Don't Try Me

Broke & Bullied #1

by Kai Juniper

BrookI don’t put up with bullies.So when this beast of a football player starting giving me shit on my first day at a new school, I fought back.To say I surprised him is an understatement to say the least. Nobody stands up to this guy.They call him The Destroyer, and it’s not because of his destruction on the football field. It’s because he destroys hearts. If a girl even tries to get close to him, he’ll break her heart. Stomp on it. Destroy it.He doesn’t scare me. And he can’t destroy me. I’d have to give him my heart for him to hurt it, and there’s no way that’s happening, so what’s there to be afraid of?He thinks he can bully me into submisssion? Good luck.DeanI told her my rules. She didn’t follow them.I told her to leave me alone. She didn’t.She’s new so I gave her a pass. But three strikes, she’s out.She knows my reputation but keeps coming back for more.She tests me. Pushes me to my limit, and doesn’t stop.I warned her. I told her to stay away. She wouldn’t listen.She wants to try me? She’s not going to like what she gets.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, High School, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, School

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 11, 2020

About the author

I write about hot-as-sin guys and the badass girls that love them.

Reviews

[Shaked Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why was this even described as a bully romance🤔 He was an asshole for like two seconds but he wasn’t an actual bully🤔 And I’ve read about worse assholes ngl. Anyway, it started well. And then it went downhill... and then that f*cking last chapter😑
I have a problem reading adult or new adult romance novels that are spread throughout more than one book. The whole climax of the book is the couple getting together... so like the second book is usually a limp lettuce, y’know? Cause they’ve already gotten together and now we’re just getting more and more complications. So I’m hesitant about the sequel. But I’m still definitely reading it after that ending😤

[Helen Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brook and Dean have explosive chemistry right off the bat, and it’s clear that while they act like they dislike each other, their feelings are much more complicated than that. This is a slow-burn romance, and they gradually grow to like each other after Dean hires Brook to tutor his younger brother.
While this book is touted on Amazon as a “High school bully romance”, I don’t really think that this fits that trope. Dean is mean to her, but not necessarily a “bully”. He would have honestly left her alone if she had avoided him, or at the very least not antagonized him. (Don’t get me wrong, I loved this dynamic so much, but I do think that calling him a “bully” is a bit of a stretch).
The only reason I didn’t give this book five stars is because Dean’s mood swings were a bit much. He’d be sweet to Brook one moment, and glaring at her the next. He decided he liked her in one scene, then the next scene he hated her with a fiery fury. While it’s probably realistic when you’re considering they’re teenagers with moody hormones and all that, it did make the book a little too back and forth for my liking.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as bullying, I would say this was very light and by no means makes this story a disappointment. I really enjoyed this first book and goodness, Dean... what a sweetheart. Definitely won me over. I enjoyed seeing Brook develop throughout the book and really like her as an h too. I think there was a LOT of dialogue in here; more so than what I'm typically used to and I appreciate it.

Book 1 ended on a cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with Brook and Dean's relationship as well as the situation with Dean's family.

[Carrissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read quite a few bully bad guy books and I'm sorry but this is definitely not one of those. It was a quick read for me. I was hooked by chapter one but the more I read the more it lost me. Struggled to even finish it, definitely going to be skipping out on the next book.

[Lizzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In reality a 2.5 stars.

[JadeShea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off promising, then it kind of went downhill from there. I didn't like the heroine or the hero. And at the end the stuff with the parents was annoying. This book just wasn't for me.

[all_you_read_is_love · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored everything about this book duo!
Brook and Dean are two of my new favourite characters! I loved the way that Brook challenged and changed Dean!
Dean was so grumpy and sweet, and I fell head over heels in love with him the first time he interacted with Jacob.
Every character in this book was so well thought out and unique!
This story wasn’t your usual cliche new girl romance, it had grit and raw passion and I loved every second of it!
A refreshing, easy to read book! I’ve got my fingers crossed for the rest of the teams own stories!

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this is classed as a bully romance, but the bullying is hardly present. This is more a misunderstood, dark and brooding bad boy, who so isn't when he lets you in, and that doesn't happen very often.

I loved that Brook didn't take any shit and that she persevered because she could see that Dean wasn't at all what he led others to believe. This was a good start for sure and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.

[C. Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, that was intense af and that ending… oh hell no. I’m jumping right into Don’t Tempt Me to find out what happens next. I’m definitely #TeamDean and #TeamDrook!! 🖤🔥🏈🔥🖤

[Dejana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of "bully romance" is really misleading because it just wasn't. Not once in this book did Dean really bully Brook, he was just an asshole at the beginning and when he wanted to keep his distance. Sadly there was no real tension or chemistry between the characters for me either, which is really one of the main aspects of a bully/enemies-to-lovers book. Dean was also not the big bad boy I was expecting from the blurb, but what I really appreciated was how he treated the girl from the party. Brook was acting naive while on the phone with her boyfriend, like it was so obvious that he's a complete egomaniac, but she still made excuses for him? I also didn't like how ALL of her rich friends from her old school were apparently the same? It would have been nice, if Brook had at least one true friend who's not as shallow or egotistical as the rest. Also her friendship with Eve had so much potential to grow more, but instead it seemed like her character was only there so that she had at least one friend.

Overall this was an okay book for me that was easy to read through, but still lacked a little in the chemistry department.

[Black Sheep · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 54%

This is so cringe worthy. It’s not a bully romance.
Dean (H) was rude to Brook (h) for all of 2 seconds before turning into a decent guy. Polite and nice to mostly everyone.

This book would probably be about 100 pages if the author didn’t make the characters ramble about the most irrelevant shit.

I’m so beyond bored. Brook is whiny, emotional and makes life 100 times harder for herself.
Dean makes no sense in general. Not a bully but a rude dude. Sweet then nice. Quiet then loud. Angry then smiling and happy. I mean what the fuck?

Typically, reading HS dramas / bully romances you know the characters are in highschool but of course, they are pretty mature and easy to read, understand.

Every single teen character in this book acts like they are 15 years old. Fitting, obviously. But too much so that they are annoying as fuck.

The build up is so poorly written, I don’t even really see a plot yet. It’s just everyday life of 17-18 year olds who act like children. That’s it. Explanation of current circumstances are there but nothing else.
Nothing. Fucking. Else.



I’m out.

- B.S.

[Mathilda Gustafsson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this, absolutely dreaded the entirety of it. No deeper meaning rooted within the story or between the lines. I didn't like how I was always fully aware of what was going on. Normally the dual perspective is appealing because it provides an alternative perspective and contributes to the complexity of the story, but here, the points of view were very plain and seemingly predictable. The story itself also felt like it wasn't going anywhere. Don't even get me started on the ending, one of the worst attempts at a cliff hanger I've encountered. I would have liked to experience a bit more mystery where the characters were concerned. A touch more complexity and density too. This was too obvious, too simple. I did not learn anything, take anything away from it. It feels like one big waste of time.

[Regina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bully that wasn't a bully?

Boring. Poor attempt of rich girl gone poor and poor boy struggling to adult . I don't care for any people in this. No flair no feels... Nothing just bored. She is not a bright girl ,boyfriend going out with another girl alone but hey.she just being celebratory friendly to his needs. And chasing and whining after the football player that clearly gave off leave me alone I got enough on my plate vibes. And trying to make them care about each other problems. .... Sounded childish . Just no spark. Then .con dad comes home and attacks him ???? Work release???? From prison ???? No one watching him???? Should have ended in this book . Haven't decided if I want to read book 2 yet .

[Jordan Lilly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointed

I felt like this book could have been better, deeper, even shorter. It drags our and there's no chemistry, I won't be reading the next one. There wasn't even any bullying in the book, he was a jerk a few times but nothing terrible. It started out great and just went down hill.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish this. I found the characters flaky and the story boring.

[Nay the Bae · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️ DNF . Girl was annoying and desperate. Too much mention of how poor the guy was. Annoying and silly all round .

[Jaime the Wizzard · Rating 1 out of 5]

WTF did I just read? I blame KU for this, I never would have tried this book otherwise.

Definitely not what was listed on the tin. That ending was terrible.

[Roxanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just ok to begin with but the ending made it dumb.

I have a couple problems with this book
1. Apparently all the rich boys are bad lovers and negligent boyfriends but the poor guys arent?.... if you say so, Brooke. I just think those kind of generization are unrealistic. But i guess in certain circles, certain behaviors can be the norm. So I let that go.
2. Wouldnt her dad be an embarrassment in his social circles. If her life was all about keeping up appearance prior to her parents divorce, I just feel like it wouldn't happen as drastically as it did where she goes from owning a bmw and such to can't buy her groceries and all her rich fr I ends knowing without her dad catching some flack for that for not taking care of his child.
3. How the heck did his violent ex con father get work release and was immediately able to wonder free in the streets
4. This wasn't some magical fairy tale or some intense journey into the realm of fiction where I want a second book but it's ends on a Cliffhanger which is dumb! This book was two paragraphs away from being a decent (though not great) book and then instead of letting it come to a natural ending, it spirals into something it was not... a thriller/suspense/fake ending?
Idk. Cliffhangers are cheap marketing to me even when they are done well. This was done so badly
it just makes me cringe.

[Matthew Wildman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!!!

So I started reading bully romance a few months ago and I read close to 100 since I started. At first they were pretty good a bully who found the right girl who melted his heart. After awhile the books either became boringly predictable or the boys in then were not just bullies but down right evil. I had to wonder what self respecting girl would continue to go back to a boy who treated her that way. Then i realized, none. Mental and/or physical abuse did not leave a girl with self respect. I stopped reading this genre of book. Today I had a doctor appointment and new i would be there for a long time. I downloaded this book because it popped up quickly in my what you might like list and thought I i will give the genre one more try. This book was wonderful! The make lead was a jerk, but not abusive. The female lead learned from a previous relationship and knew where to draw the line. The ending was unexpected and I can't wait to see what happens next; I am ghost i only have to wait until next week.

As for proofing, I know there are those of you out there like me who go crazy over bad editing. The book only had maybe 5 blaringly obvious mistakes, but not so bad it confused the meaning of the text.

[Michelle D · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know not too shabby. Good enough to binge. After Brook’s father divorced her mother they’re both kicked from their rich luxurious life and have to move down to bad part of Chicago to an old musty apartment. There she meets Dean who wants nothing to do with her. SPOILER ALERT… he just doesn’t want to have any type of relationships because he feels it’s for the best.. for them. So what does he do? He pushes her away as much as he can but ofc he doesn’t for long and ends up doing the pushing and pulling. I’m glad brook broke up with her useless bf after coming to terms that he wasn’t good to her at all. She even goes as far to say that even if things between her and dean don’t work out at least he’d taught her how bf’s are really supposed to be. So yes this was quite enjoyable. Could’ve used more details in the spicy moments 😏 but it was still good. Whew but by the end Dean had really changed and it shows us how powerless victims can really feel especially when dealing with trauma. A few lines were repetitive here and there. Like yes we know please don’t keep telling us especially more than once in a chapter. I could get over it thoe so it doesn’t take away from wanting to read the next installment :)

[Bekah the Awesome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ima go with 3.5 Platypires. Better than your average angsty high school romance, but definitely, absolutely, without a doubt NOT a bully romance. Barely even an enemy to lovers, since they were only enemies for like a second. So more like strangers to lovers? He plays football, so sports romance would work. Idk, definitely not a bully romance. But, the story was cute, two teenagers turning over new leaves and discovering who they really are kinda story. He’s from the wrong side of the tracks, trying to survive the hand fate has dealt him, and she just got tossed out of her ivory tower when daddy traded mommy in for a younger model. There’s some angst. There’s some drama. It’s mostly cute. The characters aren’t super developed, so I didn’t get too invested. I thought it was gonna be pretty anti-climatic, but then the end. Turns out, the end was very much the opposite of anti-climatic so I’m off to read book 2 now.

[Jodie Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brook had everything, the private school, the friends, the boyfriend, the money and a family but all that changes when her dad divorces her mum and married a younger model. Forced to leave everything behind, she moves to a rough area and a bad reputation school where she meets Dean. He is rude and mean but she is determined to get through it.

She soon realises her boyfriend and so called friends aren’t great and her life she left behind was not really for her. She meets new friends who are actually there for her, that care for her and somewhere along the lines Dean becomes a friend. He has enough going on as his dad is in prison and his mum left, leaving him to raise his little brother. He needs to worry about bills and food and his brother doing well. But his past has a funny way of coming back with a vengeance

Not a bad read

Xx

[★¸. • * ° * ༺*Blanka*༺*°°*•.¸. ♥★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is this huge disconnect, the whole story was just sentences thrown together, nothing connected. For example, the fact that the heroine was supposed to be this extraordinarily bright girl, but didn’t have a clue about her relationship with Chad, begging just to talk to him, was disgusting. Then the can't take the honesty, yet she wants to spew it. Placing book under Bully Romance when it’s not was also a huge NO for me. There was 0 bullying, the heroine was almost stalking the hero for a friendship. Not sure why I finished it, but I won't be reading Book 2 - the characters were unlikable and their chemistry was forced. The concept was decent but the delivery - SUCKED, almost like a middle schooler wrote it. Not a fan!

[Rhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really for me

I wasn't impressed with this book, Brook was annoying, I get her dad cheated and left her and her mum for someone younger but she didn't need to keep repeating it. Dean was a jerk from the beginning but then he went from Alpha to pussy. He doesn't do relationships because he's convinced he's like his POS abusive dad so one night stands are his thing which is fine, he doesn't want to commit. Brook constantly put herself in Dean's business even when he told her back off she still pushed. I didn't feel any chemistry between them at all not even the slightest attraction. I felt the ending was very rushed and it ends on a cliffhanger....

[Mel Mora · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was alright. I like the characters. Some scenes could have had some work.

Just some points:
-There’s absolutely zero chances of the social service would have allowed a 18 year boy still in high school and with no income to be the guardian of his 15 year old brother. ZERO
-Her dad may be able to ditch her mom, but he would still be forced to pay for child support. She’s still a minor.
- Noooooo way someone who has eating habits as bad as he does could have been built and strong as the author describes. He’s a football player he would need proper food to even put up with the strength demanded

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not used to this type of writing style, so it was a little bit harder for me to follow. It seemed very narrated, not really emotional. So at first I was kind of put off, but as I started getting into the book I liked it. The last chapter really broke my heart though. So I guess that's good in a way because it makes me want to read the next book. I can sort of predict what's going to happen in the next book, and it's sad that relationships work like that, or that boys think like that but I'm so going to read it because I want to see what happens. To see if it can be proven wrong. I read this book in less than 24 hours lol.

[Daryl Louise Lenehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review for all 3 books.
I've rated this 3 stars purely because there were parts I really liked and other parts I really disliked. Dean I absolutely loved. He carried this series for me. I loved his POV and much preferred it compared to Brooks POV. I found Brook to be very repetitive and I often found myself skimming her chapters. Brooks mum and dad, just no! What idiots they were. At the end of book 2 Brooks mum finally gets her head out of her ass but I still found it hard to like her. Loved Danny, Eve, Jacob and Chelsea. In book 2 the author often mixed Danny and deans names up which became annoying at times.

[OwlHousePrint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and broody bully

Wow, Dean is totally the bully that drives everyone away. He is so misunderstood because he has so many responsibilities like taking care of his brother Jake and trying to keep them both alive with food and trying to do well at school. Brook is the once rich girl sent to the hood because her parents divorced and her father won’t pay for anything. Turns out her mother is a bitch and because dean looks bad, she wants brook to have nothing to do with him. But after that cliffhanger, I dare say that’s the least of her worries!

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure where to start with this one

I loved the cover and the blue. Then I started the book. I liked the storyline. I liked Dean enough and Jacob has some aspects id like to read more of. But saying that, I found Brook to be rather dull. She seemed very naive and lacked something to make me like her more. I’m hoping book 2 is better and that book one was more about ‘setting the scene’ obviously the book can’t be a complete negative given that I’m off to read book 2. I guess I just wanted to be honest. It’s worth a read but it wouldn’t keep me up all night reading.

[Misty Schott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow, what a great beginning to the Broke & Bullied series.

Brook has to start her senior year of high school at a school that has a very bad reputation and she's used to going to an elite prep school. On her first day she has a run in with Dean. He is a complete jerk to her, but she doesn't back down and he can't stop thinking about her. These two are total opposites and Dean pushes everyone away if he feels they are getting too close. This is a great read and I'm looking g forward to the next part of Brook and Dean's story.