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Goldsworthy University #2

The Nerd and the Bully

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I’m a nerd, former orphan, and plus-sized nobody.

All of that changed when Collette Goldsworthy decided I was somebody she needed. Because of her, I have people in my life I can count on.
I can’t say the same for my aunt, the woman who raised me after my parents went missing years ago.
Her words have torn me down over the years, but this time she’s done something worse. She sold my parent’s house along with everything inside it to pay off her debt and there was nothing I could do about it besides buy it back.
Except I'm just as poor as she is.
Any of my friends could've easily bought it, and they offered to, but before they got the chance to, Noel Hardington, Callan’s rich playboy best friend does.
Now I owe him and there’s only one thing he wants…
Me.
The only girl who’s ever told him no.
To get my parent’s house back, he’s only taking two forms of repayment, working in the place that ruined my life, or my body.
But he doesn’t remember the dark secrets of our childhood and he doesn’t remember me.
He’ll come to find out that some things are better left buried.

Please be advised, this is a dark romance with triggering content including dub/non con and drug use.

412 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2022

13 people are currently reading
522 people want to read

About the author

Tiffany Ransier

24 books1,918 followers
Tiffany Ransier is a USA Today Bestselling multi-genre author. She loves writing twisty, heart-stopping novels. She has a love for diving in to different worlds and making theories about books and shows.

She lives in SoCal with her boyfriend James Ransier, another author. They are the parents of an adorable Siberian Husky/Shiba Inu mix named Peg.

When she’s not writing or reading, she’s swimming in her pool and obsessing over anime.

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5 stars
43 (30%)
4 stars
52 (36%)
3 stars
30 (21%)
2 stars
10 (7%)
1 star
6 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for MsScorpioJ .
228 reviews
April 17, 2022
4 stars because the storyline held my attention long enough for me to finish within 24 hours. I was expecting more action or interaction between H & h to be similar to the 1st book but that was a let down. Intimate scenes happened (it feels) over half way through the book and the last couple intimate moments seemed to be an afterthought. Almost like the author was like “crap, I’ve only written one scene and the book is almost complete, Let me add two more…”. Callan (1st book) was a true bully. Noel, not so much. Will I read the next book? Yes. Would I recommend this one? Eh, I would but I would warn not to go in thinking it’s going to give you what you got in the 1st book. The writing was much better in this book also, only found a few grammatical errors that made me reread the sentence like huh? Oh she meant day, not say. Lol
Profile Image for Amy M..
651 reviews26 followers
April 30, 2022
I'm really enjoying this series! The author is keeping me guessing with all these twists and turns! I honestly don't know what to expect next! I did go with 4 stars on this book because the heroine wasn't my favorite. I wanted to feel this huge connection between the H/h and I just didn't. 50% of the book she literally hated him and he was just weird.

I'm looking forward to the other books in the series.

SPOILERS:




Will a certain best friend forgive his bestie?! I've got my fingers crossed for Collette and a Mr. Silverstone book! PLUS A STEPBROTHER TROPE! YES! I mean is Heath and Nadine going to come back TOGETHER?! I mean it can't be a coincidence they both went to campus. Plus there was that back story of how they didn't like each other. Plus they wouldn't say where Heath's body was. I'm so excited about these remaining books!
Profile Image for Heather Dee.
438 reviews
April 19, 2022
I frigging loved this book ♡
It's the 2nd one and I think it's best to read in order to get the full picture of what's happening..
These books have been so amazing I am loving this new to me author 😍 she has kept me guessing in both books but also keeping me on the edge of my seat I loved every minute of it !
Profile Image for Arwen.
24 reviews
September 24, 2022
Not as good as the first book but this series still has me wanting more.
Profile Image for Mary Fazzi.
1,248 reviews10 followers
June 18, 2022
Gemma and Noel use to be friends when they were younger but something happen to Noel and forgot some of his past. Gemma keeps saying no to Noel until and opportunity comes about and she has no choice but to say yes to him. The thing is they truly are cute together and Noel only wants to make her his but not right away. It’s all because Gemma said no to him and no one ever says no to him. As they get to know each other better they learn a bit more about the past and finding out that Noel’s parents are the cause of some of Gemma’s pain he try’s to make it right even though it doesn’t always sound like he’s doing anything that is going to help. In the end they will have to chose each other or a life of loneliness and no love.
Profile Image for Tracy Trixy.
629 reviews5 followers
July 9, 2022
I really liked this story, I loved Gemma, and her curves! It was refreshing to read about someone who had issues with her size, while actually being a size.. does that make sense? And for our other character, Noel,
how absolutely awful are his punishments for not being smart enough…
Turns out our two characters knew each other, and while Gemma remembers, Noel does not, so the interactions between the two are a little different.
The back story involving these two though is good.. a little mystery while falling in love is never a bad thing 😆
Profile Image for j3n.
332 reviews4 followers
May 18, 2022
Omg. Great continuation of the series, I am so excited for the next book. I absolutely loved Gemma & Noel’s story, and their growth/development as characters. This book was such a wild ride and I was captivated the whole time. Honestly so fun, dark at times yes, but very worth it. Could it be read as a stand-alone? Maybe — but you should totally read the first book to get all the background info to thoroughly enjoy the multiple storylines!!
Profile Image for Lori Caprio Tate.
497 reviews2 followers
July 8, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and I am finding that I like the author more and more. She weaves a story full of twists and turns that keeps you guessing as you try to uncover what happened in Noel’s past and if he will ever just love Gemma instead of making her pay for things that she did not do. I love a bully romance and this one is well written and the characters are fully redeemable. Can’t wait till the next book.
1,177 reviews4 followers
July 26, 2022
This book is a bully romance as stated. Noel does have some misconceptions/memories from the past and Gemma pays the price. Was interesting with the twists and turns as the characters get to know each other and their connection grows. A newer to me author and was entertained. I am volunteering to leave a review for this book
88 reviews3 followers
May 6, 2022
Oh my gosh !! The roller coaster of this book !! It was a great read !! The ups the downs, the ending that leaves you excited for the next book !! Oh this group of friends, you just never know !! I am loving this series and looking forward to more !!
Profile Image for MandyViolete.
1,050 reviews1 follower
May 24, 2022
what a fantastic installment!

I swear this book is even better than the first! This is definitely a series you will want to binge read. So much intrigue! And the steam is smoking hot!
Profile Image for evieo17 .
5,064 reviews51 followers
June 23, 2022
Ugh the twist and turns. I hate them but man do they keep me on my toes. Gemma isn’t one of my favorite in the group but she slowly started to grow on me. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Marsha.
273 reviews1 follower
June 29, 2022
The Nerd and The Bully by Tiffany Ransier is a good read. It’s an interesting story with interesting characters that is well written.
385 reviews3 followers
July 6, 2022
Ok so this series is definitely getting more interesting as it goes along. A lot of twist and turns that leave you wanting even more. A fantastic read and definitely recommended.
Profile Image for SaviLeeLind .
607 reviews13 followers
July 28, 2022
This book was one of my top reads for this year! The cover caught my eye and the synopsis reeled me in. As a splurge I bought it for myself and devoured the whole thing in a day. I could not put it down, and at the end I was amped up for the next book.

Gemma and Noel took me on an emotional roller coaster, but at no point did I want to get off of it. From start to finish I was emotionally invested in every word of this book, and entangled with the characters themselves. Gemma was beautiful, intelligent, strong, and fierce. There were many times you could see that while she had those amazing qualities she was also very broken and insecure. Attending the University and being accepted into the sorority gave her a new sense of her life being better....and then she encounters Noel again.
Noel is sexy, intelligent, arrogant, and tormented about the life he led behind the closed doors of his family home. He harbors dark secrets and carries burdens that are unimaginable His memories are few and far between with little understanding to him as to why, but he does know that when he sees Gemma that there is something familiar about her yet he is unsure as to why. The moment he encounters her at the sorority he is determined to make her pay for past sins but also embed himself deep within her heart and her body. Noel is very much a flawed character who is an anti-hero to a degree, as well as a man who is ready to speak and right his wrongs. Together he and Gemma find their lives intertwined by the past and the present. Gemma fights to withhold her heart and her secrets, and Noel fights to regain what was lost. Together their story is dramatic, intense, lustful, angry, and shrouded in mystery. So many moments I loved them both as much as I hated them as well. For every moment my heart was torn apart there was a moment between them that put it right back together.
This was such a great book, and I cannot wait to read it so I can fall back in love all over again.
6 reviews
September 21, 2025
i feel like in this book,Noel is really a villain. a villain in the true sense of the word.
Callan was bad too in the 1st book,but it wasn't as bad as Noel. as the author gives an insight over Noel's childhood and how bad his parents are,and how they treat him,I almost understand why Noel is the way he is and why it couldn't be different.

also,it was the first dark romance book (if you want to call it like that),where the author makes the parents of the main character the villains of the story. never have I ever read a book about the parents being the villains. also,the author brings awareness over the usage of drugs (for me,it felt that way),meanwhile other dark rom books don't "talk" about this subject in such a serious way.

the crimes,also. I think that in the 1st book the author gave much more attention to the crimes that to the romance,and made them seem more real.

the value of the true friendship,also,was something in this book.

idk,reading this book made me realize that is so much more than a dark romance book,and the author really wanted to make something different,and I feel like this trilogy of books is really something different from what I read 'till now.

it deserves more recognition.
4,184 reviews51 followers
July 7, 2022
This was my first book by this author. There was so much going in this book. Gemma and Noel were friends when they were younger. Now they are in college and he does not remember her but she remembers him and hates him. I love how protective her friends are of her. She lives with her aunt since her parents disappeared. Her aunt is a pos, she spends money and is just evil. She sells Gemma's parents home out from under Gemma. What got me is the one her friends wanting to help made an offer on the house. Like who has that kind of money as in two mil and not even blink an eye. Anyway Noel buys the house and agrees to give it to Gemma if she agrees to be his girlfriend for six months. There is more but since I have said enough I will not retell the book.
Profile Image for Linda Rea.
2,189 reviews15 followers
May 7, 2022
I am really enjoying this series and each story is a standalone that connects and this one is about Noel and Gemma. Gemma has had a difficult life since her parents passed and she is living with her aunt Cindy who is an awful human being. Noel is part of the bullies in school and Gemma is the first girl to turn him down and he is determined to change it but he and Gemma have a history he just doesn’t remember but his parents do. This story has all the parts love, danger and betrayal and I am looking forward to more from this author.
Profile Image for Daniela Ovalle.
203 reviews
October 29, 2022
Malisimooo
Mal
Empezando que el título es el propio engaño
Gemma tiene de nerd lo que yo tengo de responsable, o sea nada de nada!
Y Noel de bully? Pfffffff
Tal vez si hubiera un verdadero desarrollo de personaje pero es que los main characters es como meeh
Igualmente los “misterios” son tan … evidentes o tan mal escritos que es como:
a
Cool
Lo único pasable es el smut y eso que no es tampoco la gran cosa but podría ser peor
Solo seguiré leyendo la saga por el pairing de Collete y Kaden, la cual, para mi suerte es hasta el 5 libro *c mata
Profile Image for Ciara.
13 reviews1 follower
June 24, 2024
I don’t usually leave bad reviews but I just really regret spending my time on this book. I read the first one last year and in that time forgot how bad that one was. This one was even worse. It reads like a very badly written story on Galatea or inkitt or another app like that. Nothing is realistic, nothing anyone does or says makes sense. Maybe that’s the appeal for some people? Idk and it’s all is so badly written. I’m mostly leaving this review as a reminder to myself not the read another book by this author.
Profile Image for Stacy Curtice.
232 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2022
Wow, wow, wow! Please read book one before diving into this one or there will be some spots where you will be lost. So many questions from book one are answered here as well and I’m so happy. Tiffany did an amazing job on Gemma and Noel’s book. She gave the Gemma the story she deserved even if it doesn’t seem like it sometimes. I can’t wait for book #3!
Profile Image for Joleen Grace.
873 reviews
May 16, 2022
I had a hard time liking Noel for a long time. His character seemed off kilter. The more we learned of his past the more it made sense. His parents characters were more bully than him though. Book left me thinking of the other supportive characters and what’s next.
1 review
March 26, 2023
I want to say well done to author, she really has a good story lines that captivate you , how ever pls give more details and little improving on writing. Also explain some chapters clearly so we don’t get confuse.
89 reviews
April 2, 2023
Truly speaking, I love this book more than the first one.
I was so looking forward to this book and all I can say is it was just wooww..
Profile Image for L.
443 reviews
August 12, 2023
3.25 stars
I love Noel omds. And I loved the 'body positivity' things in here asw. and how they showed a different side of collette...sort of. I did not like the ending plot twist.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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