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shannonw19's review against another edition
3.0
Corey, recently out of jail, goes with his gang member buddies to vandalize the house of the prosecutor who sent him to jail. Tessa, the prosecutor's daughter, comes home to interrupt the vandals. She sees Corey, but is unable to catch him. Corey, it turns out, never wanted to vandalize the house; he did it at the behest of the mysterious gang leader's nephew. Corey comes back to the house to apologize and the prosecutor and Tessa decide not to turn him into the police, but to have him clean up the damage he caused.
So stars, If You Only Knew. While I did enjoy the book, I had some plot point issues that caused me to give it three stars. There are some plot points that are predictable and some that are just flat out unbelievable. I would have preferred the author do a bit more research into gangs and how that dynamic. But for a love story, it's not bad.
I won this book from Goodreads and received no compensation in exchange for this review. The opinions contained herein are mine and mine alone.
So stars, If You Only Knew. While I did enjoy the book, I had some plot point issues that caused me to give it three stars. There are some plot points that are predictable and some that are just flat out unbelievable. I would have preferred the author do a bit more research into gangs and how that dynamic. But for a love story, it's not bad.
I won this book from Goodreads and received no compensation in exchange for this review. The opinions contained herein are mine and mine alone.
courtnoodles's review against another edition
1.0
I don't know what I expected
Skimmed the last half. Only finished this for a reading challenge.
Skimmed the last half. Only finished this for a reading challenge.
brooke_review's review against another edition
3.0
Bad boy meets good girl ... or is she? Prerna Pickett's debut novel If You Only Knew showcases what happens when a reformed rebel falls for his prosecutor's daughter, who is hiding a devastating secret.
Corey has just spent a year in prison paying his dues to society for a gang crime he committed at the age of 18. Newly released, he just wants to start over and provide a better life for his mom and brother, but the ties to his former gang aren't so easily severed. He finds he can't escape his previous life, and soon finds himself taking part in the vandalism of the home of the man who sent him to prison.
Tessa's father put Corey away for a year, but she knows her dad saw something in him beyond the "criminal" label. When Tessa catches Corey vandalizing their home, she can't help but convince her father to give Corey a second chance to right his wrongs by cleaning up the mess he made at their home. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Tessa knows this more than anyone - she got away with a crime herself and what she covered up still haunts her to this day.
As Corey and Tessa spend more time together, they find themselves drawn into a forbidden relationship. Tessa's father would never approve of her dating a criminal, but he doesn't know that she herself never paid for her crimes to society, while Corey did. And Corey is afraid that Tessa will get drawn into his violent, dangerous way of life and come to harm. With a relationship at odds, dark secrets lurking, and a nefarious gang knocking at their door, can this young couple make their relationship work?
If You Only Knew's shining star is that it has a markedly different plot from most YA novels, which often seem to borrow many of the same elements. With the introduction of a gang and prison, this novel feels like a fresh story - you won't hear readers saying that they've been down this road before. On the other hand, Pickett relies heavily on insta-love, which feels rushed and cheap, and fails to establish a real connection between Corey and Tessa. So while Pickett gets kudos for an original plot, readers may have difficulty connecting with and caring for her one-dimensional characters. Read If You Only Knew if you enjoy YA with an edge - those with a scoop of danger on side of a saccharine love story.
SPOILERS AHEAD - If You Only Knew gets a three star rating from me because I feel that Pickett took the "safe way" out. While both Corey and Tessa took part in crimes, neither of them is at fault, both having been victimized by other people. I would have preferred for Pickett to actually go for it - to make her characters truly guilty and later find redemption. While victims no doubt exist, going that route in this novel made the book less heartfelt and emotionally-investing than it could have been. I never "bought in" to these characters' stories and thus didn't care about their fates.
Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Corey has just spent a year in prison paying his dues to society for a gang crime he committed at the age of 18. Newly released, he just wants to start over and provide a better life for his mom and brother, but the ties to his former gang aren't so easily severed. He finds he can't escape his previous life, and soon finds himself taking part in the vandalism of the home of the man who sent him to prison.
Tessa's father put Corey away for a year, but she knows her dad saw something in him beyond the "criminal" label. When Tessa catches Corey vandalizing their home, she can't help but convince her father to give Corey a second chance to right his wrongs by cleaning up the mess he made at their home. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Tessa knows this more than anyone - she got away with a crime herself and what she covered up still haunts her to this day.
As Corey and Tessa spend more time together, they find themselves drawn into a forbidden relationship. Tessa's father would never approve of her dating a criminal, but he doesn't know that she herself never paid for her crimes to society, while Corey did. And Corey is afraid that Tessa will get drawn into his violent, dangerous way of life and come to harm. With a relationship at odds, dark secrets lurking, and a nefarious gang knocking at their door, can this young couple make their relationship work?
If You Only Knew's shining star is that it has a markedly different plot from most YA novels, which often seem to borrow many of the same elements. With the introduction of a gang and prison, this novel feels like a fresh story - you won't hear readers saying that they've been down this road before. On the other hand, Pickett relies heavily on insta-love, which feels rushed and cheap, and fails to establish a real connection between Corey and Tessa. So while Pickett gets kudos for an original plot, readers may have difficulty connecting with and caring for her one-dimensional characters. Read If You Only Knew if you enjoy YA with an edge - those with a scoop of danger on side of a saccharine love story.
SPOILERS AHEAD - If You Only Knew gets a three star rating from me because I feel that Pickett took the "safe way" out. While both Corey and Tessa took part in crimes, neither of them is at fault, both having been victimized by other people. I would have preferred for Pickett to actually go for it - to make her characters truly guilty and later find redemption. While victims no doubt exist, going that route in this novel made the book less heartfelt and emotionally-investing than it could have been. I never "bought in" to these characters' stories and thus didn't care about their fates.
Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
alyram4's review against another edition
5.0
GIVE ME ALL THE GANG NOVELS IN YA!
When I read the synopsis for this I was already hooked! I've always been a fan of books that incorporate gangs in some way, whether it's fantasy or contemporary, but I don't believe I've read any that delve into romance. A Thousand Fires may breach into that territory (which I also loved by the way), but If You Only Knew goes DEEP and hits all the right spots.
This book is swoony, but it still deals with many of the issues that a lot of adolescents go through nowadays. This book can get very serious, but it also has a unique way of just making you smile and laugh. I found it to be a perfect balance, and it's probably become one of my favorite contemporary novels.
I don't read much contemporary, but I know FOR A FACT that this'll be a book I'll keep coming back to whenever I want a good read. If you want romance but still want it to feel real and serious, definitely check it out. It's the perfect pace and I feel that there aren't many people who won't like this!
ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis for this I was already hooked! I've always been a fan of books that incorporate gangs in some way, whether it's fantasy or contemporary, but I don't believe I've read any that delve into romance. A Thousand Fires may breach into that territory (which I also loved by the way), but If You Only Knew goes DEEP and hits all the right spots.
This book is swoony, but it still deals with many of the issues that a lot of adolescents go through nowadays. This book can get very serious, but it also has a unique way of just making you smile and laugh. I found it to be a perfect balance, and it's probably become one of my favorite contemporary novels.
I don't read much contemporary, but I know FOR A FACT that this'll be a book I'll keep coming back to whenever I want a good read. If you want romance but still want it to feel real and serious, definitely check it out. It's the perfect pace and I feel that there aren't many people who won't like this!
ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
bookishjania's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
4.75 ⭐️⭐️
No Spice this was a no spice book
This was a cute book . Lawyers daughter & criminal love story . There was drama that had me on the edge of my seat . There was also love that had my heartttt gushing to breathe lol . From the beginning there was a spark , a connection I would say , between Tessa and Corey . Anything else will be a spoiler so I say just read it give it a chance.
No Spice this was a no spice book
This was a cute book . Lawyers daughter & criminal love story . There was drama that had me on the edge of my seat . There was also love that had my heartttt gushing to breathe lol . From the beginning there was a spark , a connection I would say , between Tessa and Corey . Anything else will be a spoiler so I say just read it give it a chance.
angelsbookstaloves's review against another edition
3.0
Omg are you kidding me? This is in my top faves of the year. I cried a lot. My heart raced a lot. I fell in love with so many characters. I was so scared and worried at times. This book is just everything I've ever wanted.
cliterature's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
twilhelmsen's review
3.0
A heartfelt, edgy romance about second chances. The main characters, Tessa and Corey, were well-developed and easy to root for. The gang angle to this story was unique and definitely added an element of suspense. It was an enjoyable read, but not without a few issues that kept me from rating it higher. One, the relationship between Tessa and Corey took off so quickly it wasn't entirely believable at first. As the book goes on, Tessa and Corey do have great chemistry and this sort of made up for the rushed start. I also thought the ending wrapped up too cleanly.
christinerobbins's review against another edition
5.0
i recommended this book to everyone is a perfect representation of good girl and bad boy but good girl is secretly bad and bad boy was brought up in the wrong situation.