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kirareadssometimes's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So fun and sexy. Love the couple’s dynamic. Really liked how him being a trade worker was portrayed as such a positive thing! And that it’s okay to drop out of college and do what’s right for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Alcohol, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Homophobia
kingrosereads's review against another edition
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Honestly what even is this shit? Y’all really had me believing Kennedy was some kind of smutty romance god, but this was straight up garbage.
Just a heads up, this is all spoilers. I don’t care, and trust me, save your time and your eyes from having to read this trash.
We’ve got Mac who is a borderline “pick me girl” who doesn’t wear girlie clothes or have any girlfriends. Like can we kill this type of character already? Seriously, women have more depth then this. Anyway, 20-year-old Mac is coming from a gap year where she built a successful website and is making good money from (we’re talking $1 million good) and she comes from a VERY wealthy family. Her parents just want her to be this perfect housewife for their perfect, blue-blooded future son-in-law, who they’ve already picked out: Preston. This is Mac’s boyfriend of 4 years. Her parents are forcing her to go to the prestigious university, Garnet College. Where all the wealthy legacies and their future wives go (because that’s all the women at this university are, just future brides). Mac sees college as a waste of time as she’s already successful and wants to tackle another project.
Mac thinks she loves Preston, and says “he’s not like those other rich assholes” then proceeds to say how nicely he treats “the help” then a chapter later she’s sitting their listening to him snap his fingers at his maid and talking about how “giving these people respect makes them forget their place and we have to remind them of it”. Like what the actual fuck Mac?
Then we have Cooper, a “townie” from Avalon Bay, where Garnet is located. Copper and his friends HATE the students and they call them “clones”. Until one day Preston assaults one of his friends and he hits Preston then Preston promptly gets Cooper fired. This sets off Cooper in a vengeful rage, resulting in him and his friends concocting this ridiculous plan to seduce Mac, get her to break up with Preston, then shove it into Preston’s face in front of his friends.
The fault in the plan is a) Mac is a person and b) Cooper falls for her. Yes, Mac emotionally cheats of Preston which is wrong and just because she ends up with Cooper and Preston is a piece of shit, doesn’t make it right. Authors always have to write the boyfriend as a POS so we don’t feel sympathy for them and root for the new couple, but it’s just so gross and wrong. Preston is the worst as he infantilizes her and is so fucking condescending. But oh look! Cooper does the same thing when she does something like help fix a leaky roof during a storm. But Mac is fine with this as she’s lived her life as a doormat.
Cooper isn’t a “bad boy”, he’s just an all around shitty guy. And all this happens and Preston doesn’t even get his comeuppance. And Mac is like “as long as Preston and his new girlfriend are happy”. As if the women at this school aren’t groomed their whole lives to just be housewives without ambitions or expectations for love and fidelity. Which is another reason I’m so pressed about how Cooper and his friend talk about the female student body at this school.
The fact that Mac doesn’t want this life that her parents planned out with Preston, yet still obeys their wishes is beyond me. She’s so financially independent, she doesn’t even TOUCH her dad’s money or her trust fund, so why the hell is she doing what they ask? They don’t respect or love her, and she’s never been under any misgivings about that or that those things will ever change. So I ask again: WHY?
I just love how Cooper gets all bent out of shape when some rich kids treats the local women like sex objects and then he goes around and treats Mac as if she’s not a person. But it’s all okay because she’s “different” and “not like the other clones” and he actually starts liking her. Like give me a BREAK.
I don’t mind bickering, a little condescending quips, dark romances, or even degradation, but this? This was absolutely toxic ass trash that was in NO WAY okay. He calls her “princess” which is already cringe but I’ve seen it used in a way that’s hot before. However, when Cooper says it, it’s 100% meant as an insult the first few times, but it’s okay because it becomes a term of endearment. He’s just a walking, talking embodiment of toxic masculinity in like the worse way (if you read mafia romance and dark romances and like them, then you know there’s a right way to write toxic men). He literally throws a fit anytime Max offers money for his product or offers to help replace money stolen from him. He bitches about how “emasculating” it is for his girlfriend to have money and offer to pay for things. Your girlfriend is RICH, fam, that’s never going to change.
Cooper and his friends have a right to hate the students that literally harass them and treat them like shit, but they paint all of them with the same brush. They’re truly shitty people. They act as if they’re piss poor and morally above these rich kids. And they JUSTIFY their actions and cruelty against Mac (an innocent, albeit naive, party) in their vendetta. The fact that Cooper lied and had all of them lie to Mac was disgusting. And the girls in his “gang” had the audacity to befriend this girl and look her in the eye and LIE! Then act as if they’re not culpable in anyway when the truth comes out?! And Mac, with no character development (aka still a doormat) just forgives them and Cooper! And she also reconciles with her parents. And Cooper forgiving Heidi? Like she made a point with him being an absolute fuckboi but she’s still a goddamn shitty person and not a good friend at all.
The bet trope has ALWAYS been a problem with me, and I’ll admit I love She’s All That, Can’t Buy Me Love, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but the bet trope is DONE. Goodbye, let’s bury it. One too many of us have been asked out as a joke or on a dare and this shit is not funny. And it’s not romantic.
While we’re getting rid of tropes, can we please get over this idea that only the “emotionally damaged from having neglectful/abusive parents” sleep around casually? Like people can sleep around and not be damaged in anyway.
And can I say the dialogue and inner monologues were so cringe! Like the author was trying WAY too hard to sound “cool” and “in with the kids”. It just felt way too forced with the “Hella”s and shit. Not to mention the story was INCREDIBLY boring and predictable. And that’s saying something, since romance often is predictable. I didn’t read After, but I did watch that unfortunate movie, and this was pretty much that movie. This is basically a “can I copy your homework? Sure but change some of it so it’s not obvious”. The ONE spice scene was cringey as hell and laughable. There was no hot tension or buildup either so it wasn’t like them hooking up finally was satisfying in anyway. The ending was completely and totally rushed. Their entire relationship was rushed. There’s literally no romance just them shacking up and arguing all the damn time. 0% chemistry between them. And throwing in the fact their uncle is gay as if to be like “here’s time diversity” is such bullshit. This is some gross, toxic, white heteronormative shit.
One star because it made me laugh like twice and it isn’t the worst garbage I’ve ever read.
Just a heads up, this is all spoilers. I don’t care, and trust me, save your time and your eyes from having to read this trash.
We’ve got Mac who is a borderline “pick me girl” who doesn’t wear girlie clothes or have any girlfriends. Like can we kill this type of character already? Seriously, women have more depth then this. Anyway, 20-year-old Mac is coming from a gap year where she built a successful website and is making good money from (we’re talking $1 million good) and she comes from a VERY wealthy family. Her parents just want her to be this perfect housewife for their perfect, blue-blooded future son-in-law, who they’ve already picked out: Preston. This is Mac’s boyfriend of 4 years. Her parents are forcing her to go to the prestigious university, Garnet College. Where all the wealthy legacies and their future wives go (because that’s all the women at this university are, just future brides). Mac sees college as a waste of time as she’s already successful and wants to tackle another project.
Mac thinks she loves Preston, and says “he’s not like those other rich assholes” then proceeds to say how nicely he treats “the help” then a chapter later she’s sitting their listening to him snap his fingers at his maid and talking about how “giving these people respect makes them forget their place and we have to remind them of it”. Like what the actual fuck Mac?
Then we have Cooper, a “townie” from Avalon Bay, where Garnet is located. Copper and his friends HATE the students and they call them “clones”. Until one day Preston assaults one of his friends and he hits Preston then Preston promptly gets Cooper fired. This sets off Cooper in a vengeful rage, resulting in him and his friends concocting this ridiculous plan to seduce Mac, get her to break up with Preston, then shove it into Preston’s face in front of his friends.
The fault in the plan is a) Mac is a person and b) Cooper falls for her. Yes, Mac emotionally cheats of Preston which is wrong and just because she ends up with Cooper and Preston is a piece of shit, doesn’t make it right. Authors always have to write the boyfriend as a POS so we don’t feel sympathy for them and root for the new couple, but it’s just so gross and wrong. Preston is the worst as he infantilizes her and is so fucking condescending. But oh look! Cooper does the same thing when she does something like help fix a leaky roof during a storm. But Mac is fine with this as she’s lived her life as a doormat.
Cooper isn’t a “bad boy”, he’s just an all around shitty guy. And all this happens and Preston doesn’t even get his comeuppance. And Mac is like “as long as Preston and his new girlfriend are happy”. As if the women at this school aren’t groomed their whole lives to just be housewives without ambitions or expectations for love and fidelity. Which is another reason I’m so pressed about how Cooper and his friend talk about the female student body at this school.
The fact that Mac doesn’t want this life that her parents planned out with Preston, yet still obeys their wishes is beyond me. She’s so financially independent, she doesn’t even TOUCH her dad’s money or her trust fund, so why the hell is she doing what they ask? They don’t respect or love her, and she’s never been under any misgivings about that or that those things will ever change. So I ask again: WHY?
I just love how Cooper gets all bent out of shape when some rich kids treats the local women like sex objects and then he goes around and treats Mac as if she’s not a person. But it’s all okay because she’s “different” and “not like the other clones” and he actually starts liking her. Like give me a BREAK.
I don’t mind bickering, a little condescending quips, dark romances, or even degradation, but this? This was absolutely toxic ass trash that was in NO WAY okay. He calls her “princess” which is already cringe but I’ve seen it used in a way that’s hot before. However, when Cooper says it, it’s 100% meant as an insult the first few times, but it’s okay because it becomes a term of endearment. He’s just a walking, talking embodiment of toxic masculinity in like the worse way (if you read mafia romance and dark romances and like them, then you know there’s a right way to write toxic men). He literally throws a fit anytime Max offers money for his product or offers to help replace money stolen from him. He bitches about how “emasculating” it is for his girlfriend to have money and offer to pay for things. Your girlfriend is RICH, fam, that’s never going to change.
Cooper and his friends have a right to hate the students that literally harass them and treat them like shit, but they paint all of them with the same brush. They’re truly shitty people. They act as if they’re piss poor and morally above these rich kids. And they JUSTIFY their actions and cruelty against Mac (an innocent, albeit naive, party) in their vendetta. The fact that Cooper lied and had all of them lie to Mac was disgusting. And the girls in his “gang” had the audacity to befriend this girl and look her in the eye and LIE! Then act as if they’re not culpable in anyway when the truth comes out?! And Mac, with no character development (aka still a doormat) just forgives them and Cooper! And she also reconciles with her parents. And Cooper forgiving Heidi? Like she made a point with him being an absolute fuckboi but she’s still a goddamn shitty person and not a good friend at all.
The bet trope has ALWAYS been a problem with me, and I’ll admit I love She’s All That, Can’t Buy Me Love, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but the bet trope is DONE. Goodbye, let’s bury it. One too many of us have been asked out as a joke or on a dare and this shit is not funny. And it’s not romantic.
While we’re getting rid of tropes, can we please get over this idea that only the “emotionally damaged from having neglectful/abusive parents” sleep around casually? Like people can sleep around and not be damaged in anyway.
And can I say the dialogue and inner monologues were so cringe! Like the author was trying WAY too hard to sound “cool” and “in with the kids”. It just felt way too forced with the “Hella”s and shit. Not to mention the story was INCREDIBLY boring and predictable. And that’s saying something, since romance often is predictable. I didn’t read After, but I did watch that unfortunate movie, and this was pretty much that movie. This is basically a “can I copy your homework? Sure but change some of it so it’s not obvious”. The ONE spice scene was cringey as hell and laughable. There was no hot tension or buildup either so it wasn’t like them hooking up finally was satisfying in anyway. The ending was completely and totally rushed. Their entire relationship was rushed. There’s literally no romance just them shacking up and arguing all the damn time. 0% chemistry between them. And throwing in the fact their uncle is gay as if to be like “here’s time diversity” is such bullshit. This is some gross, toxic, white heteronormative shit.
One star because it made me laugh like twice and it isn’t the worst garbage I’ve ever read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Classism
gemin1reader's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
I was in the mood to read a college romance and this was an entertaining, easy read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
vanessa1982's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Animal death
culzean's review
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Stalking and Car accident
yvieharris's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It was fine ?
A little bit slow and v predictable but maybe my expectations were too high
A little bit slow and v predictable but maybe my expectations were too high
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
laurrelise's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Such a fun and sexy read! Like Gossip Girl on the beach.
Cooper Hartley hates the entitled rich kids who infiltrate his hometown every college season. When one gets him fired from his job, Cooper and his friends decide Cooper should steal his girlfriend to teach him a lesson. That’s how Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot meets Cooper Hartley. She’s only in college and dating her boring, cheating boyfriend to live up to her parents expectations.
As Cooper gets closer to Mackenzie, he realizes she isn’t just another clone trust-fund kid. But if she finds out why he pursued her in the first place, it could ruin everything for them.
The chemistry between the main characters was palpable. The character growth was great and every character was well rounded. The side characters were all interesting enough to have their own books (which may be the goal? unsure.). I would’ve liked this more if it wasn’t borderline miscommunication trope which should honestly be illegal. Like, just talk to each other and be honest. It isn’t that difficult. If you are looking for a quick, easy read, I recommend.
Tropes: rich/good girl / bad boy
POV: split (Mac/Cooper)
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Cooper Hartley hates the entitled rich kids who infiltrate his hometown every college season. When one gets him fired from his job, Cooper and his friends decide Cooper should steal his girlfriend to teach him a lesson. That’s how Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot meets Cooper Hartley. She’s only in college and dating her boring, cheating boyfriend to live up to her parents expectations.
As Cooper gets closer to Mackenzie, he realizes she isn’t just another clone trust-fund kid. But if she finds out why he pursued her in the first place, it could ruin everything for them.
The chemistry between the main characters was palpable. The character growth was great and every character was well rounded. The side characters were all interesting enough to have their own books (which may be the goal? unsure.). I would’ve liked this more if it wasn’t borderline miscommunication trope which should honestly be illegal. Like, just talk to each other and be honest. It isn’t that difficult. If you are looking for a quick, easy read, I recommend.
Tropes: rich/good girl / bad boy
POV: split (Mac/Cooper)
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty and Death of parent
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