Reviews with content warning for Bullying - This May End Badly

Before I get into the review, I want to say a quick thank you to both the publishers over at Wednesday Books and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This May End Badly is about two rival schools with a long history of prank wars. Senior Doe, chief prankster at Weston, is thrown for a loop when she finds out that the Weston School for Girls and Winfield Academy for Boys are merging next year. In order to get under her rival(Three)’s skin, she convinces his cousin to fake date her. Will everything go to plan--will they be able to stop this merger--or will this all end badly? This May End Badly releases on April 12th and is available for preorder now.

I have to start the review by saying that this book did something that very few contemporary novels do which is make it hard for me to put the book down. I was so invested in this fake dating/prank war scenario that I read two thirds of this book in a day. If anyone has been following my blog lately, they know that this year has been hard for me on the reading front, so reading anything two thirds of the way through in one day is such an achievement. I found these characters so compelling and so realistic. Even the enemy’s extended family felt grounded in reality which I loved. This book also does a good job handling tough topics well--sexual harassment, inclusion, bullying, family issues. It was also a fun world to just be in and explore. I guess it’s true that I will never get enough boarding school stories in my life.

The ways this story struggled for me were mostly pacing/time management. I felt like we had such a heavy topic to deal with at the end of the story that I wish we had done more with it in the beginning. It is mentioned briefly at first, but the story is so centered around the fake dating and the scheming up pranks that it kind of gets lost. So, the pace feels a little disjointed. Also, as someone who has admitted to being a complete masochist, I wanted more angst out of the fake dating scenario. I felt like the author had some great scenes for the couple that were fake dating, but I wish there was more mutual pining. God I love me some mutual pining. The last real note that I have for the novel is that I wanted more from the family drama Three and his cousins are dealing with throughout the novel. Maybe this one goes back to pacing. I just wish that I had a better understanding of their family and the drama.

Overall, this is a great contemporary/romance for anyone who enjoys young adult or fake dating or seeing a cute couple in a bookstore once in a while.

Content Warnings

janaikam's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

E-book Arc Received from NetGalley.

This is an absolute must read if you like fake dating. The rivalry and ‘games’ played between characters really adds a level of questioning what’s really going on and what’s going to happen next. The story as a whole is just funny while bringing up serious subjects while still being light hearted about it. Honestly very good read and highly recommend.

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