back, and text at inopportune times. I’m excited that Jessica will get her own story next.
Content: clean (some kissing, heavier issues, no language)
I loved that Trudy was aware of the bet, and that Lane came clean about it before he got caught. There was a lot of emotional depth to the story from bullying, to cancer, to suicide, and parents with marital problems. The content wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns, but the humor and relationships helped balance out the heaviness.
I loved Lane and Trudy together. He was so considerate, and would go out of his way to do kind things for Trudy. I also loved Trudy’s friend, Jessica, everyone needs a friend like that who will have your back, and text at inopportune times. I’m excited that Jessica will get her own story next.
Content: clean (some kissing, heavier issues, no language)
July 25, 2019
Awesome
Loved this story. The characters were well-developed and the story flowed. Lane and Trudy complemented each other and both of them changed and matured over the course of the story.
Loved this story. The characters were well-developed and the story flowed. Lane and Trudy complemented each other and both of them changed and matured over the course of the story.
August 5, 2019
This book reminded me of 'She's All That' but it had so much more depth to it and the emotions! I actually cried at 1 part! Sweet story and HEA amongst some grief.
September 5, 2020
I just noticed this one on my kindle as read. I don't remember a lot of it, but wanted to mark it as read anyway.
Smart girl, popular boy who needs tutoring...Fun teen book.
Smart girl, popular boy who needs tutoring...Fun teen book.
January 1, 2024
I read the third book in the series before I knew it was a series and decided to read it. So I knew it was a romance series about high school love stories, nothing too deep and no serious ideas.
But in fact, the author wrote about some heavy things: a family member's cancer, suicidal thoughts, life between two constantly quarreling parents, the handsome and famous sports boy and the strange new girl.
These are heavy and important topics, but the writer reminded them of a bit of adolescence that moved from the characters to the writing style itself, as everything tragic is dealt with superficially.
I loved the two characters, Trudy and lane, especially when they got to know each other deeply and truly. At this point, the layers that the writer revealed were really good, but there were things I did not understand.
I did not understand why she did not say that she had been listening to the bet since he tried to invite her to the party, and how she quickly jumped in to believe Gap, the bully football player who had been harassing her since she moved in, before she asked or confronted lane, who knew him and knew what he was really like!
How did she go to the school party the day after her sister passed away , who was suffering from cancer, just to teach lane a lesson or embarrass him based on the words of a girl she met just two weeks ago? Frankly, I did not like Jessica in this book or her story. She is somewhat annoying and cowardly!
A teenager, yes, but her sister died. They were expecting this and knew it would happen, but the occurrence of the thing is heavy and severe and cannot make a person think the next day about going to a party!!
I also know that the series is from the point of view of the two main characters, but I feel that we should have seen the points of view of the other characters, but it is okay that the writer decided to present the impact of those tragedies and problems on the two main characters.
but it's a young adult romance novel who present a Love story and satisfying ending, and the novel did this, it was interesting and fun and I enjoyed it.
But in fact, the author wrote about some heavy things: a family member's cancer, suicidal thoughts, life between two constantly quarreling parents, the handsome and famous sports boy and the strange new girl.
These are heavy and important topics, but the writer reminded them of a bit of adolescence that moved from the characters to the writing style itself, as everything tragic is dealt with superficially.
I loved the two characters, Trudy and lane, especially when they got to know each other deeply and truly. At this point, the layers that the writer revealed were really good, but there were things I did not understand.
I did not understand why she did not say that she had been listening to the bet since he tried to invite her to the party, and how she quickly jumped in to believe Gap, the bully football player who had been harassing her since she moved in, before she asked or confronted lane, who knew him and knew what he was really like!
How did she go to the school party the day after her sister passed away , who was suffering from cancer, just to teach lane a lesson or embarrass him based on the words of a girl she met just two weeks ago? Frankly, I did not like Jessica in this book or her story. She is somewhat annoying and cowardly!
A teenager, yes, but her sister died. They were expecting this and knew it would happen, but the occurrence of the thing is heavy and severe and cannot make a person think the next day about going to a party!!
I also know that the series is from the point of view of the two main characters, but I feel that we should have seen the points of view of the other characters, but it is okay that the writer decided to present the impact of those tragedies and problems on the two main characters.
but it's a young adult romance novel who present a Love story and satisfying ending, and the novel did this, it was interesting and fun and I enjoyed it.
October 16, 2022
This is a sad but cute high school romance in which Trudy is new in town because her family had to move closer to the hospital her sister is in. She misses her old friends and old life and is scared to lose Allison. So she's already stressed and it doesn't help when she overhears Gabe, a nasty jock who calls her Prudy making a bet that another jock named Lane wouldn't be able to get her as his date to the Homecoming dance. Gabe has it out for her for some reason and wants Lane to humiliate her at the dance. So Trudy is not exactly friendly when Lane tries to approach her at first but then she gets stuck with an assignment to tutor him in calculus and she starts to feel there is more about him than just an enemy. He struggles with his grades but he is kind and thoughtful and comforting when he finds out about her sister.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Liz Krane that the author had kindly made available on her youtube. I liked the narrator, even listening to it in double speed which probably made some things sound more dramatic than intended. I loved it up until the end which left me with some questions. Not to spoil things too much I hope but a stunt that one of them did towards the end must have had some consequences for the other person and I wanted to know how they dealt with the follow-up and eventually how they explained how they got back together. Let's say the resolution feels a bit too swift as they just hug and everything is okay again. The villain gets no come-uppance but I suppose he may be needed to play the villain in further books.
Content warnings: Suicidal thoughts, life-threatening illness
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Liz Krane that the author had kindly made available on her youtube. I liked the narrator, even listening to it in double speed which probably made some things sound more dramatic than intended. I loved it up until the end which left me with some questions. Not to spoil things too much I hope but a stunt that one of them did towards the end must have had some consequences for the other person and I wanted to know how they dealt with the follow-up and eventually how they explained how they got back together. Let's say the resolution feels a bit too swift as they just hug and everything is okay again. The villain gets no come-uppance but I suppose he may be needed to play the villain in further books.
Content warnings: Suicidal thoughts, life-threatening illness
March 12, 2019
🌟Can Trudy survive her fraught life? A moving, realistic tale of teen 😍highs and😰 lows👍
March 12, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
👍👍😵🏫📚😍
A really moving and compelling story, well-written and with some stand-up characters facing off against the stereotypical high school bully. Trudy, the heroine, is beset with almost every problem a high school teen could experience and she so can't comprehend why Lane, a football star whose clique is constantly making snide comments about her, would be attracted to her. I think it's the brain fog caused by her family issues that make her suspect his affection, but it's hard for her to accept his behavior at face value. Be prepared for some teary moments, especially related to sister Allison's declining health.
I adored Lane; a good guy who hung with bully Gabe and the🏈 football crowd and learned to regret it. He's got his own issues, struggling at school and worried about his parents' strained relationship, and yet really goes all out for the sad, brilliant girl he falls for.
I really suspected more of a twist at the climatic end involving Jessica, Trudy's, new friend; I had suspected her sudden friendship to have ulterior motives. The ending is a little abrupt but happy and I really enjoyed this story of teen love and angst.
This 55-plus senior had a great time reliving the growing pains of high school through Trudy's story.😊
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
March 12, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
👍👍😵🏫📚😍
A really moving and compelling story, well-written and with some stand-up characters facing off against the stereotypical high school bully. Trudy, the heroine, is beset with almost every problem a high school teen could experience and she so can't comprehend why Lane, a football star whose clique is constantly making snide comments about her, would be attracted to her. I think it's the brain fog caused by her family issues that make her suspect his affection, but it's hard for her to accept his behavior at face value. Be prepared for some teary moments, especially related to sister Allison's declining health.
I adored Lane; a good guy who hung with bully Gabe and the🏈 football crowd and learned to regret it. He's got his own issues, struggling at school and worried about his parents' strained relationship, and yet really goes all out for the sad, brilliant girl he falls for.
I really suspected more of a twist at the climatic end involving Jessica, Trudy's, new friend; I had suspected her sudden friendship to have ulterior motives. The ending is a little abrupt but happy and I really enjoyed this story of teen love and angst.
This 55-plus senior had a great time reliving the growing pains of high school through Trudy's story.😊
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
March 25, 2019
This book was actually good 🙌🏽
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2019...
***Just A FEW SPOILERS****
I liked this book. I already knew that Lane was going to end up liking Trudy and Trudy was going to end up falling for him too. Gabe was a crap pot... Mad because he had gotten turn down, not knowing that Trudy wasn’t even considering him at all. Especially when her sister had Leukemia and was on the verge of dying anytime. She was a shit stain.. on so many levels. But glad that she didn’t let Gabe get to her. Not only that I was glad that Lane finally showed her the truth behind those text messages that Gabe showed her. What a little prick he was. & Randy was dumb too for even considering Gabe to be his friend and wanting to be in the IN CROWD. I figure that Lane was never mean... it’s never good to bully someone because you never know what an individual is going through in their personal life. The proof was in the pudding when it came to both Lane and Trudy both of them was going through things but in different ways. I agree with her sister they both were made for each other. But one thing I was glad for was that Lane did what he did for Trudy sister that was the best gift to give someone when they are sick especially when she was a Packers fan.
But btw that UGH I want to read “Jessica and Christian story so bad :/ can’t wait until it comes out. What torture.
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2019...
***Just A FEW SPOILERS****
I liked this book. I already knew that Lane was going to end up liking Trudy and Trudy was going to end up falling for him too. Gabe was a crap pot... Mad because he had gotten turn down, not knowing that Trudy wasn’t even considering him at all. Especially when her sister had Leukemia and was on the verge of dying anytime. She was a shit stain.. on so many levels. But glad that she didn’t let Gabe get to her. Not only that I was glad that Lane finally showed her the truth behind those text messages that Gabe showed her. What a little prick he was. & Randy was dumb too for even considering Gabe to be his friend and wanting to be in the IN CROWD. I figure that Lane was never mean... it’s never good to bully someone because you never know what an individual is going through in their personal life. The proof was in the pudding when it came to both Lane and Trudy both of them was going through things but in different ways. I agree with her sister they both were made for each other. But one thing I was glad for was that Lane did what he did for Trudy sister that was the best gift to give someone when they are sick especially when she was a Packers fan.
But btw that UGH I want to read “Jessica and Christian story so bad :/ can’t wait until it comes out. What torture.
March 12, 2019
This is a new series for Victorine. I have reas nearly all her books. I liked this one due to the issues both teenagers were facing. They were real issues that were deep. Trudy felt alone. She has moved three hours from her previous home so that her family could be closer to the hospital. Her younger sister has cancer and isn’t doing well. It is her Senior year and she has no friends. Her parents are hardly ever around. Her Dad is always working and her mother is always at the hospital. Lane is on the football team. He is trying to get a scholarship for football. He thinks that is the only way for him to get to college since he struggles with school. His grades are borderline and he fees that he is going to be kicked odd the team if he can’t figure out Calculus. His parents are always fighting and there is little peace to be found in his home. He has recently broken up with his girlfriend so he doesn’t have a date for the homecoming dance. His friend and teammate bets him he can’t get Trudy to go to the dance with him. Lane takes the bet. This is the start of what can be a friendship or romance between Lane and Trudy. Unfortunately Trudy knows about the bet. Lane and Trudy have to find a way to work together when the principal asks Trudy to tutor Lane.
This is a clean, sweet, teen romance. It will make you laugh and cry. It is a fairly short novel and can be read in a day.
This is a clean, sweet, teen romance. It will make you laugh and cry. It is a fairly short novel and can be read in a day.
September 21, 2019
For me this was just okay. There wasn't any big standout thing that made it a great book. It was more of a quick, easy weekend read to ease the chaos of my mind.
Sort of a cross between "Can't buy me love," "Pretty in pink," and "She's all that," it just didn't have anything new and interesting. It was okay, but if you're a young teen just starting out with teen romance you may really enjoy it.
*spoilers*
I think the suicide attempt and the sister's illness were too glossed over. It made it seem like the main character was simply selfish, but we all deal with grief in different ways. I get the avoidance factor, I've been there myself, but it seemed a little out of place with the suicide backstory. It also seemed rather fake that she was in therapy when we never actually hear about any therapy sessions during the story. A true suicide incident would require a lot more therapy than Trudy seemed to be getting. And you would think the therapist would be giving her the advice of facing her fears rather than hiding from it. Instead we get a brief glimpse about a list of 5 good things that first day and then nothing. Makes it feel forced and unrealistic.
I'm just not buying it, sorry.
*End of spoilers*
For my clean readers:
Mild language, teen bullying, cheating, romance with mostly kissing scenes, and references to suicide.
Sort of a cross between "Can't buy me love," "Pretty in pink," and "She's all that," it just didn't have anything new and interesting. It was okay, but if you're a young teen just starting out with teen romance you may really enjoy it.
*spoilers*
I think the suicide attempt and the sister's illness were too glossed over. It made it seem like the main character was simply selfish, but we all deal with grief in different ways. I get the avoidance factor, I've been there myself, but it seemed a little out of place with the suicide backstory. It also seemed rather fake that she was in therapy when we never actually hear about any therapy sessions during the story. A true suicide incident would require a lot more therapy than Trudy seemed to be getting. And you would think the therapist would be giving her the advice of facing her fears rather than hiding from it. Instead we get a brief glimpse about a list of 5 good things that first day and then nothing. Makes it feel forced and unrealistic.
I'm just not buying it, sorry.
*End of spoilers*
For my clean readers:
Mild language, teen bullying, cheating, romance with mostly kissing scenes, and references to suicide.
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