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Bringing Down the Star
Small town bully romance
Tori Watson knew she didn’t belong. Afterall, she grew up without money, status, or social power. The only reason why she’s even in that town was because her father decided to kill her mother just before she finished college. With just a year left, she made it her goal in surviving the last two semesters without getting involved with anyone in this pretentious town.
It’s too bad the person who owns the school didn’t get the message.
Colten Fitzgerald has it all—money, status, and social power. People throw themselves at him left and right in hopes to even be noticed by him. Yet, the only person that doesn’t is exactly the person he had taken an interest in. He wants her because he’s different and her attitude is exactly what he wants to break. He’ll stop at nothing to get her to yield and fear him like the rest of the town.
Too bad Tori won’t give up without a fair fight.
Tori Watson knew she didn’t belong. Afterall, she grew up without money, status, or social power. The only reason why she’s even in that town was because her father decided to kill her mother just before she finished college. With just a year left, she made it her goal in surviving the last two semesters without getting involved with anyone in this pretentious town.
It’s too bad the person who owns the school didn’t get the message.
Colten Fitzgerald has it all—money, status, and social power. People throw themselves at him left and right in hopes to even be noticed by him. Yet, the only person that doesn’t is exactly the person he had taken an interest in. He wants her because he’s different and her attitude is exactly what he wants to break. He’ll stop at nothing to get her to yield and fear him like the rest of the town.
Too bad Tori won’t give up without a fair fight.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2021
182 people are currently reading
1190 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Mazurkiewicz
105 books783 followersJoanna Mazurkiewicz was born in Poland. She moved to United Kingdom when she was only nineteen and just finished high school. She had aspired to be a writer upon completion of the Harry Potter series but also enjoyed reading books like ‘Gone with the Wind’, ’Animal Farm’ and ‘The doll’. She graduated from Swansea University with a bachelor degree in American Studies. While studying in the UK she made a decision to start writing fiction in English.
The “Whispers of the Sprite” is her first debut novel and she is currently working on other projects. Joanna lives in Cowbridge, a small town in South Wales near Cardiff with her boyfriend Bruce. She enjoys cycling around Welsh countryside some of which has become the settings in her first series.
The “Whispers of the Sprite” is her first debut novel and she is currently working on other projects. Joanna lives in Cowbridge, a small town in South Wales near Cardiff with her boyfriend Bruce. She enjoys cycling around Welsh countryside some of which has become the settings in her first series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 4, 2021
I can't remember where I first saw this book but I've had it on my wish list waiting for it to release because the blurb got my attention right away and I was excited to read it. Sadly though the book didn't work for me. The premise was interesting but the execution wasn't great for me. It felt like it should have been a YA book or at least set in High School because the fact that it was in college didn't make much sense.
The heroine was supposedly 18 years old but she was in her last year of college, went to prom a few years ago, and had a friend five years younger than her that was preparing to take the SAT's again. To me that doesn't fit with being 18. A typical 18 year old is someone who would have just graduated high school unless she finished early, which was never said, and a friend who would be 13 and most likely in her first year of High School wouldn't be preparing to take the SAT's already? It was bugging me every time something was said that didn't fit with her being 18 and I even went back to the first page more than once to make sure I was reading it right. At the very least the heroine was no more than 19 but we're led to believe the death of her parents was very recent and she was 18 after they died when she saw a shrink. That's what we're told.
That may be me being very nit picky but there were other things throughout the story that weren't very clear and had me regretting picking this book up. Add in the rushed ending with no closure on Tori's living situation with her Aunt, who weirdly enough we heard about but never actually saw her one page, and I was happy to finish the book and move on to something else.
Bottom line, this book wasn't for me but I'd never discourage someone from reading something. So I'll say I do think lovers of the bully trope will enjoy the hero and may enjoy this story more than I did.
The heroine was supposedly 18 years old but she was in her last year of college, went to prom a few years ago, and had a friend five years younger than her that was preparing to take the SAT's again. To me that doesn't fit with being 18. A typical 18 year old is someone who would have just graduated high school unless she finished early, which was never said, and a friend who would be 13 and most likely in her first year of High School wouldn't be preparing to take the SAT's already? It was bugging me every time something was said that didn't fit with her being 18 and I even went back to the first page more than once to make sure I was reading it right. At the very least the heroine was no more than 19 but we're led to believe the death of her parents was very recent and she was 18 after they died when she saw a shrink. That's what we're told.
That may be me being very nit picky but there were other things throughout the story that weren't very clear and had me regretting picking this book up. Add in the rushed ending with no closure on Tori's living situation with her Aunt, who weirdly enough we heard about but never actually saw her one page, and I was happy to finish the book and move on to something else.
Bottom line, this book wasn't for me but I'd never discourage someone from reading something. So I'll say I do think lovers of the bully trope will enjoy the hero and may enjoy this story more than I did.
dnf-2022
June 23, 2022DNF . Chapter 1 and I already see so many plot holes. The h is 18 and in her last year of college ? And she talks about living in a trailer and her parents being drug addicts but being caring enough to leave a really big life insurance . I- I have no words
June 22, 2022
ew just no
June 9, 2022
The plot evolved too quick. It wasn't even a bully romance since there was no actual bullying and just banter and sexual tension described poorly. If I go past that and focus on just the erotic part, it was an enjoyable book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2022
Meh…
I don’t understand why she kept calling him her bully… yeah he was rude but bully is a stretch.
Many plot holes and inconsistencies.
I don’t understand why she kept calling him her bully… yeah he was rude but bully is a stretch.
Many plot holes and inconsistencies.
November 6, 2022
Honestly don’t know how I made it half way through
From the first chapter or two, I knew I was not going to like this book, but I persevered. The main heroine is just awful; she’s a ~tragic~ pick me girl that mostly just shits on other girls around her. She’s not like those ~rich bimbos~ because she shops at Goodwill and eats fast food. She is honestly so cringey it’s hard to get through.
The leading man is okay - spoiled rich bully, pretty one dimensional but as soon as the main girl walks in he can tell she’s ~different~. The dirty talk is probably the best part of this book, but overall the spicy scenes fall flat and also tend to not make sense plot wise.
Also, the book is RIDDLED with blatant grammatical errors. Like really obvious stuff that a good spell check program could find. Kind of embarrassing.
From the first chapter or two, I knew I was not going to like this book, but I persevered. The main heroine is just awful; she’s a ~tragic~ pick me girl that mostly just shits on other girls around her. She’s not like those ~rich bimbos~ because she shops at Goodwill and eats fast food. She is honestly so cringey it’s hard to get through.
The leading man is okay - spoiled rich bully, pretty one dimensional but as soon as the main girl walks in he can tell she’s ~different~. The dirty talk is probably the best part of this book, but overall the spicy scenes fall flat and also tend to not make sense plot wise.
Also, the book is RIDDLED with blatant grammatical errors. Like really obvious stuff that a good spell check program could find. Kind of embarrassing.
November 27, 2022
Rating: 3.75
It was kind of addictive and exciting at first, but i feel like the story was too short and the plot moved too fast.
But either way it's kinda good, i basically binge it because it was too short.
This is kind of a Wattpad story with the bully that fell in love with her at first sight, but didn't know how to act because that feeling were alien to him. And the girl that doesn't give a shit about anyone or what they think, playing hard yo get too. But both would give in to their lust woth each other.
Both have shitty parents that gave them both traumas and numb towards others feelings etc. But the girl still have kindness in her, but are buried deep if not needed.
Tropes: small town, grumpy x grumpy, rich boy x poor girl, childhood traumas, virgin girl x playboy, possessiveness
It was kind of addictive and exciting at first, but i feel like the story was too short and the plot moved too fast.
But either way it's kinda good, i basically binge it because it was too short.
This is kind of a Wattpad story with the bully that fell in love with her at first sight, but didn't know how to act because that feeling were alien to him. And the girl that doesn't give a shit about anyone or what they think, playing hard yo get too. But both would give in to their lust woth each other.
Both have shitty parents that gave them both traumas and numb towards others feelings etc. But the girl still have kindness in her, but are buried deep if not needed.
Tropes: small town, grumpy x grumpy, rich boy x poor girl, childhood traumas, virgin girl x playboy, possessiveness
January 27, 2023
I had never seen a book on goodreads with under a 3 star rating, and I had seen this author on tiktok promoting her book and I felt bad for all the super negative reviews.. the plot holes were rough.. I mean it's weird that she's 18 and in her last year of college and she's American but says "bloody" as a swear lol you can tell the author is not familiar with America. Then it was promoted as a bully romance but was very insta-love. No joke before anything had happened they're both wondering if they're in love with the other lol the spice kinda came out of no where and was the only part I really liked in the book. Overall it's not great. There are spelling errors, missing quotation marks, plot holes that contradict each other.. I'd say skip it
January 2, 2022
SWOON 😍😍
I loved this book! I’m total honesty, I had been putting off reading it and was totally not sure if I would like it but it was the best enemies to lovers that I’ve read in a long time!
The spice was *chefs kiss*, the character development was very well written and the story focused heavily on the characters which is always a plus for me.
Colton initially seems like your typical rich, bored playboy looking for a challenge and finds that in Tori, the damaged angsty girl from the wrong side of the tracks.
I would highly recommend as a good introduction to the enemies to lovers trope - Joanna has done it again ❤️👌🏻
I loved this book! I’m total honesty, I had been putting off reading it and was totally not sure if I would like it but it was the best enemies to lovers that I’ve read in a long time!
The spice was *chefs kiss*, the character development was very well written and the story focused heavily on the characters which is always a plus for me.
Colton initially seems like your typical rich, bored playboy looking for a challenge and finds that in Tori, the damaged angsty girl from the wrong side of the tracks.
I would highly recommend as a good introduction to the enemies to lovers trope - Joanna has done it again ❤️👌🏻
September 19, 2022
Bully Romance read. Available on KU. Lots of low ratings on Goodreads. Mostly for plot holes.
Thoughts:
💙I liked that while the male MC did bully the female MC, he never really took it too far.
💙They had a kind of cute relationship
💙There are plot holes, but not enough to really bug me. Some of the reviews had some valid points.
💙The author could have done much more with the book, but chose to keep it shorter and didn’t do the normal romance thing where the MCs breakup to get back together, which I appreciated.
Thoughts:
💙I liked that while the male MC did bully the female MC, he never really took it too far.
💙They had a kind of cute relationship
💙There are plot holes, but not enough to really bug me. Some of the reviews had some valid points.
💙The author could have done much more with the book, but chose to keep it shorter and didn’t do the normal romance thing where the MCs breakup to get back together, which I appreciated.
August 8, 2022
I have been looking forward to this after seeing it on tiktok and was really disappointed 😞 There were so many grammer errors throughout and not to mention how rushed it all felt... I really wanted to love this book but I couldn't connect with the characters at all especially Colton he was just an entitled a*shole!! This book has the potential to really great if more time and attention was put into it the overall plotline drew me in so I think with some more time it could be amazing.
dnf
May 20, 2024It’s a DNF at 33%.
I felt like there were a lot of cliches in this book and whilst that’s normally fine, I cannot STAND the “I’m not like other girls” mentality and this book is rife with it.
I also can see exactly how this book will play out and with the childish petty drama that will ensue, the backstabbing and deceit I know will occur, not to mention the disgust and disdain that’s being dressed up as lust and love… issa no from me.
I felt like there were a lot of cliches in this book and whilst that’s normally fine, I cannot STAND the “I’m not like other girls” mentality and this book is rife with it.
I also can see exactly how this book will play out and with the childish petty drama that will ensue, the backstabbing and deceit I know will occur, not to mention the disgust and disdain that’s being dressed up as lust and love… issa no from me.
March 1, 2022
I loved Colton and Tori, there were some grammatical errors in this book, that sort of thing does not bother me, but it does you are being warned. But holy I loved Colton, and that man has got one filthy mouth on him. This book gets 4/5 stars for me. Very entertaining, very good tension, it's a quick and fun read. Highly recommend.
April 21, 2023
Seen on tiktok thought be good and have been in my TBR since last June figured to get to it. I didn't like it very much so many spelling errors and words that didn't make since and in my head had to put my own words. Then the ending just came to complete stop would like to have seen more for the ending. Left so many questions.
June 16, 2022
I really wanted to love this book
Needs a serious editor. Timeline was confusing. Is Tori 18 or 21? Final year of college? Read more like a high school time frame.
I enjoyed the story, but the errors in writing drove me crazy.
Needs a serious editor. Timeline was confusing. Is Tori 18 or 21? Final year of college? Read more like a high school time frame.
I enjoyed the story, but the errors in writing drove me crazy.
June 22, 2023
I saw this book on booktok and it looked so promising but I've been let down.
There are some gramatical errors and many plot holes. It feels rushed. I did finish it but skimmed through a few parts...
There are some gramatical errors and many plot holes. It feels rushed. I did finish it but skimmed through a few parts...
June 3, 2025
meh kinda boring at the beginning, enemies to lovers YA book. i got the reccs from tiktok and it’s a trilogy but i’m not finishing the series bc the plot holes.. bro.. i can see the end of the book from the first chapter :/
November 30, 2021
Starlight
It's a good read, I like the dynamic between Tori and Colton, wouldn't have mind getting to know their friends a little more. Well done. Thanks for the read.
It's a good read, I like the dynamic between Tori and Colton, wouldn't have mind getting to know their friends a little more. Well done. Thanks for the read.
December 1, 2021
Loved this book entirely except I feel the ending was a bit abrupt. That may just be me being a sucker for an epilogue but otherwise a good quick read!
December 1, 2021
ANGST…HOT…MMMMM!
It took a while for the action but DAMN! There were some spelling errors in the book which is always frustrating to me but the book was great!
It took a while for the action but DAMN! There were some spelling errors in the book which is always frustrating to me but the book was great!
February 18, 2022
Had this on my list for a long time but got disappointed.. not what I thought.
June 8, 2022
About 80%
Don’t even know how I got that far
Shouldn’t have left Wattpad
Don’t even know how I got that far
Shouldn’t have left Wattpad
July 12, 2022
It was good. Though it read like a wattpad story. Still it would have been a great wattpad story. It had some great moments and some very cringey ones. Overall it was quite good.
July 31, 2022
ITS SO BAD.
the fucking main character? such a fuckinh entitled dick who got away with sm shit, also no plot, super rushed, and if i could give it a 0 i would
the fucking main character? such a fuckinh entitled dick who got away with sm shit, also no plot, super rushed, and if i could give it a 0 i would
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2022
Un bully romance? Sorella, ne devi mangiare ancora di pastasciutta.
August 31, 2022
Ive cringed so many times while reading this. There’s also so many grammer mistakes.
September 22, 2022
Overall the book was great! I just felt like the ending was rushed.
November 7, 2022
very fast boook. kind of wished their was a second one
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews