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Most Likely To #3
Rebelling with the Bad Boy
Trusting the bad boy… What could go wrong?
It’s on my birthday that I realize the past sixteen years of my life haven't really been mine.
From my outfits to my hairstyles and even to my love life, my parents have control over all of it. And instead of fighting, I live by my mantra: keep my head down and keep my mouth shut.
Until I’m paired with Brentwood High’s resident bad boy, Hudson Bishop. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe him. Intimidating. Scary. Panic-inducing. There’s a reason the school calls him the Grim Reaper. And when our principal pairs us together for a “buddy program,” he makes it perfectly clear he doesn’t want to be stuck with a stiff like me.
But when I’m voted Most Likely To: Stay A Prude by the elite crowd of the school, suddenly Hudson Bishop is more than just a bad boy—he’s a way out from underneath my mother’s thumb. He’s a path to rebellion, and despite all of the warning bells going off in my head, I take it.
I just have to make sure I don’t get lost along the way…
And it may already be too late.
It’s on my birthday that I realize the past sixteen years of my life haven't really been mine.
From my outfits to my hairstyles and even to my love life, my parents have control over all of it. And instead of fighting, I live by my mantra: keep my head down and keep my mouth shut.
Until I’m paired with Brentwood High’s resident bad boy, Hudson Bishop. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe him. Intimidating. Scary. Panic-inducing. There’s a reason the school calls him the Grim Reaper. And when our principal pairs us together for a “buddy program,” he makes it perfectly clear he doesn’t want to be stuck with a stiff like me.
But when I’m voted Most Likely To: Stay A Prude by the elite crowd of the school, suddenly Hudson Bishop is more than just a bad boy—he’s a way out from underneath my mother’s thumb. He’s a path to rebellion, and despite all of the warning bells going off in my head, I take it.
I just have to make sure I don’t get lost along the way…
And it may already be too late.
442 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2023
164 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Sutton
14 books947 followersSarah Sutton is the author of YA Contemporary Romance books from a tiny town in Michigan. These standalone novels can be read in any order and are sure to leave you swooning. She’s always loved the idea of falling in love; capturing the fall through words and heart-melting kisses is one of her passions! Meet-cutes? She’ll take all of them! Accidental touches? She lives for them! First kisses? Yes, please!
To follow her on social media and learn more about her books, visit her website: sarah-sutton.com
Facebook: @SarahMaeSutton
Instagram: @SarahMaeSutton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
March 5, 2023
I generally enjoy Sarah Sutton books. They’re light hearted and sweet, with coming of age drama and cute romance. But this one. Wow did it miss the mark in some of the most baffling ways I’ve ever seen.
In an attempt to make the main character come off as overly sheltered and her parents overly controlling, Sutton seemingly by accident, wrote a straight up abuse story. I couldn’t wrap my head around certain choices that were made here, like:
- Gemma’s mom is so controlling and concerned about her family’s image that she picks out Gemma’s clothes. (Both, what she wears daily and what she owns in the closet.)
What would make sense to me in 2023 with this premise: this woman picks out high end clothing, brand names maybe if she cares about appearances. The clothing could be prim and proper, even conservative, but it likely is feminine and stylish by adult standards, not necessarily a teenage girl’s preferences. I’m thinking cardigans and blouses, pastels, nothing tight or revealing.
Instead? BAFFLINGLY, she dressed her like a Duggar. Like someone from a cult, or a strict religious sect, she wears nothing but long skirts and baggy sweaters. Why???
- Gemma is made to MAKE SOME OF HER OWN SKIRTS.
How this would make sense to me:
Option 1. If Gemma had an interest in fashion, but her controlling mother will only compromise by letting her make clothing to her standards. Weird but okay.
But NO. Gemma has NO INTEREST IN FASHION AT ALL. NO INTEREST IN SEWING WHATSOEVER. She is apparently not even very good at if, because more than once her stitches and hems are mentioned to be crooked. Why does her mother who, again, CARES ABOUT APPEARANCES let her daughter POORLY make her own clothes???
Option 2: If they were poor.
They’re not.
Option 3: If they were part of a cult or deeply religious, (and maybe had 19 kids)
Nope, nope, nope.
The best I can guess was that this was necessitated by the later plot point of Gemma re-hemming one of her skirts into a short skirt, which, like…any teenager could have cut a top to turn it into a t-shirt, or turned an old pair of jeans into shorts. You don’t need to pre-establish her way around a sewing machine to make her cutting a skirt make sense. Or she could have just been in a home-ec class? So many other options than “her abusive mother makes her make ugly clothes for literally no known reason” ????
- Her mother won’t let her cut her hair. She wears it constantly in a single braid that her mother braids for her, despite her always complaining about how Gemma’s hair is prone to tangle. She won’t let her cut it. It’s freakishly long, down to her hips. LIKE A CULT VICTIM. LIKE A DUGGAR. That is WEIRD.
I’m honestly on board with this one if the plot was going to be this girl getting out from under an abusive controlling parent, but nope. Nah. This was just another silly quirk her “over-protective mom” had 🙃
I could keep going. I haven’t even mentioned Jayden, the excessively attentive not-actually-interested decoy love-interest, or the brother who gets a lot of sympathy for someone who is barely affected by the abusive parents. I mean, even down to the fact that this poor girl DOESNT OWN PANTS. None. At one point she has to buy pjs with pants and run them by her parents for approval to wear to school for spirit week, because SHE ONLY HAS NIGHTGOWNS, like a religious cult victim, or an 86 year old woman. Gives very “women aren’t allowed to wear pants” vibes, no? How can we contextualize that in 2023 without going straight to weird, problematic, religion rules?
I mean, Gemma literally has multiple panic attacks (shortness of breath, heart pounding, light headed panic) around her mother. She repeatedly thinks of herself as her mother’s doll. Her mother gaslights and demeans her at the slightest and I mean SLIGHTEST whisper of pushback.
I kept reading out of absolute curiosity on how such a serious and complex parental horror story could be resolved with any satisfaction in a YA fluff read, and I was unsurprisingly disappointed.
Besides a great moment where Gemma “grows a backbone” and rips her mom to shreds, going so far as to call her a villain (🎉) the issue is resolved with almost no conflict, super easy, barely an inconvenience. Despite establishing her mother is borderline psychotic, and will take absolutely no resistance to her dictatorial order, this one outburst from Gemma results in her mom rolling over, belly up, giving up her entire career and her long-held web of lies and vendetta against the titled “bad boy” of the book, who was admittedly one of the best Sutton love interests, and the one reason I actually felt any joy while reading this odd, problematic YA romp.
In an attempt to make the main character come off as overly sheltered and her parents overly controlling, Sutton seemingly by accident, wrote a straight up abuse story. I couldn’t wrap my head around certain choices that were made here, like:
- Gemma’s mom is so controlling and concerned about her family’s image that she picks out Gemma’s clothes. (Both, what she wears daily and what she owns in the closet.)
What would make sense to me in 2023 with this premise: this woman picks out high end clothing, brand names maybe if she cares about appearances. The clothing could be prim and proper, even conservative, but it likely is feminine and stylish by adult standards, not necessarily a teenage girl’s preferences. I’m thinking cardigans and blouses, pastels, nothing tight or revealing.
Instead? BAFFLINGLY, she dressed her like a Duggar. Like someone from a cult, or a strict religious sect, she wears nothing but long skirts and baggy sweaters. Why???
- Gemma is made to MAKE SOME OF HER OWN SKIRTS.
How this would make sense to me:
Option 1. If Gemma had an interest in fashion, but her controlling mother will only compromise by letting her make clothing to her standards. Weird but okay.
But NO. Gemma has NO INTEREST IN FASHION AT ALL. NO INTEREST IN SEWING WHATSOEVER. She is apparently not even very good at if, because more than once her stitches and hems are mentioned to be crooked. Why does her mother who, again, CARES ABOUT APPEARANCES let her daughter POORLY make her own clothes???
Option 2: If they were poor.
They’re not.
Option 3: If they were part of a cult or deeply religious, (and maybe had 19 kids)
Nope, nope, nope.
The best I can guess was that this was necessitated by the later plot point of Gemma re-hemming one of her skirts into a short skirt, which, like…any teenager could have cut a top to turn it into a t-shirt, or turned an old pair of jeans into shorts. You don’t need to pre-establish her way around a sewing machine to make her cutting a skirt make sense. Or she could have just been in a home-ec class? So many other options than “her abusive mother makes her make ugly clothes for literally no known reason” ????
- Her mother won’t let her cut her hair. She wears it constantly in a single braid that her mother braids for her, despite her always complaining about how Gemma’s hair is prone to tangle. She won’t let her cut it. It’s freakishly long, down to her hips. LIKE A CULT VICTIM. LIKE A DUGGAR. That is WEIRD.
I’m honestly on board with this one if the plot was going to be this girl getting out from under an abusive controlling parent, but nope. Nah. This was just another silly quirk her “over-protective mom” had 🙃
I could keep going. I haven’t even mentioned Jayden, the excessively attentive not-actually-interested decoy love-interest, or the brother who gets a lot of sympathy for someone who is barely affected by the abusive parents. I mean, even down to the fact that this poor girl DOESNT OWN PANTS. None. At one point she has to buy pjs with pants and run them by her parents for approval to wear to school for spirit week, because SHE ONLY HAS NIGHTGOWNS, like a religious cult victim, or an 86 year old woman. Gives very “women aren’t allowed to wear pants” vibes, no? How can we contextualize that in 2023 without going straight to weird, problematic, religion rules?
I mean, Gemma literally has multiple panic attacks (shortness of breath, heart pounding, light headed panic) around her mother. She repeatedly thinks of herself as her mother’s doll. Her mother gaslights and demeans her at the slightest and I mean SLIGHTEST whisper of pushback.
I kept reading out of absolute curiosity on how such a serious and complex parental horror story could be resolved with any satisfaction in a YA fluff read, and I was unsurprisingly disappointed.
Besides a great moment where Gemma “grows a backbone” and rips her mom to shreds, going so far as to call her a villain (🎉) the issue is resolved with almost no conflict, super easy, barely an inconvenience. Despite establishing her mother is borderline psychotic, and will take absolutely no resistance to her dictatorial order, this one outburst from Gemma results in her mom rolling over, belly up, giving up her entire career and her long-held web of lies and vendetta against the titled “bad boy” of the book, who was admittedly one of the best Sutton love interests, and the one reason I actually felt any joy while reading this odd, problematic YA romp.
April 20, 2025
4.5 ☆
⭢ age rec: 13+
♫ | daddy issues by the neighborhood
nobody does it like you do
୨୧ my thoughts .ᐟ
˖⁺📋.༶ I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!! yes, it’s soooo unrealistic for a romcom, especially for ya. but i don’t care 🤗🤗 these books are like my mcdonalds, my guilty pleasure <3 gemma’s upbringing is certainly interesting. i get her conflict with her parents, but everyone at her school bullying her for being modest like what 😭💀 anyways- i LOVE hudson. he is like temu jess mariano but i love him anyway 💌💌 also his pov?!??!?! WHYYYY IS THERE ONLY ONE 😭 petition for sarah sutton to make her next release fully dual pov 🙏🙏🙏 he’s such a great and complex character- i loved any scene he was in. the romance, while unlikely, was actually the cutest thing 🥹 the like all nighter scene?! anyways, please read this series!!!! no one i know has read this and i need someone to fangirl with 😭🫶 (except for the lovely wonderful bryleigh, ofc. love ya girlie <3)
˖⁺📋.༶ my favorite quotes .ᐟ
୨୧ "i'm...i'm just not used to having someone care."
୨୧ "we could cause anarchy," he went on, carrying through in his assembly line. peel sticker off, slap it on the cover, set the book aside, and do it again. it almost seemed too flippant. "the fall of the Brentwood High library would be within reach." i paused in applying my next barcode, narrowing my eyes at him. "you are putting them on correctly, right?"
"of course."
⤷ stoppp i love their banter <33
୨୧ "i'm used to people turning away from me, ignoring me when i walk past. i'm used to all that now, but i..." hudson met my stare. "i didn't realize it would hurt if you turned
away, too."
⤷ proud member of the hudson bishop defense squad🫡
୨୧ "you made it," he said in a voice that came out soft.
⤷ THIS SCENEEEE OMGGGGG
୨୧ "I hope," Hudson began, but stopped to clear his throat. "I hope you won't be lonely anymore, either."
୨୧ "lacey's...special," he admitted, a corner of his mouth tugging up. "when things are special, they need to be handled with care."
⤷ the lacey and landon crumbs were sooo cute!!!
୨୧ "whatever gemma settler wanted, i was in it for the long haul."
⤷ i’ve said it once and i’ll say it again: WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE OF HIS POV?!?!?!?!
୨୧ .ᐟ thanks for reading! i’m so sorry is took me so long to write this review😭
⭢ age rec: 13+
♫ | daddy issues by the neighborhood
nobody does it like you do
୨୧ my thoughts .ᐟ
˖⁺📋.༶ I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!! yes, it’s soooo unrealistic for a romcom, especially for ya. but i don’t care 🤗🤗 these books are like my mcdonalds, my guilty pleasure <3 gemma’s upbringing is certainly interesting. i get her conflict with her parents, but everyone at her school bullying her for being modest like what 😭💀 anyways- i LOVE hudson. he is like temu jess mariano but i love him anyway 💌💌 also his pov?!??!?! WHYYYY IS THERE ONLY ONE 😭 petition for sarah sutton to make her next release fully dual pov 🙏🙏🙏 he’s such a great and complex character- i loved any scene he was in. the romance, while unlikely, was actually the cutest thing 🥹 the like all nighter scene?! anyways, please read this series!!!! no one i know has read this and i need someone to fangirl with 😭🫶 (except for the lovely wonderful bryleigh, ofc. love ya girlie <3)
˖⁺📋.༶ my favorite quotes .ᐟ
୨୧ "i'm...i'm just not used to having someone care."
୨୧ "we could cause anarchy," he went on, carrying through in his assembly line. peel sticker off, slap it on the cover, set the book aside, and do it again. it almost seemed too flippant. "the fall of the Brentwood High library would be within reach." i paused in applying my next barcode, narrowing my eyes at him. "you are putting them on correctly, right?"
"of course."
⤷ stoppp i love their banter <33
୨୧ "i'm used to people turning away from me, ignoring me when i walk past. i'm used to all that now, but i..." hudson met my stare. "i didn't realize it would hurt if you turned
away, too."
⤷ proud member of the hudson bishop defense squad🫡
୨୧ "you made it," he said in a voice that came out soft.
⤷ THIS SCENEEEE OMGGGGG
୨୧ "I hope," Hudson began, but stopped to clear his throat. "I hope you won't be lonely anymore, either."
୨୧ "lacey's...special," he admitted, a corner of his mouth tugging up. "when things are special, they need to be handled with care."
⤷ the lacey and landon crumbs were sooo cute!!!
୨୧ "whatever gemma settler wanted, i was in it for the long haul."
⤷ i’ve said it once and i’ll say it again: WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE OF HIS POV?!?!?!?!
୨୧ .ᐟ thanks for reading! i’m so sorry is took me so long to write this review😭
February 25, 2023
First & foremost, I want to thank Sarah Sutton for letting me read an ARC of Rebelling With The Bad Boy!
Who doesn’t love a bad boy who’s also a big softy? Move over Vincent, because I think Hudson may be my new favorite Sarah Sutton MMC!😍🥰
I loved the depth of this book, and the character growth that we were able to see not only in our main characters (which was AMAZING), but also in supporting characters. I loved the Love In Fenton County tie ins & ALLLLLLLLLL the clues to Book 4😍
Gemma & Hudson were the perfect opposites attract couple—i know it WASNT weird with them being 16 and 17, but the only thing that kept throwing me off was that she was a sophomore and he was a senior—but, oh well, it’s just a book!
Rebelling With The Bad Boy did NOT disappoint. There were parts that had me giggling, parts that had my blushing.
For fans of Sarah Sutton or just a good YA romance—this is a MUST read!
Who doesn’t love a bad boy who’s also a big softy? Move over Vincent, because I think Hudson may be my new favorite Sarah Sutton MMC!😍🥰
I loved the depth of this book, and the character growth that we were able to see not only in our main characters (which was AMAZING), but also in supporting characters. I loved the Love In Fenton County tie ins & ALLLLLLLLLL the clues to Book 4😍
Gemma & Hudson were the perfect opposites attract couple—i know it WASNT weird with them being 16 and 17, but the only thing that kept throwing me off was that she was a sophomore and he was a senior—but, oh well, it’s just a book!
Rebelling With The Bad Boy did NOT disappoint. There were parts that had me giggling, parts that had my blushing.
For fans of Sarah Sutton or just a good YA romance—this is a MUST read!
January 22, 2025
4.25 ⭐️!!
“long hair or short, i think you’ll still be pretty, gemma.”
oddly specific rating ik but this book was so cute!! not quite a 5 star but really close!
hudson was SO SWEET!!! i love him so much 💖 he was rude at first because he’s the “bad boy” and that was part of his reputation or whatever, but gemma kept pursuing him and caring for him even when he acted mad or indifferent and that was adorable. but OH MY GOSHHH when he started letting gemma in and caring for her?! it was the sweetest thing 💞💞
what i didn’t really like was at the beginning everyone was kinda acting like being shy or modest was a bad thing. and okay gemma’s parents were controlling and that’s why she covered up a lot of didn’t go out a lot, but if she was naturally shy and modest, and others were shaming her for it?? thats what irritated me but i’m probably reading into it 😅
quotes:
• “i’m used to people turning away from me, ignoring me when i walk past. i’m used to all that now, but i…” hudson met my stare. “i didn’t realize it would hurt if you turned away too.” — AWW HUDSON 😭😭
• “i won’t regret it. you won’t either, right?”
hudson dipped his pinky underneath my hand and curled it around mine, squeezing the promise between us. “never.”
• “i hope,” hudson began, but stopped to clear his throat. “i hope you won’t be lonely anymore, either.”
“long hair or short, i think you’ll still be pretty, gemma.”
oddly specific rating ik but this book was so cute!! not quite a 5 star but really close!
hudson was SO SWEET!!! i love him so much 💖 he was rude at first because he’s the “bad boy” and that was part of his reputation or whatever, but gemma kept pursuing him and caring for him even when he acted mad or indifferent and that was adorable. but OH MY GOSHHH when he started letting gemma in and caring for her?! it was the sweetest thing 💞💞
what i didn’t really like was at the beginning everyone was kinda acting like being shy or modest was a bad thing. and okay gemma’s parents were controlling and that’s why she covered up a lot of didn’t go out a lot, but if she was naturally shy and modest, and others were shaming her for it?? thats what irritated me but i’m probably reading into it 😅
quotes:
• “i’m used to people turning away from me, ignoring me when i walk past. i’m used to all that now, but i…” hudson met my stare. “i didn’t realize it would hurt if you turned away too.” — AWW HUDSON 😭😭
• “i won’t regret it. you won’t either, right?”
hudson dipped his pinky underneath my hand and curled it around mine, squeezing the promise between us. “never.”
• “i hope,” hudson began, but stopped to clear his throat. “i hope you won’t be lonely anymore, either.”
April 5, 2023
Sarah has accomplished something that many authors have tried and failed to do: Create a well-rounded, believable "bad boy" that the audience will truthfully synthesize with along with being able to do the "good girl" without making her seem like a pick-me or a goody-too-shoes.
Gemma is what I would consider the glass child. She is a good girl not because she thinks she's better than everyone, but because she was forced into her role. That is something that is relatable. The other thing that is relatable is the even balance between having overbearing parents and parents that seem to ignore you. Something that is truly refreshing.
Hudson is the true bad boy. He doesn't do well in school, seems intimidating, and is less than polite. But it is not in a way that its bullying. He's also not a rich snob who has no true reason to despise the school or anyone else. Hudson has a true reason to dislike the school and its teachers and that is refreshing.
The found family in this book is heartwarming and so many scenes have me squealing from the sweetness. This book is the epitome of cliche done right. Thank you so much for letting me be an ARC reader!
Gemma is what I would consider the glass child. She is a good girl not because she thinks she's better than everyone, but because she was forced into her role. That is something that is relatable. The other thing that is relatable is the even balance between having overbearing parents and parents that seem to ignore you. Something that is truly refreshing.
Hudson is the true bad boy. He doesn't do well in school, seems intimidating, and is less than polite. But it is not in a way that its bullying. He's also not a rich snob who has no true reason to despise the school or anyone else. Hudson has a true reason to dislike the school and its teachers and that is refreshing.
The found family in this book is heartwarming and so many scenes have me squealing from the sweetness. This book is the epitome of cliche done right. Thank you so much for letting me be an ARC reader!
February 27, 2023
Sarah Sutton keeps getting better and better!
Rebelling With the Bad Boy was truly so good! I really don’t want to spoil anything, but everything from the character arcs to the storyline as a whole to how real everything felt was incredible. And there were so many heartwarming and cute moments throughout!
I love how Gemma and Hudson developed over the course of the book - and how cute they were, of course! 🥰 Honestly, the bad boy trope isn’t necessarily my favorite, but Sarah did an amazing job with it! I would recommend RWTBB to anyone. And all the different Easter eggs throughout the book were so fun! There’s just something about Sarah’s writing style that pulls you in, keeps you engaged, and flows so easily! 🤩
I promise that if you love YA Contemporary Romance, you’re going to love Rebelling With the Bad Boy! 💕
(And a huge thank you to Sarah for letting me be an ARC reader! 🫶🏻)
Rebelling With the Bad Boy was truly so good! I really don’t want to spoil anything, but everything from the character arcs to the storyline as a whole to how real everything felt was incredible. And there were so many heartwarming and cute moments throughout!
I love how Gemma and Hudson developed over the course of the book - and how cute they were, of course! 🥰 Honestly, the bad boy trope isn’t necessarily my favorite, but Sarah did an amazing job with it! I would recommend RWTBB to anyone. And all the different Easter eggs throughout the book were so fun! There’s just something about Sarah’s writing style that pulls you in, keeps you engaged, and flows so easily! 🤩
I promise that if you love YA Contemporary Romance, you’re going to love Rebelling With the Bad Boy! 💕
(And a huge thank you to Sarah for letting me be an ARC reader! 🫶🏻)
February 24, 2023
My life will never be the same. This was perfection at its very core. I cannot even begin to describe how much joy this book brought me.
Let's just say there was a lot of squealing from my side.
I absolutely adored Gemma. She was cute and quirky, and her character development was everything. As for Hudson Bishop? All of a sudden, I have the desire to sign up for peer mentoring. I also really enjoyed the tropes in this one!! (good girl x bad boy // forbidden romance // found family)
This book was honestly so heartwarming and filled to the brim with wholesome, swoonworthy moments. If you are in search of a sweet, YA romance that also explores deeper topics, you've certainly come to the right place. I cannot recommend this enough. Do yourself a favour and give it a read.
Thank you to Sarah for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Let's just say there was a lot of squealing from my side.
I absolutely adored Gemma. She was cute and quirky, and her character development was everything. As for Hudson Bishop? All of a sudden, I have the desire to sign up for peer mentoring. I also really enjoyed the tropes in this one!! (good girl x bad boy // forbidden romance // found family)
This book was honestly so heartwarming and filled to the brim with wholesome, swoonworthy moments. If you are in search of a sweet, YA romance that also explores deeper topics, you've certainly come to the right place. I cannot recommend this enough. Do yourself a favour and give it a read.
Thank you to Sarah for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
March 7, 2023
4.25 review to come
Cute adorable slow burn romance, Hudson is an amazing friend and love interest
Very submissive main character and while that was the premise of the book, I’m just glad she finally figured out who she is and owns it
Loved that we met Tee, a character that uses they/them pronouns, and hope to see more of them in future works.
Can’t wait to read Landon’s story because we know close to nothing about him
Loved the writing. Very fun, pretty and focused a lot on characters feelings
Trigger warning for the relationship between Gemma and her mom. The mom was not only controlling but also abusive in several moments. The ending was a bit rushed as there was a very sudden shift in her behavior
Cute adorable slow burn romance, Hudson is an amazing friend and love interest
Very submissive main character and while that was the premise of the book, I’m just glad she finally figured out who she is and owns it
Loved that we met Tee, a character that uses they/them pronouns, and hope to see more of them in future works.
Can’t wait to read Landon’s story because we know close to nothing about him
Loved the writing. Very fun, pretty and focused a lot on characters feelings
Trigger warning for the relationship between Gemma and her mom. The mom was not only controlling but also abusive in several moments. The ending was a bit rushed as there was a very sudden shift in her behavior
July 10, 2023
Contains: kisses, some fighting, some mild language. Way to go Gemma! First of all, I really hope there aren’t parents like hers out there. I mean choosing what your teenager wears, doing their hair everyday, making crust less sandwiches for their lunch, choosing whom they get to date, etc. I’m shocked she didn’t rebel sooner. I really liked how she stuck up for Hudson and fought for him. I liked having a non-binary character too (I’d love to see them get their own book).
March 1, 2023
I received and ARC copy of this book and was so happy to have it early!! This is my favourite book of Sarah’s yet and I loved everything about it. I love the reserved girl/bad boy trope and there were so many cute moments that I was freaking out over. Everything tied up nicely in the end! Can’t wait to see what comes next!!
June 30, 2024
I liked the character and the romance but I didn’t enjoy her parents. It honestly sounded like a terrible cult, and she was 16! Her bedtime was 9:30, she had a barely working phone, she barely left the house, her mom wanted her to keep her hair long and in a braid, so she did, and she had to wear long skirts.
3.4 🌟
3.4 🌟
March 17, 2023
Rebelling With the Bad Boy
We first meet Gemma "With a G" when she is sitting on the ledge of a bridge with her feet dangling over the side at Lookout Ledge, the tallest point in her hometown of Brentwood. It was the night of her sixteenth birthday, and like most teens her age all she had wanted for her birthday was a trip to the DMV to get her driver's permit. To say that her parents have her wrapped around their fingers and treat her like a small child would be an understatement. For crying out loud, her mother still picks out her clothes, sets them out for her in the morning, and braids her long hair (that Mom refuses to let her cut)! You get the picture; Gemma is a very sheltered and co-dependent teen who is unable to make any choices for herself. Until....Hudson comes along! We first meet Hudson as one his alter-egos "Bridge Boy" when he stumbles upon Gemma hanging over the bridge the night of her birthday. Gemma poses the question, “Have you ever felt like the life you’re living isn’t the life you want to live? Like…you’re too tied down to the role given to you?” and that is all it takes to spark a powerful connection between the two.
Fast forward to the start of Gemma’s sophomore year where on the first day of school she turns a corner and runs smack into the school’s resident bad boy himself, senior Hudson Bishop, known to everyone else at Brentwood High as “The Grim Reaper.” According to the gossip mill, Hudson got his infamous nickname his Freshman year after attacking three other Freshman, one who happened to be Gemma’s brother, Landon. At first Gemma doesn’t recognize him as the same boy from the bridge, but then she sees his blue eyes and hears him speak and realizes to her horror that they are one and the same!
Things get even more complicated on the third day of school when Gemma is called into Principal Oliphant’s office, and there sits none other than Hudson Bishop! Principal Oliphant knows that Gemma has to stay after school every day while waiting for her brother, Landon, to finish up football practice. Principal Oliphant also knows that Gemma is easily manipulated and does as she is told, so when she asks if Gemma will act as a mentor for Hudson meeting several times throughout the week after school, Gemma reluctantly agrees, even though Principal Oliphant asks her to keep it a secret from her mom who they both know would FREAK OUT! Gemma’s resolve to mentor Hudson is strengthened the next day when she is put on “The Most Likely To List” that the popular kids at school put out every year. Gemma Settler…” Most Likely To: Stay A Prude”.
Gemma and Hudson make a pact. Hudson is to give the mentoring thing a try until the end of the month and Gemma will make a list of “things she’s never done, but secretly wants to do” and Hudson will help her “grow a backbone” and claim a bit of freedom from her parent’s chokehold on her life by working through the list with her as part of their mentoring.
The more Gemma gets to know prickly Hudson as they work through her list, the more that façade of his starts to slip. More and more cracks form in his armor and she is able to see the kind, caring, funny boy underneath the disguise he wears to hide all the pain and hurt he has suffered.
I am not in High School. In fact, I graduated High School in 1999. Yup, 1999! However, this book still resonated with me. I really loved the character arc and growth of both Gemma and Hudson throughout the book. Their relationship progression was real and believable, and I found myself routing for them and “getting the feels” right along with them!
However, this wasn’t just your typical “boy meets girl, they fall in love” end of story. This book tackled so many diverse themes: bullying, judging/labeling others before getting to know them, parents’ reluctance to let their children grow up, school politics and social pecking order, the strength of friendship, sibling bonds, fear of change or breaking out of your mold. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few here, but Sarah Sutton managed to write a book that was not only entertaining and fun to read, but also has the potential to get her readers thinking about and hopefully relating to one or even several of the themes interwoven throughout this book. I reserve a 5-star rating for my favorite books of ALL TIME! Even though this is not a 5, it is a SOLID 4 and was a pleasure to read from beginning to end.
Worth noting, this is book 3 of the “Most Likely To” series. You do not need to read the series in order; however, I have enjoyed the glimpses you get in each book of characters you have already met and possibly a hint or teaser as to what might come next for some of them. Book 4 is coming out soon about Gemma’s brother, Landon, the star quarterback at Brentwood!
Also, worth nothing, this is a “clean” romance. There is kissing/making out that happens between characters, however, it doesn’t go any further than that.
We first meet Gemma "With a G" when she is sitting on the ledge of a bridge with her feet dangling over the side at Lookout Ledge, the tallest point in her hometown of Brentwood. It was the night of her sixteenth birthday, and like most teens her age all she had wanted for her birthday was a trip to the DMV to get her driver's permit. To say that her parents have her wrapped around their fingers and treat her like a small child would be an understatement. For crying out loud, her mother still picks out her clothes, sets them out for her in the morning, and braids her long hair (that Mom refuses to let her cut)! You get the picture; Gemma is a very sheltered and co-dependent teen who is unable to make any choices for herself. Until....Hudson comes along! We first meet Hudson as one his alter-egos "Bridge Boy" when he stumbles upon Gemma hanging over the bridge the night of her birthday. Gemma poses the question, “Have you ever felt like the life you’re living isn’t the life you want to live? Like…you’re too tied down to the role given to you?” and that is all it takes to spark a powerful connection between the two.
Fast forward to the start of Gemma’s sophomore year where on the first day of school she turns a corner and runs smack into the school’s resident bad boy himself, senior Hudson Bishop, known to everyone else at Brentwood High as “The Grim Reaper.” According to the gossip mill, Hudson got his infamous nickname his Freshman year after attacking three other Freshman, one who happened to be Gemma’s brother, Landon. At first Gemma doesn’t recognize him as the same boy from the bridge, but then she sees his blue eyes and hears him speak and realizes to her horror that they are one and the same!
Things get even more complicated on the third day of school when Gemma is called into Principal Oliphant’s office, and there sits none other than Hudson Bishop! Principal Oliphant knows that Gemma has to stay after school every day while waiting for her brother, Landon, to finish up football practice. Principal Oliphant also knows that Gemma is easily manipulated and does as she is told, so when she asks if Gemma will act as a mentor for Hudson meeting several times throughout the week after school, Gemma reluctantly agrees, even though Principal Oliphant asks her to keep it a secret from her mom who they both know would FREAK OUT! Gemma’s resolve to mentor Hudson is strengthened the next day when she is put on “The Most Likely To List” that the popular kids at school put out every year. Gemma Settler…” Most Likely To: Stay A Prude”.
Gemma and Hudson make a pact. Hudson is to give the mentoring thing a try until the end of the month and Gemma will make a list of “things she’s never done, but secretly wants to do” and Hudson will help her “grow a backbone” and claim a bit of freedom from her parent’s chokehold on her life by working through the list with her as part of their mentoring.
The more Gemma gets to know prickly Hudson as they work through her list, the more that façade of his starts to slip. More and more cracks form in his armor and she is able to see the kind, caring, funny boy underneath the disguise he wears to hide all the pain and hurt he has suffered.
I am not in High School. In fact, I graduated High School in 1999. Yup, 1999! However, this book still resonated with me. I really loved the character arc and growth of both Gemma and Hudson throughout the book. Their relationship progression was real and believable, and I found myself routing for them and “getting the feels” right along with them!
However, this wasn’t just your typical “boy meets girl, they fall in love” end of story. This book tackled so many diverse themes: bullying, judging/labeling others before getting to know them, parents’ reluctance to let their children grow up, school politics and social pecking order, the strength of friendship, sibling bonds, fear of change or breaking out of your mold. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few here, but Sarah Sutton managed to write a book that was not only entertaining and fun to read, but also has the potential to get her readers thinking about and hopefully relating to one or even several of the themes interwoven throughout this book. I reserve a 5-star rating for my favorite books of ALL TIME! Even though this is not a 5, it is a SOLID 4 and was a pleasure to read from beginning to end.
Worth noting, this is book 3 of the “Most Likely To” series. You do not need to read the series in order; however, I have enjoyed the glimpses you get in each book of characters you have already met and possibly a hint or teaser as to what might come next for some of them. Book 4 is coming out soon about Gemma’s brother, Landon, the star quarterback at Brentwood!
Also, worth nothing, this is a “clean” romance. There is kissing/making out that happens between characters, however, it doesn’t go any further than that.
June 26, 2023
Review to come
August 7, 2023
I just skimmed this book. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t what I was after at the moment. If I had read it 3 years ago when I was 16, this would’ve been better
March 10, 2023
This was fantastic. I read it in one sitting, literally. Got the book at like 9 PM (not a good idea on my part), started reading... and was not able to stop. I ended up finishing around 1, officially wacking out my sleep schedule, but holy mackerole was it worth it.
**BIIIIG SPOILERS AHEAD... seriously just read the book and then come back I promise you it's worth your time**
I felt like this book had a much more mature tone to it than the books I've previously read of Sutton's, including those in this series. Her characters have always been relatable, but these ones hit especially hard for me. What I love about Sutton's books is that she always takes a drama that seems miniscule to adults, and shows just how much it impacts us teens. The beginning scene where Gemma's thinking about how her parents pulled into her birthday party and she's just shocked in the back seat hit REALLY hard for me, and that was the moment when Gemma really solidified not just as a great character, but a real person who I see in myself and so many of my friends. With Hudson, too. It's so easy to just see adults justifying their actions of brushing him off after that one fight, to see how righteous they feel in writing him off for one mistake and the sheer lack of ability to understand his hurt and anger at that. It's not cut-and-dry, it's not a cliche problem, Sutton took a situation that is so easy to see happening in the real world and executed it with crazy awesome empathy and finesse. She really brought these characters to life.
I also love how Sutton writes parents. She doesn't vilify them beyond redemption. It's so easy to see how a parent feels justified and completely comfortable in what they do to their child, how they don't even know how it's wrong even when it's hurting their child. And Gemma's mom did that, and she was incredibly wrong (i mean holy crap... some of that stuff was way over the line), but I teared up when I realized that it was just so so difficult for her to watch Gemma grow up. It doesn't justify her actions, but holy crap, that's not a cookie-cutter character there, that was a real person and I have even seen parts of her reflected in my own mother, whom I love to no ends. It's not easy to hate a character when you feel like you know them already. And the way Sutton handled the apology and redemption was so, so tactful. Amazing work there.
My only complaint is that we didn't get to see Paisley nearly enough for my child-loving heart, haha. Seeing as Lacey is Hudson and Paisley's cousin, I'm still holding out hope that we get to see her more in the next book. We were introduced to her, immediately fell in love with her spunk, and then got only 2 more scenes... but the scenes we got with her were fantastic. Easily my favorite part of the book is Gemma's walk from the bus stop with her, she's a natural older sister. And I totally get her with the whole feeling of 'passing a test' thing, I get that feel all the time with my younger siblings T-T they shoot more pop quizzes at me then all my teachers combined.
Gosh. I could say so much more about this book. I'll probably be adding to this review as that book lives rent-free in my mind for the next few weeks, haha. Closing up, that was a freaking amazing job well-done, Sarah Sutton, and I am so beyond excited for the next installment in this series.
**BIIIIG SPOILERS AHEAD... seriously just read the book and then come back I promise you it's worth your time**
I felt like this book had a much more mature tone to it than the books I've previously read of Sutton's, including those in this series. Her characters have always been relatable, but these ones hit especially hard for me. What I love about Sutton's books is that she always takes a drama that seems miniscule to adults, and shows just how much it impacts us teens. The beginning scene where Gemma's thinking about how her parents pulled into her birthday party and she's just shocked in the back seat hit REALLY hard for me, and that was the moment when Gemma really solidified not just as a great character, but a real person who I see in myself and so many of my friends. With Hudson, too. It's so easy to just see adults justifying their actions of brushing him off after that one fight, to see how righteous they feel in writing him off for one mistake and the sheer lack of ability to understand his hurt and anger at that. It's not cut-and-dry, it's not a cliche problem, Sutton took a situation that is so easy to see happening in the real world and executed it with crazy awesome empathy and finesse. She really brought these characters to life.
I also love how Sutton writes parents. She doesn't vilify them beyond redemption. It's so easy to see how a parent feels justified and completely comfortable in what they do to their child, how they don't even know how it's wrong even when it's hurting their child. And Gemma's mom did that, and she was incredibly wrong (i mean holy crap... some of that stuff was way over the line), but I teared up when I realized that it was just so so difficult for her to watch Gemma grow up. It doesn't justify her actions, but holy crap, that's not a cookie-cutter character there, that was a real person and I have even seen parts of her reflected in my own mother, whom I love to no ends. It's not easy to hate a character when you feel like you know them already. And the way Sutton handled the apology and redemption was so, so tactful. Amazing work there.
My only complaint is that we didn't get to see Paisley nearly enough for my child-loving heart, haha. Seeing as Lacey is Hudson and Paisley's cousin, I'm still holding out hope that we get to see her more in the next book. We were introduced to her, immediately fell in love with her spunk, and then got only 2 more scenes... but the scenes we got with her were fantastic. Easily my favorite part of the book is Gemma's walk from the bus stop with her, she's a natural older sister. And I totally get her with the whole feeling of 'passing a test' thing, I get that feel all the time with my younger siblings T-T they shoot more pop quizzes at me then all my teachers combined.
Gosh. I could say so much more about this book. I'll probably be adding to this review as that book lives rent-free in my mind for the next few weeks, haha. Closing up, that was a freaking amazing job well-done, Sarah Sutton, and I am so beyond excited for the next installment in this series.
March 1, 2023
I received this novel as an arc in exchange for an honest review by Sarah Sutton.
Here's my review after four days of stewing on what I wanted to write and how I wanted to write it.
I never truly give five stars unless I absolutely enjoy the whole concept of the story. One thing I really enjoy about Sarah Sutton's stories is, they do not go overboard with unnecessary drama or outbursts from the main characters. They truly are normal people with issues they must overcome either with the help of others or from learning from their mistakes.
Gemma Settler has got to be hands down one of the most relatable characters I've read in quite a long time. The way the story is weaved and told is very refreshing. I love Gemma's character development throughout the novel. It was slow at first but then you could see the shift.
I related to her so much. I remember when I was younger and my parents wanted to control quite a few decisions I wanted to make for my own life. Pretty much almost or delaying my dreams. I was so happy when Gemma finally had enough. She's such an inspiration.
I love how Hudson's character grew from cold, icy to warm and sunshiny. I really love how the story progressed and the lessons learned in this novel and how change came with a lot of work rather than overnight.
I loved how Gemma handled her issues and how both Hudson tried so hard to help Gemma with them. Even though he was the Grim Reaper and a tough guy, he really played his role well until there was no role to play.
The writing was superb, the plot was intriguing, and the pacing kept me wanting more as I read chapter by chapter.
Sarah Sutton has a knack for writing well-rounded characters with realistic flaws and relatable moments. Some scenes in this book were so friggin funny, I had to highlight quite a bit so I can remember to go back and laugh when I had a bad day at work.
Very worth buying!
Here's my review after four days of stewing on what I wanted to write and how I wanted to write it.
I never truly give five stars unless I absolutely enjoy the whole concept of the story. One thing I really enjoy about Sarah Sutton's stories is, they do not go overboard with unnecessary drama or outbursts from the main characters. They truly are normal people with issues they must overcome either with the help of others or from learning from their mistakes.
Gemma Settler has got to be hands down one of the most relatable characters I've read in quite a long time. The way the story is weaved and told is very refreshing. I love Gemma's character development throughout the novel. It was slow at first but then you could see the shift.
I related to her so much. I remember when I was younger and my parents wanted to control quite a few decisions I wanted to make for my own life. Pretty much almost or delaying my dreams. I was so happy when Gemma finally had enough. She's such an inspiration.
I love how Hudson's character grew from cold, icy to warm and sunshiny. I really love how the story progressed and the lessons learned in this novel and how change came with a lot of work rather than overnight.
I loved how Gemma handled her issues and how both Hudson tried so hard to help Gemma with them. Even though he was the Grim Reaper and a tough guy, he really played his role well until there was no role to play.
The writing was superb, the plot was intriguing, and the pacing kept me wanting more as I read chapter by chapter.
Sarah Sutton has a knack for writing well-rounded characters with realistic flaws and relatable moments. Some scenes in this book were so friggin funny, I had to highlight quite a bit so I can remember to go back and laugh when I had a bad day at work.
Very worth buying!
March 1, 2023
I have no words. Does perfection exist? I think it might.
The characters were so well developed and it added so much depth to every scene. I mean, I don't even know if I can choose a favorite character. Gemma was kind and relatable. Hudson has arguably one of the best arcs I've ever read. And that's not to scoff at Gemma's well designed arc. And Derrick? Well, I just loved him. Each character had a role to play. They all had motives and personalities.
The plot. I mean....engaging. It flowed well with the characters motivations and it was distinct from the first page.
The tropes were swoon worthy and to be honest, I just can't with how natural the tropes blended into the plot.
I loved the little foreshadowing. Subtle and yet, by no means invisible.
The pacing had me turning and turning every page, even after sleep tried settling in. Yet, it wasn't too fast to where you'd feel cheated. Every scene had so much attention to detail on the important things and creating a setting. It flowed easily through the entire book.
The writing style had me in tears. I screamed and I laughed. First of all, the teasing and the banter was immaculate. But even more, the way the author can create a sentence, a beat and even a book is nothing short of a miracle. Need I say more?
○This is an ARC review given by the author○
The characters were so well developed and it added so much depth to every scene. I mean, I don't even know if I can choose a favorite character. Gemma was kind and relatable. Hudson has arguably one of the best arcs I've ever read. And that's not to scoff at Gemma's well designed arc. And Derrick? Well, I just loved him. Each character had a role to play. They all had motives and personalities.
The plot. I mean....engaging. It flowed well with the characters motivations and it was distinct from the first page.
The tropes were swoon worthy and to be honest, I just can't with how natural the tropes blended into the plot.
I loved the little foreshadowing. Subtle and yet, by no means invisible.
The pacing had me turning and turning every page, even after sleep tried settling in. Yet, it wasn't too fast to where you'd feel cheated. Every scene had so much attention to detail on the important things and creating a setting. It flowed easily through the entire book.
The writing style had me in tears. I screamed and I laughed. First of all, the teasing and the banter was immaculate. But even more, the way the author can create a sentence, a beat and even a book is nothing short of a miracle. Need I say more?
○This is an ARC review given by the author○
February 6, 2026
This was such a cute YA romance! Loved the tropes — the misunderstood bad boy MMC and the good girl who’s finally breaking out of her parents’ expectations for her life. I absolutely loved both main characters and how their relationship helped them grow in the best ways.
The story is told from the FMC’s perspective, and I really appreciated getting to see her journey of learning to speak up for herself. She’s someone who gives so much grace to others, even when she’s been walked all over in the past, and watching her slowly choose herself and stand up for what she wants was so rewarding.
At the same time, the MMC is helping her find her voice while she’s helping him realize he’s more than the labels people have placed on him — that he’s worth fighting for and capable of so much more. Their growth together was honestly so sweet.
The storyline kept me engaged the whole way through, and once again Sarah Sutton did such an amazing job making me feel everything the characters were going through. Her writing always hits emotionally, and this book was no exception.
The story is told from the FMC’s perspective, and I really appreciated getting to see her journey of learning to speak up for herself. She’s someone who gives so much grace to others, even when she’s been walked all over in the past, and watching her slowly choose herself and stand up for what she wants was so rewarding.
At the same time, the MMC is helping her find her voice while she’s helping him realize he’s more than the labels people have placed on him — that he’s worth fighting for and capable of so much more. Their growth together was honestly so sweet.
The storyline kept me engaged the whole way through, and once again Sarah Sutton did such an amazing job making me feel everything the characters were going through. Her writing always hits emotionally, and this book was no exception.
July 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this good girl dates the bad boy (with a secret heart of gold) YA romance. Somehow, I missed reading this when it first came out, so, having read Lacey and Landon's story, it was nice to get more insight into what Hudson was going through.
Sutton's "Most Likely To..." strongly conveys the self-absorbed nature of teenagers, particularly teenagers who have unsympathetic, absent, or downright abusive parents. And I would categorise Gemma's mum as abusive. Probably the weakest element of this book, for me, was the resolution, where mum was rebuked, then turns over a new leaf. It didn't affect my enjoyment of the story (I love, love, love Hudson and Gemma together), but I wish there had been a little more nuance in the way that storyline was resolved (maybe counselling?).
Overall, a solid addition to the series, and I think I love Hudson best out of Sutton's heros in this series. I'm looking forward to Madison's story!
Sutton's "Most Likely To..." strongly conveys the self-absorbed nature of teenagers, particularly teenagers who have unsympathetic, absent, or downright abusive parents. And I would categorise Gemma's mum as abusive. Probably the weakest element of this book, for me, was the resolution, where mum was rebuked, then turns over a new leaf. It didn't affect my enjoyment of the story (I love, love, love Hudson and Gemma together), but I wish there had been a little more nuance in the way that storyline was resolved (maybe counselling?).
Overall, a solid addition to the series, and I think I love Hudson best out of Sutton's heros in this series. I'm looking forward to Madison's story!
April 5, 2023
Rebelling with the bad boy
🌶:YA (kissing)
❗️Physical Bullying, about 4 curse words
This is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone.
-told from Gemma's point of view.
This story is really one of the sweetest I've read...
The dynamic between Gemma and Hudson, it will give you all the feels.
I loved how Hudson started opening up to her.
I absolutely adored Gemma and Hudson
My heart broke for Hudson (in the end, I just wanted to hug and protect him...that armor around him .it's completely understandable, and the way the parents and grown-ups treated him was despicable , and he got the Grim Reaper nickname. I definitely cried a couple of tears.
O and Hudson with rolled up sleeves and glasses, swooning
Gemma was such a sweet character, and the things she wanted to do weren't extreme ,she just wanted to see if she liked those things.
Some of my favorite parts:
Gemma's list.
At his house (doing something every cute for her).
The all-nighter.
Their first meeting.
Hudson is standing up for Gemma.
Gemma is standing up for Hudson.
Gemma with her brother.
🌶:YA (kissing)
❗️Physical Bullying, about 4 curse words
This is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone.
-told from Gemma's point of view.
This story is really one of the sweetest I've read...
The dynamic between Gemma and Hudson, it will give you all the feels.
I loved how Hudson started opening up to her.
I absolutely adored Gemma and Hudson
My heart broke for Hudson (in the end, I just wanted to hug and protect him...that armor around him .it's completely understandable, and the way the parents and grown-ups treated him was despicable , and he got the Grim Reaper nickname. I definitely cried a couple of tears.
O and Hudson with rolled up sleeves and glasses, swooning
Gemma was such a sweet character, and the things she wanted to do weren't extreme ,she just wanted to see if she liked those things.
Some of my favorite parts:
Gemma's list.
At his house (doing something every cute for her).
The all-nighter.
Their first meeting.
Hudson is standing up for Gemma.
Gemma is standing up for Hudson.
Gemma with her brother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2026
Dnf 42%
This was a lot longer than it needed to be, and I just wasn’t interested enough to continue.
I was very uncomfortable with our fmc’s controlling/abusive mother. Gemma felt much younger than her 16 years, and the scene where she says a swear word for the very first time had me rolling my eyes hard. I didn’t like the way she acted towards the boy her mom wanted her to date, or even our mmc who she repeatedly called the grim reaper. I consider this bullying behavior.
Hudson for his part was fine, but it felt like the author tacked on the opening scene later since it seems like he’s two different characters.
Overall it wasn’t bad, but it was heavier with the abuse than I was expecting, and just not for me.
This was a lot longer than it needed to be, and I just wasn’t interested enough to continue.
I was very uncomfortable with our fmc’s controlling/abusive mother. Gemma felt much younger than her 16 years, and the scene where she says a swear word for the very first time had me rolling my eyes hard. I didn’t like the way she acted towards the boy her mom wanted her to date, or even our mmc who she repeatedly called the grim reaper. I consider this bullying behavior.
Hudson for his part was fine, but it felt like the author tacked on the opening scene later since it seems like he’s two different characters.
Overall it wasn’t bad, but it was heavier with the abuse than I was expecting, and just not for me.
March 19, 2025
My daughter and I listened to this together…
Brooke: Rebelling with the Bad Boy is so far my favorite in the most likely to series! Hudson oh my gosh I just adore him his story really got to me and Gemma with G she is adorable. I laughed so much during their encounters and I got super emotionally invested in both their stories. This story really reflects not judging other people by their appearance or rumors or most likely to list! Also I love that the same narrator does all the books she is doing a great job with the different characters.
Ray: It was really good. The character growth was fantastic and the love story was sweet I was entertained through out the story.
Brooke: Rebelling with the Bad Boy is so far my favorite in the most likely to series! Hudson oh my gosh I just adore him his story really got to me and Gemma with G she is adorable. I laughed so much during their encounters and I got super emotionally invested in both their stories. This story really reflects not judging other people by their appearance or rumors or most likely to list! Also I love that the same narrator does all the books she is doing a great job with the different characters.
Ray: It was really good. The character growth was fantastic and the love story was sweet I was entertained through out the story.
April 18, 2026
Actual rating: 4.25 stars
Okay, this one has been my favorite out of the three so far that I have read. So called bad boy but a secret cinnamon roll meets sheltered, kind girl. Wrap it up with a beautiful bow.
This one had a lot more angst and frustrating elements especially with the mother of our FMC, but I still had a fun time reading this. I loved the sweet moments with our MMC as well. I absolutely adored him-I mean; the boy can braid hair! That scene when Hudson braided Gemma’s hair had my heart swooning!
I also really loved Gemma’s growth into her own person. And how Hudson helped to inspire her to learn more about who she truly is. It was such a sweet story.
Okay, this one has been my favorite out of the three so far that I have read. So called bad boy but a secret cinnamon roll meets sheltered, kind girl. Wrap it up with a beautiful bow.
This one had a lot more angst and frustrating elements especially with the mother of our FMC, but I still had a fun time reading this. I loved the sweet moments with our MMC as well. I absolutely adored him-I mean; the boy can braid hair! That scene when Hudson braided Gemma’s hair had my heart swooning!
I also really loved Gemma’s growth into her own person. And how Hudson helped to inspire her to learn more about who she truly is. It was such a sweet story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2023
My heart is happy
I watch Sarah’s YouTube videos regularly and I’ve loved watching her progress with this book. This is the first time I’ve read her work and oh my gosh!! I haven’t stopped smiling. I’m in love with these characters and their developments. I had the urge to wrap Hudson in bubble wrap and protect him the entire time. The pacing was incredible, the dialogue was outstanding and the characters relationship in a whole has me craving for more. This was my first 5 star in a long time! Read this book!!
I watch Sarah’s YouTube videos regularly and I’ve loved watching her progress with this book. This is the first time I’ve read her work and oh my gosh!! I haven’t stopped smiling. I’m in love with these characters and their developments. I had the urge to wrap Hudson in bubble wrap and protect him the entire time. The pacing was incredible, the dialogue was outstanding and the characters relationship in a whole has me craving for more. This was my first 5 star in a long time! Read this book!!
March 27, 2023
Cute and sweet
The whole books takes place over a 4 or 5 week period.
Hudson and Gemma are cute and the story, while hitting all the trope posts is still unique to be enjoyed. Hudson is awesome and the duality of his personality and looks made him a great book boyfriend.
This story is geared more towards new/young readers. Very clean, 2 or 3 kisses and as many handholding. Of you need a good palate cleaner book this is a good one. Restores your faith in love and reminds more evolved readers that romance don't have to be complicated to be good or relatable.
The whole books takes place over a 4 or 5 week period.
Hudson and Gemma are cute and the story, while hitting all the trope posts is still unique to be enjoyed. Hudson is awesome and the duality of his personality and looks made him a great book boyfriend.
This story is geared more towards new/young readers. Very clean, 2 or 3 kisses and as many handholding. Of you need a good palate cleaner book this is a good one. Restores your faith in love and reminds more evolved readers that romance don't have to be complicated to be good or relatable.
February 22, 2023
Sarah has done is again! I don’t read a ton of YA romance these days, but I’ll read everything that Sarah Sutton writes.
This book does have some heavier emotions and themes. I was so mad at Gemma’s mom for so much of the book, like WAKE UP LADY!! But I loved Gemma and I adore Hudson 😍😍
I am truly loving this series and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
And a huge thank you to the author for gifting me an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
This book does have some heavier emotions and themes. I was so mad at Gemma’s mom for so much of the book, like WAKE UP LADY!! But I loved Gemma and I adore Hudson 😍😍
I am truly loving this series and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
And a huge thank you to the author for gifting me an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 2, 2023
Holy heck, you've got to read this book!
This has easily become one of my favorite (if not the favorite) Sarah Sutton books...and definitely my favorite of the Most Likely To series. I loved everything about Hudson and Gemma and enjoyed the forbidden airs of their romance. Gemma's parents were delightfully frustrating...like seriously I just wanted to shake them sometimes. And the fact that Sarah included an enby side character sealed the deal in a way I didn't know I needed.
This has easily become one of my favorite (if not the favorite) Sarah Sutton books...and definitely my favorite of the Most Likely To series. I loved everything about Hudson and Gemma and enjoyed the forbidden airs of their romance. Gemma's parents were delightfully frustrating...like seriously I just wanted to shake them sometimes. And the fact that Sarah included an enby side character sealed the deal in a way I didn't know I needed.
July 15, 2023
cute
This was a decent little YA story. It was predictable in a cozy way. I did think that maybe Gemma’s parents were a little too unrealistically overprotective, and if they really were that way, the ending came a bit too easily. It also seemed a little odd that the big incident happened a full three years earlier and it took this long for the truth to come to light. Otherwise, it was a pretty good read.
This was a decent little YA story. It was predictable in a cozy way. I did think that maybe Gemma’s parents were a little too unrealistically overprotective, and if they really were that way, the ending came a bit too easily. It also seemed a little odd that the big incident happened a full three years earlier and it took this long for the truth to come to light. Otherwise, it was a pretty good read.
November 23, 2023
Bad mom award goes to Gemma's mom
Gemma's mom is the worst and her dad is no prize either. Hudson has been my favorite character so far in this series of books. The story captured my attention and held my interest throughout. The conclusion was a bit too clean and convenient though. Gemma's folks, her mom especially, got off a little too easily for years of abuse and making Hudson's life hard.
Gemma's mom is the worst and her dad is no prize either. Hudson has been my favorite character so far in this series of books. The story captured my attention and held my interest throughout. The conclusion was a bit too clean and convenient though. Gemma's folks, her mom especially, got off a little too easily for years of abuse and making Hudson's life hard.
June 3, 2025
This is one of my favorite Sarah Sutton books. Let's just say...Hudson is lovely. I so appreciate how Sutton's books are never just about the romance, but her characters always have a full arc and make progress in most areas of their lives. By the end of it, the girl always gets the guy, but not before they both grow and change and improve. And this book was no exception. Yet again, Sutton has nailed it.
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