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Ruthless
Rumors spread like wildfire between the walls of Black Mountain Academy. It’s a world where secrets are draped in trust funds, and lies cloaked in family legacy.
The boys that came out of the academy were notoriously bad news. And boarding school dropout Kyler Sinclair was the worst, a good-for-nothing bully with a broken moral compass. He was beautiful, he was dark, he was ruthless.
Madison Evans prided herself on her immaculate school record. A dedicated bookworm with a love for fiction over reality, she’d always been a do-gooder rather than a good-time girl.
Transferring to Black Mountain from the wrong side of the tracks was torture when you're a born loner. But then bad boy Kyler entered her quiet life.
He’s wrapped in ink and covered in chaos, and she never expected to become the center of his attention... or the target of his scorn.
His vicious insults left fresh wounds—but neither expected the past to catch up with them and change their lives forever.
The boys that came out of the academy were notoriously bad news. And boarding school dropout Kyler Sinclair was the worst, a good-for-nothing bully with a broken moral compass. He was beautiful, he was dark, he was ruthless.
Madison Evans prided herself on her immaculate school record. A dedicated bookworm with a love for fiction over reality, she’d always been a do-gooder rather than a good-time girl.
Transferring to Black Mountain from the wrong side of the tracks was torture when you're a born loner. But then bad boy Kyler entered her quiet life.
He’s wrapped in ink and covered in chaos, and she never expected to become the center of his attention... or the target of his scorn.
His vicious insults left fresh wounds—but neither expected the past to catch up with them and change their lives forever.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2021
265 people are currently reading
1312 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
October 28, 2020
I couldn’t put this book down. It was much darker than anything I’ve read by this writing duo and they hit it out of the park.
HERO Kyler was one of those heroes that you wanted to hug one minute and kick in the junk the next minute. He was an antihero who was pretty harsh to the heroine at first. He lashed out because of his past and the fact that Maddie made him feel for the first time in years
HEROINE I though Maddie was great. She was just feisty enough to balance her sweetness. Her patience with Kyler was amazing. She brought him back to life
OW DRAMA there was a couple girls who wanted to be with Kyler but he harshly turned them down. He was not a people person and there was no women that he gave the time of day besides Maddie
OM DRAMA none
STEAM there was steam but it was later in the book
SEPARATION there was a couple separations where they avoided each other
VIOLENCE there is a backstory that involves violence of a sexual nature so if that is a trigger then keep that in mind
ENDING epilogues 5 years and another 10 years later
HERO Kyler was one of those heroes that you wanted to hug one minute and kick in the junk the next minute. He was an antihero who was pretty harsh to the heroine at first. He lashed out because of his past and the fact that Maddie made him feel for the first time in years
HEROINE I though Maddie was great. She was just feisty enough to balance her sweetness. Her patience with Kyler was amazing. She brought him back to life
OW DRAMA there was a couple girls who wanted to be with Kyler but he harshly turned them down. He was not a people person and there was no women that he gave the time of day besides Maddie
OM DRAMA none
STEAM there was steam but it was later in the book
SEPARATION there was a couple separations where they avoided each other
VIOLENCE there is a backstory that involves violence of a sexual nature so if that is a trigger then keep that in mind
ENDING epilogues 5 years and another 10 years later
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2020
This delicious book was angsty and some steam with some heartbreak.
This little gem was a good read with light bullying (verbal) and some other triggers/topics below. It was mentioned not shown if that helps.
Madison aka Maddy and her mom move into Madison moms friends back house since they were friends and now Maddy is going to Blackthorne academy. First day in the house she meets Kyler and they get off on the wrong foot since he is mean and cold and like to say insults and just a jerk. But little did she know she caught his eye since she didn't act like all the girls and drool over him.. but he still wanted to be mean.. Kyler hates to be touched for good reasons and his relationship with his family is very cold. Unless its his sister he talks but still mean to her lol. But he was a good hero with some dark parts. I did enjoy their maddy and Kylers relationship even if it was push and pull but it wasn't that bad. They bonded over music and books even when he was a ass lol.. And when Kyler told her his truth she had something to inform him to. That she found out that made her push him away for abit.
I was kinda disappointed in kyler parents because well I won't spoil it lol. But still on my mind why that wasn't talked about. When that truth came out.
Angst, no ow/om drama, no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, both virgins
Recommend- yes
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Slow-burnish
19H/18h
Push/pull from both
Verbal bullying
Self harm
Mentions H was molestated as a kid
Mentions of rape (h mom was raped in the past)
Anal sex
Underage drinking
No condom
Hea
Epilogue
This little gem was a good read with light bullying (verbal) and some other triggers/topics below. It was mentioned not shown if that helps.
Madison aka Maddy and her mom move into Madison moms friends back house since they were friends and now Maddy is going to Blackthorne academy. First day in the house she meets Kyler and they get off on the wrong foot since he is mean and cold and like to say insults and just a jerk. But little did she know she caught his eye since she didn't act like all the girls and drool over him.. but he still wanted to be mean.. Kyler hates to be touched for good reasons and his relationship with his family is very cold. Unless its his sister he talks but still mean to her lol. But he was a good hero with some dark parts. I did enjoy their maddy and Kylers relationship even if it was push and pull but it wasn't that bad. They bonded over music and books even when he was a ass lol.. And when Kyler told her his truth she had something to inform him to. That she found out that made her push him away for abit.
I was kinda disappointed in kyler parents because well I won't spoil it lol. But still on my mind why that wasn't talked about. When that truth came out.
Angst, no ow/om drama, no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, both virgins
Recommend- yes
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Slow-burnish
19H/18h
Push/pull from both
Verbal bullying
Self harm
Mentions H was molestated as a kid
Mentions of rape (h mom was raped in the past)
Anal sex
Underage drinking
No condom
Hea
Epilogue
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 8, 2026The push and pull, mixed signals from the MMC, and miscommunication, or rather no communication at all, made this so hard to enjoy. I didn't also like how the FMC folds so fast whenever the MMC shows up, especially after he messes things up and ends up hurting her in the process. Like, girl, let him sweat about it; don't be swayed by words.
Anyway, I think this would've been enjoyable if the "will they, won't they" attitude didn't drag on. At least this has dual Vs to make up for the book.
Anyway, I think this would've been enjoyable if the "will they, won't they" attitude didn't drag on. At least this has dual Vs to make up for the book.
December 15, 2021
“You’re the only person I’ve kissed, Madison. The thought of touching anyone else usually repels me, but with you I couldn’t feel more differently and you’re just so perfect and sweet I naturally assumed you probably had more experience than me…”
Safety:
Safety:
October 28, 2020
“Why do you keep pushing me away?”
“Because you fuckin’ scare me.”
Ruthless by Mila Crawford & Aria Cole is part of a series based at The Academy School, however, each book can be read as a standalone. Bully romances intrigue us, it’s one of those times where fiction should remain fiction as it would be too heart-breaking for the real world. Mila Crawford and Aria Cole’s writing is seamless, and we really enjoyed Ruthless and the dark and angsty romance between a battling Kyler and Madison.
‘I wanted this girl to notice me, to look at me with those warm eyes. I wanted her to shake and cry. I wanted something more than this. I couldn’t stand her just looking across the rippling water, pretending that I didn’t exist.’
This is your typical bully romance, Kyler is an utter arse, hiding his broken heart behind a tattooed and pierced veneer. Whilst Madison is a sweet naïve girl, she has an inner strength she thoroughly needs to draw on when she meets the anti-hero, she reads about in her books. Their journey is incredibly intense and angst-filled and Kyler’s demons from his past are utterly heart-breaking. Madison makes a horrifying discovery whilst fighting an instant yet terrifying connection with her tormentor, Kyler. Between the pair of them were two hearts which frantically searched the other out.
‘That was the thing about broken, fucked up people – they tried to get a connection wherever they could get it, but because it was something intangible to them they became…well, I became a miserable son of a bitch.’
Ruthless had some elements to its storyline which would definitely be triggers for some readers, however, they were dealt with in a way that was sensitive and not detailed, however, the authors definitely captured the fear, heartbreak and utter desperation. We really enjoyed Ruthless on the whole but found the story a tad rushed and would have loved for the emotional elements to be explored in greater detail which would have provided a deeper connection with the characters. The epilogues were definitely an important and most wonderful part of the story and we absolutely loved them!
Available to purchase below
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Amazon UK
Come and say hi, at:
✲ TotallyBookedBlog
✲ TBB on Facebook
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✲ TBB on Twitter
✲ TBB on Pinterest
October 15, 2020
Ruthless is an angst-filled and intriguing story of pain and healing and unexpected love. Aria Cole and Mila Crawford give readers an emotional journey between two people with an inexplicable connection and a mountain of obstacles standing between them.
"She made me feel uncomfortable, she made me feel raw, and worst of all she made me feel like I was out of control."
This story was a deviation from this author duo's usual style, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maddy and Kyler were two characters who crashed together and battled hard, while fighting a connection that neither wanted to acknowledge. The push and pull between them went on through most of the book, and I found that this element worked really well in this story and kept me engaged. The bullying wasn't over the top and never included any physical abuse. There were some sensitive issues discussed in the book that may be a trigger to some, and I felt that authors handled them really well. Kyler and Maddy's journey was an emotional one that was full of struggle and tension. There were moments were things looked impossible for them and moments when they pushed past the pain despite how difficult it was.
"Here I was, broken down and consumed by Kyler Sinclair.
My bully. My savior. My favorite complication."
The plot flowed well and the romantic elements balanced out the emotional ones. The intimate scenes were well written and didn't overtake the storyline, instead leaving room for the two main characters to form a solid connection. I really hope that this author team will continue to write books like this because this one was really well executed.
"She made me feel uncomfortable, she made me feel raw, and worst of all she made me feel like I was out of control."
This story was a deviation from this author duo's usual style, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maddy and Kyler were two characters who crashed together and battled hard, while fighting a connection that neither wanted to acknowledge. The push and pull between them went on through most of the book, and I found that this element worked really well in this story and kept me engaged. The bullying wasn't over the top and never included any physical abuse. There were some sensitive issues discussed in the book that may be a trigger to some, and I felt that authors handled them really well. Kyler and Maddy's journey was an emotional one that was full of struggle and tension. There were moments were things looked impossible for them and moments when they pushed past the pain despite how difficult it was.
"Here I was, broken down and consumed by Kyler Sinclair.
My bully. My savior. My favorite complication."
The plot flowed well and the romantic elements balanced out the emotional ones. The intimate scenes were well written and didn't overtake the storyline, instead leaving room for the two main characters to form a solid connection. I really hope that this author team will continue to write books like this because this one was really well executed.
October 27, 2020
“Why do you keep pushing me away?”
“Because you fuckin’ scare me.”
Ruthless by Mila Crawford & Aria Cole is part of a series based at The Academy School, however, each book can be read as a standalone. Bully romances intrigue us, it’s one of those times where fiction should remain fiction as it would be too heart-breaking for the real world. Mila Crawford and Aria Cole’s writing is seamless, and we really enjoyed Ruthless and the dark and angsty romance between a battling Kyler and Madison.
‘I wanted this girl to notice me, to look at me with those warm eyes. I wanted her to shake and cry. I wanted something more than this. I couldn’t stand her just looking across the rippling water, pretending that I didn’t exist.’
This is your typical bully romance, Kyler is an utter arse, hiding his broken heart behind a tattooed and pierced veneer. Whilst Madison is a sweet naïve girl, she has an inner strength she thoroughly needs to draw on when she meets the anti-hero, she reads about in her books. Their journey is incredibly intense and angst-filled and Kyler’s demons from his past are utterly heart-breaking. Madison makes a horrifying discovery whilst fighting an instant yet terrifying connection with her tormentor, Kyler. Between the pair of them were two hearts which frantically searched the other out.
‘That was the thing about broken, fucked up people – they tried to get a connection wherever they could get it, but because it was something intangible to them they became…well, I became a miserable son of a bitch.’
Ruthless had some elements to its storyline which would definitely be triggers for some readers, however, they were dealt with in a way that was sensitive and not detailed, however, the authors definitely captured the fear, heartbreak and utter desperation. We really enjoyed Ruthless on the whole but found the story a tad rushed and would have loved for the emotional elements to be explored in greater detail which would have provided a deeper connection with the characters. The epilogues were definitely an important and most wonderful part of the story and we absolutely loved them!
Available to purchase below
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Come and say hi, at:
✲ TotallyBookedBlog
✲ TBB on Facebook
✲ TBB on Instagram
✲ TBB on Twitter
✲ TBB on Pinterest
January 7, 2022
This book was something else.
I thoroughly enjoyed Madison and Kyler’s story.
I would consider this to be an instalove story, as well as a slow-burn one. Even though they Both were attracted to each other from the start, it took a long time for them to come to terms with what they felt.
The plot was something I considered specially good: it was different form what I’m used to expect from this writing duo as it was considerably darker, but it was excellent nonetheless. Besides, I don’t recall encountering any spelling mistakes either.
I have to say: sometimes, I found myself wanting to shake the heroine so she could grow a backbone; and for him to stop running so hot and cold and finally do something to get the girl. Still, I get that them being that way is what made the story all the more interesting and engaging.
The only thing I didn’t like was how some problems with his parents were left unresolved.
Apart from that, I really recommend this book if you have a few hours to dedicate to it, as you will not be able to put it down.
Safety spoilers:
I thoroughly enjoyed Madison and Kyler’s story.
I would consider this to be an instalove story, as well as a slow-burn one. Even though they Both were attracted to each other from the start, it took a long time for them to come to terms with what they felt.
The plot was something I considered specially good: it was different form what I’m used to expect from this writing duo as it was considerably darker, but it was excellent nonetheless. Besides, I don’t recall encountering any spelling mistakes either.
I have to say: sometimes, I found myself wanting to shake the heroine so she could grow a backbone; and for him to stop running so hot and cold and finally do something to get the girl. Still, I get that them being that way is what made the story all the more interesting and engaging.
The only thing I didn’t like was how some problems with his parents were left unresolved.
Apart from that, I really recommend this book if you have a few hours to dedicate to it, as you will not be able to put it down.
Safety spoilers:
January 17, 2021
Trigger warning: self harm, sexual abuse. children abuse, and rape. All of these were mentioned, not written in detail
Once in a blue moon, Aria Cole and Mila Crawford wrote something deep with quite an emotional sway in it. This one was definitely hit a jackpot. It was well written. I could definitely feel the sorrow and gloom-doom feelings when all the secrets were revealed. The story started with a usual bully, but it ended with closure; well, at least for the MCs. The story was centred on the plot on how a bully, or someone who treated others badly, was just actually a wounded person. He/she wounded so badly, ergo his/her coping mechanism was treating others badly. Maybe that was a scream of help. Maybe he/she just wanted others to feel their constant pain. Maybe he/she just got so lost, he didn't know what's right anymore. Maybe oh just maybe....
And this book was vividly describing all of those from observer PoV and the bully himself.
I personally think that the blurb didn't do the book justice. It was quite a mellow and soulful story. The angst was on point. The warm and sweetness were just right. The reveal was good. The twist was unexpected. The steams were minimal but well placed. It took us to see the hurt, the coping and ended with healing and closure. One thing missing though. I was really disappointed that the epilogue didn't actually show how H's parents coping after all that have said and done. . Oh, so much thing left unsaid about the parents. And I demanded to know :))
No condoms
No cheating, No OW/OM, No exes
Both still in High school
HEA, Epilogue
Overall score: 4.5 survivor romance stars
Once in a blue moon, Aria Cole and Mila Crawford wrote something deep with quite an emotional sway in it. This one was definitely hit a jackpot. It was well written. I could definitely feel the sorrow and gloom-doom feelings when all the secrets were revealed. The story started with a usual bully, but it ended with closure; well, at least for the MCs. The story was centred on the plot on how a bully, or someone who treated others badly, was just actually a wounded person. He/she wounded so badly, ergo his/her coping mechanism was treating others badly. Maybe that was a scream of help. Maybe he/she just wanted others to feel their constant pain. Maybe he/she just got so lost, he didn't know what's right anymore. Maybe oh just maybe....
And this book was vividly describing all of those from observer PoV and the bully himself.
I personally think that the blurb didn't do the book justice. It was quite a mellow and soulful story. The angst was on point. The warm and sweetness were just right. The reveal was good. The twist was unexpected. The steams were minimal but well placed. It took us to see the hurt, the coping and ended with healing and closure. One thing missing though. I was really disappointed that the epilogue didn't actually show how H's parents coping after all that have said and done. . Oh, so much thing left unsaid about the parents. And I demanded to know :))
No condoms
No cheating, No OW/OM, No exes
Both still in High school
HEA, Epilogue
Overall score: 4.5 survivor romance stars
August 27, 2021
3.5✯
°Each other's first and only
°Switching POVs
°Enemies to lovers
°She's 18, he's 19
°Unwanted attention from OW -nothing serious
°No OM drama
°No cheating
°Push/pull mainly from the hero
°No intimate scenes with OP
°TW:
°Epilogue: 5 years and 10 years later
°Each other's first and only
°Switching POVs
°Enemies to lovers
°She's 18, he's 19
°Unwanted attention from OW -nothing serious
°No OM drama
°No cheating
°Push/pull mainly from the hero
°No intimate scenes with OP
°TW:
°Epilogue: 5 years and 10 years later
October 14, 2020
It was different to Mila Crawford and Aria Cole's usual style but I really enjoyed it! I love how Madison stood up for herself against Kyler however they were a really great couple❤️ But I wasn't too sure on Kyler's abuse when he was younger and really would of liked it to be confirmed what happened and how he was touched because I only really like safe books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2020
Oooh I love these steamy kinds of reads. The connected chemistry, the sizzling emotions, the need to get a rise out of one another then WHAM happy time! Great book by Aria and Mila!
November 24, 2020
Style: Young Adult Romance (High School)
Story: 3/5
Sexual: Ok-GOOD
Enjoyment: 2/5
Male: Broken, Loner and Sexy
Series:
This is where I liked the story but execution was not there for me. Really hard giving it 2 stars but no. It felt incomplete. (May have spoilers)
1. With a title ‘Black Mountain Academy’ this barely even took place at a school. Yes, they were in high school didn’t have any interactions at school.
2. Kyler is a loner anti I hate everyone. In the beginning, the author did a tiny scene with his best friend and he was never to be heard from again. Although the focus is and should be Kyler and Mandy, I needed more bodies to paint a picture of young adults and a school atmosphere.
3. Maddy became friends with Tammy, Kyler’s sister, but even after a certain point she was never to be heard from again as well.
4. With 2 and 3 above, this is the issue I had with Kyler and Maddy being the only two characters I read about 95% of the book. I understood they were both loners and very much into books but it just felt like something was missing introducing us to friends who no longer appears.
5. Tammy, Kyler’s sister, she had an incident at a party, didn’t know who did it or what that was about and that issue was never to be heard from again.
6. Kyler’s deep-rooted issue, not sure I am satisfied with the conclusion of it with his parents.
Overall, I really do like this story, but I am not satisfied with the way it was told as it really feels to me incomplete. I love that the 2 main characters related to each over, however, it needed a balance with more characters.
***I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s definitely about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the stories you read. I hope this review was helpful.
Story: 3/5
Sexual: Ok-GOOD
Enjoyment: 2/5
Male: Broken, Loner and Sexy
Series:
This is where I liked the story but execution was not there for me. Really hard giving it 2 stars but no. It felt incomplete. (May have spoilers)
1. With a title ‘Black Mountain Academy’ this barely even took place at a school. Yes, they were in high school didn’t have any interactions at school.
2. Kyler is a loner anti I hate everyone. In the beginning, the author did a tiny scene with his best friend and he was never to be heard from again. Although the focus is and should be Kyler and Mandy, I needed more bodies to paint a picture of young adults and a school atmosphere.
3. Maddy became friends with Tammy, Kyler’s sister, but even after a certain point she was never to be heard from again as well.
4. With 2 and 3 above, this is the issue I had with Kyler and Maddy being the only two characters I read about 95% of the book. I understood they were both loners and very much into books but it just felt like something was missing introducing us to friends who no longer appears.
5. Tammy, Kyler’s sister, she had an incident at a party, didn’t know who did it or what that was about and that issue was never to be heard from again.
6. Kyler’s deep-rooted issue, not sure I am satisfied with the conclusion of it with his parents.
Overall, I really do like this story, but I am not satisfied with the way it was told as it really feels to me incomplete. I love that the 2 main characters related to each over, however, it needed a balance with more characters.
***I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s definitely about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the stories you read. I hope this review was helpful.
November 17, 2020
This story was just OK for me.
"She made me feel uncomfortable, she made me feel raw, and worst of all she made me feel like I was out of control."
Madison Evans and her mother have just moved to Black Mountain so her mum can work for an old friend. When Maddy first meets the son, Kyler Sinclair, they get off on the wrong foot. He's cruel and cold yet compelling. Kyler is hiding a world of pain and secrets, and prefers to keep people at arm's length, but there's just something about Maddy that draws him in. And, so begins their hot and cold interactions.
"She felt so good. She felt so warm. She felt like home."
So, this story touched on some hard-hitting subjects, but I felt the novel was a bit rushed and could probably have been longer in the telling to ease the reader into a more believable relationship between the main characters. Maddy is warm, sweet and innocent, and Kyler is quite the opposite. I liked that Maddy was like a balm to his bitter soul but he struggled with his feelings for her. Kyler was crying out for support, love and understanding. I loved how they communicated through music, and their conversations about classic novels, but I just felt that the whole story just needed more development.
Blog: https://readingwillingable.blogspot.c...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R5KH26H...
"She made me feel uncomfortable, she made me feel raw, and worst of all she made me feel like I was out of control."
Madison Evans and her mother have just moved to Black Mountain so her mum can work for an old friend. When Maddy first meets the son, Kyler Sinclair, they get off on the wrong foot. He's cruel and cold yet compelling. Kyler is hiding a world of pain and secrets, and prefers to keep people at arm's length, but there's just something about Maddy that draws him in. And, so begins their hot and cold interactions.
"She felt so good. She felt so warm. She felt like home."
So, this story touched on some hard-hitting subjects, but I felt the novel was a bit rushed and could probably have been longer in the telling to ease the reader into a more believable relationship between the main characters. Maddy is warm, sweet and innocent, and Kyler is quite the opposite. I liked that Maddy was like a balm to his bitter soul but he struggled with his feelings for her. Kyler was crying out for support, love and understanding. I loved how they communicated through music, and their conversations about classic novels, but I just felt that the whole story just needed more development.
Blog: https://readingwillingable.blogspot.c...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R5KH26H...
November 3, 2021
3 1/2 stars
angsty read.
main characters are virgins.
angsty read.
main characters are virgins.
October 31, 2020
I wanted to breathe and Maddy was the oxygen. I needed her. I couldn’t live without her.
Wow! This one brought forth so many emotions while reading it. I absolutely adored the h throughout the story, however I didn't like the H very much in the beginning. He eventually won me over but man was he harsh. We don't know what happened to him until later in the book and I completely get why he was the way he was after knowing. I loved that it was dual virgin, no cheating, no OM/OW drama, talk of past abuse towards H, epilogues at 5 years and another 10.
Wow! This one brought forth so many emotions while reading it. I absolutely adored the h throughout the story, however I didn't like the H very much in the beginning. He eventually won me over but man was he harsh. We don't know what happened to him until later in the book and I completely get why he was the way he was after knowing. I loved that it was dual virgin, no cheating, no OM/OW drama, talk of past abuse towards H, epilogues at 5 years and another 10.
October 15, 2020
3.5 stars rounded down
Ruthless doesn't delve too deep into emotions with the characters. Truths come to light when pasts are revealed but I never felt that the feelings were really dealt with properly. I didn't connect much with the characters but I still enjoyed the story. I would read more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ruthless doesn't delve too deep into emotions with the characters. Truths come to light when pasts are revealed but I never felt that the feelings were really dealt with properly. I didn't connect much with the characters but I still enjoyed the story. I would read more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 31, 2020
When Madison moves to black mountain for her mother's new job, she comes across the mysterious Kyler. There's push and pull between the two and plenty of emotion in this story. I really grew to love all the characters, and I loved the sibling connection between Kyler and Tamlin.
Great read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Great read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 17, 2020
A great concept with a poor execution.
Unfortunately there were so many inconsistencies in this story. The characters were all over the place.
Much of the dialogue didn't make sense. Some grammar and spelling mistakes. Many many continuity issues.
I gave it 3 stars because the story in itself was ok and it delivered a powerful message.
Unfortunately there were so many inconsistencies in this story. The characters were all over the place.
Much of the dialogue didn't make sense. Some grammar and spelling mistakes. Many many continuity issues.
I gave it 3 stars because the story in itself was ok and it delivered a powerful message.
October 17, 2020
Kyler and Madison are perfect for each other. Once their pasts are revealed it’s hard on them both but they get through it together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 23, 2020
Yeah nope, I really didn’t like this book like at all. There were so many inconsistencies throughout which is one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader.
March 8, 2021
Wth did I read? And why did I finish? I felt irritated the while time.. I know they are young adults, but come on! Kiss 1 second the next they rip their hair out.. Seriously who is such a d*** and then feel sorry for themselves.. I get his past is horrible and that's simething I wish nobody, but come the f*ck on!!
I'm just so damn excited it's over!
I'm just so damn excited it's over!
December 8, 2020
So many things I loved! 4.5
This was a really good story overall. Maddy and Kyler were amazing together. He was a little bit of an alpha hole but not quite bulky romance territory. More like lashing out when he didn’t know how to deal with his feelings. She didn’t take his bs at all thing even when it was obvious why he reacted a certain way to something and I couldn’t fault him. One thing I found amazing and refreshing was that there was 0 other woman drama. Not even for a second. He gave any girl that hit on him the brush off immediately and when a “mean girl” started in on Maddy, he put her in her place so hard there was zero doubt that he would destroy her. I love that in an alpha guy. It was also pretty early in the story when this happened, so his feelings weren’t even very developed and he wasn’t having it. I couldn’t give it 5 stars only for a couple of reasons. 1 is that there were a couple of pretty serious conversations/ situations that were just handled way to quickly and it felt like I had to have missed half of the conversation. I had to re read one 3 times because I was so lost as to how quickly it went from A-Z. This book had a single smex scene and hat lasted at least 10 pages but a life altering conversation over in 2. I am all about the smexy times don’t get me wrong, but when you are dealing with the complicated topics/situations covered in this book you need to take the time to do them right. I would suggest a new beta reader or two, because it completely flabbergasted me how no one pointed this out to the authors. The second issue is a personal pet peeve of mine but I can’t help it. I HATE romance novels that end with passionate “I love you, I can’t live without you” but the couple doesn’t get married for 4 or more years. In this case it was 8, so even worse. I just can’t really by the HEA in that. At its core it’s a live story. The only reason to not get married for that long is that you aren’t sure you want to be married. That’s it. Everything else is just an excuse. Because if all of the lame phrases like “marriage is just a piece of paper I don’t need it to prove my love, it’s not important” were actually true the prove themselves invalid. If it was just a piece of paper or not important? There would be no reason not to do it. When you are that committed to someone the benefits of marriage far out way the cons. From things like tax purposes to being able to make medical decisions as the next of kin. The only reason for him to not make her his wife (and vice versa) if that he wasn’t sure he wanted her to be his wife... Being that this takes place in their senior year of high, I could understand if they had waited until they finished college to appease their parents or something, but they went another 3 years after they graduated. It makes no sense to have a guy spout poetically about not being able to breathe without his heroine, but not willing to commit to marrying her. If God forbid you do go that route you damn well owe your reader a commentary to explain why. Again as with my other issue, the why wasn’t mentioned at all. Just a crappy way to end a book that I really did enjoy. But if that’s not your issue, you’ll enjoy that it does have an HEA.
Triggers and safety:
Mentions of child abuse in the past and there is discussion of the rape of a secondary character that happen years before.
Another secondary character in this book was roofied in the present, for whatever reason the person too off before doing anything more than tearing her shirt.
Completely safe, hero and heroine were each other’s first and only everything. Not even any flirting is mentioned.
This was a really good story overall. Maddy and Kyler were amazing together. He was a little bit of an alpha hole but not quite bulky romance territory. More like lashing out when he didn’t know how to deal with his feelings. She didn’t take his bs at all thing even when it was obvious why he reacted a certain way to something and I couldn’t fault him. One thing I found amazing and refreshing was that there was 0 other woman drama. Not even for a second. He gave any girl that hit on him the brush off immediately and when a “mean girl” started in on Maddy, he put her in her place so hard there was zero doubt that he would destroy her. I love that in an alpha guy. It was also pretty early in the story when this happened, so his feelings weren’t even very developed and he wasn’t having it. I couldn’t give it 5 stars only for a couple of reasons. 1 is that there were a couple of pretty serious conversations/ situations that were just handled way to quickly and it felt like I had to have missed half of the conversation. I had to re read one 3 times because I was so lost as to how quickly it went from A-Z. This book had a single smex scene and hat lasted at least 10 pages but a life altering conversation over in 2. I am all about the smexy times don’t get me wrong, but when you are dealing with the complicated topics/situations covered in this book you need to take the time to do them right. I would suggest a new beta reader or two, because it completely flabbergasted me how no one pointed this out to the authors. The second issue is a personal pet peeve of mine but I can’t help it. I HATE romance novels that end with passionate “I love you, I can’t live without you” but the couple doesn’t get married for 4 or more years. In this case it was 8, so even worse. I just can’t really by the HEA in that. At its core it’s a live story. The only reason to not get married for that long is that you aren’t sure you want to be married. That’s it. Everything else is just an excuse. Because if all of the lame phrases like “marriage is just a piece of paper I don’t need it to prove my love, it’s not important” were actually true the prove themselves invalid. If it was just a piece of paper or not important? There would be no reason not to do it. When you are that committed to someone the benefits of marriage far out way the cons. From things like tax purposes to being able to make medical decisions as the next of kin. The only reason for him to not make her his wife (and vice versa) if that he wasn’t sure he wanted her to be his wife... Being that this takes place in their senior year of high, I could understand if they had waited until they finished college to appease their parents or something, but they went another 3 years after they graduated. It makes no sense to have a guy spout poetically about not being able to breathe without his heroine, but not willing to commit to marrying her. If God forbid you do go that route you damn well owe your reader a commentary to explain why. Again as with my other issue, the why wasn’t mentioned at all. Just a crappy way to end a book that I really did enjoy. But if that’s not your issue, you’ll enjoy that it does have an HEA.
Triggers and safety:
Mentions of child abuse in the past and there is discussion of the rape of a secondary character that happen years before.
Another secondary character in this book was roofied in the present, for whatever reason the person too off before doing anything more than tearing her shirt.
Completely safe, hero and heroine were each other’s first and only everything. Not even any flirting is mentioned.
December 1, 2020
2 star read but bumping it up to 3 stars for having a virgin hero! they are my weakness.
i just didn't enjoy the constant running away both MCs did. they just pushed each other away a lil too much and it was very much over the top. one plus was that there was no ow/om drama between them.
and the heroine cried WAY too much! her constant crying from the H being a jerk was not fun to read.
i enjoyed the epilogue though!
safety:
i just didn't enjoy the constant running away both MCs did. they just pushed each other away a lil too much and it was very much over the top. one plus was that there was no ow/om drama between them.
and the heroine cried WAY too much! her constant crying from the H being a jerk was not fun to read.
i enjoyed the epilogue though!
safety:
January 26, 2021
MAY HAVE TINY SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW:
I can’t say I really enjoyed this book. Kind of unfortunate. It was super inconsistent and Rocky. The idea of the story was decent, but the execution struck it down for me. That and the fact that the characters felt super flat and cliche. I didn’t connect with any of these characters as much as I tried.
I’m not a fan of Madison. At all. I see a lot of people liked her and it confuses me. She would talk about how she’s tough and was raised to stand her ground but any time someone breathed in her direction, she started crying??? I don’t know why that’s a likable trait. Might just be me. But regardless, I didn’t like her, no one likes a crybaby that tries to play off the “I’m super tough” card.
Kyler...I suppose decent. Closed off, hard to be around, and super up and down. He was so very inconsistent though. He was also pretty dang sure about his skills in the bed...but how does he even know how he’s going to be? The whole virgin for the hero thing would’ve been okay had he been more..reluctant? I’m not finding the correct word. After (unfortunately unsurprising) finding out Kyler was a victim of abuse, it didn’t fit the profile.
The part that was realistic about Kyler and his abuse was not letting anyone close to him, or touch him. That is a thing victims do.
There were also a lot of moments that were very problematic for me. She tells him she’s a virgin, he freaks out, she leaves, he chases her down and says sorry, he takes her virginity.
“She forgave easily.”
What was even redeemable at that moment? He made her feel ashamed of her virginity, he said sorry, and she gave it up?
Another thing... where’s Black Mountain Academy? Besides the brief moments of mentioning it. This book doesn’t seem to fit in with the other books. The idea, FOR SURE, not the execution or premise.
I want to say right now, this is just my personal opinion. A lot of people enjoyed this, but I didn’t.
I can’t say I really enjoyed this book. Kind of unfortunate. It was super inconsistent and Rocky. The idea of the story was decent, but the execution struck it down for me. That and the fact that the characters felt super flat and cliche. I didn’t connect with any of these characters as much as I tried.
I’m not a fan of Madison. At all. I see a lot of people liked her and it confuses me. She would talk about how she’s tough and was raised to stand her ground but any time someone breathed in her direction, she started crying??? I don’t know why that’s a likable trait. Might just be me. But regardless, I didn’t like her, no one likes a crybaby that tries to play off the “I’m super tough” card.
Kyler...I suppose decent. Closed off, hard to be around, and super up and down. He was so very inconsistent though. He was also pretty dang sure about his skills in the bed...but how does he even know how he’s going to be? The whole virgin for the hero thing would’ve been okay had he been more..reluctant? I’m not finding the correct word. After (unfortunately unsurprising) finding out Kyler was a victim of abuse, it didn’t fit the profile.
The part that was realistic about Kyler and his abuse was not letting anyone close to him, or touch him. That is a thing victims do.
There were also a lot of moments that were very problematic for me. She tells him she’s a virgin, he freaks out, she leaves, he chases her down and says sorry, he takes her virginity.
“She forgave easily.”
What was even redeemable at that moment? He made her feel ashamed of her virginity, he said sorry, and she gave it up?
Another thing... where’s Black Mountain Academy? Besides the brief moments of mentioning it. This book doesn’t seem to fit in with the other books. The idea, FOR SURE, not the execution or premise.
I want to say right now, this is just my personal opinion. A lot of people enjoyed this, but I didn’t.
October 29, 2020
3.5
This book is part of the Black Mountain Academy Collection.
Kyler and Madison were two people that have a connection that was strong and they have both been through so much in there past's.
Kyler is a guy that is ruthless and he was very dark. Madison is a girl that is a real bookworm and a real goodie to shoes. When these two meet everything changes for the both of them.
This story will have your emotions up and down and you will be really feeling for the characters and the journey they are on. I couldn't really connect with these characters for some reason but they were written well and these authors have written a great story. This story flowed well until it got near the ending and I felt that that was really rushed a bit like bam the end sort of thing, but it was still a good read and a good addition into the collection.
For more on my reviews, new releases, and more about books head over to my blog.
https://www.facebook.com/VickisMagica...
This book is part of the Black Mountain Academy Collection.
Kyler and Madison were two people that have a connection that was strong and they have both been through so much in there past's.
Kyler is a guy that is ruthless and he was very dark. Madison is a girl that is a real bookworm and a real goodie to shoes. When these two meet everything changes for the both of them.
This story will have your emotions up and down and you will be really feeling for the characters and the journey they are on. I couldn't really connect with these characters for some reason but they were written well and these authors have written a great story. This story flowed well until it got near the ending and I felt that that was really rushed a bit like bam the end sort of thing, but it was still a good read and a good addition into the collection.
For more on my reviews, new releases, and more about books head over to my blog.
https://www.facebook.com/VickisMagica...
Read
March 22, 2021Siggggghhhhh
I can’t even tell you why I didn’t like this story but I just didn’t.
I tried to stick with it as much as possible but had to DNF at 50%
I couldn’t connect with either characters and Kyler just annoyed me
I can’t even tell you why I didn’t like this story but I just didn’t.
I tried to stick with it as much as possible but had to DNF at 50%
I couldn’t connect with either characters and Kyler just annoyed me
October 15, 2020
I don't know what to think. The way Kyler was drawn to Maggie from the beginning was a bit strange, since she behaved pretty much like all the other girls, stared and cried. Why he liked her so much, I have no idea. But in the end it worked out perfectly. Kyler had a disturbing youth that made my very sad. I found it a bit rushed after he declared his love, I would have preferred s bit more interaction with the school and his parents. The best thing was the two epilogues, but now I have to googel how to erase tattoos on a knuckle.
7-tbr-ooit
October 14, 2020Black Mountain Academy
Website --> https://black-mountain-academy.com/?f...
GoodReads --> https://www.goodreads.com/series/297293
Website --> https://black-mountain-academy.com/?f...
GoodReads --> https://www.goodreads.com/series/297293
October 26, 2020
This is a drama and angst filled story. Maddy and her mom move back to Black Mountain so she can work and Maddy attend her senior year of high school. Her and Kyler get off on the wrong foot from the very start. He is cold and ruthless where she is sweet, innocent and a shining light. Kyler is in so much pain and begging for affection which Maddy gives to him even though they started out really rocky. This is another gripping part of the BMA series and I can’t wait for more!!
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