Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - This May End Badly

i'm not sure what to say about this book. the rising action started out really good but i think there were too many conflicts to make it flow easily. i understand it's supposed to represent the chaos of senior year, and i understand the internal conflicts that come with the fake-dating trope, but some of the conflicts were unnecessary to the plot and ruined the ending tbh. especially the sub-plot of the teacher. if the book included questions of self-integrity and self-belonging and without the random conflicts that messed up the storyline, it would have been a lot better imo.

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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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booktwinning's review

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emotional funny 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

4.5

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sydflower's review

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adventurous emotional funny tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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izzymannellasbookshelf's review

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-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

This may end badly? Spoiler, it will end beautifully.

I always forget about how much I love the fake dating trope until I read another book with it. And the way the trope is done in this book? Amazing. Gold stars. Take my money.

The main character Doe is so blessedly different from your average protagonist. She's not obsessed with romance and boys while pretending not to be. She just takes romance as it is & when it comes but her focus is elsewhere. She loves the school that gave her a home when she needed one, and she will do anything to protect it from the boys' school across from it. She has a one-track mind and goes all in when she cares about something.

Doe's senior year is centered around a centuries' long "war" with the rival all-boys school Winfield, but heightens when they all find out that the schools might merge next year. Doe and her friends will do anything to keep the Weston school for girls and only girls, a refuge for those who need it as much as they have.

But Doe's focus on stopping the merger becomes more of a one-on-one game against her nemesis at the boy's school, one who goes by the nickname Three. Doe and Three are constantly at each other's throats, so it shouldn't be a surprise when she makes an interesting bargain and pretends to date the cousin he hates: Gabriel Wellborn. Aka Wells. Akaka, the pretty one.

And it shouldn't be a surprise when she catches not-so-pretend feelings...

Read if you like:
x the fake dating trope
x witty banter (a lot of it. in the best way)
x strong friend groups
x boy-girl rivalries
x betrayals?? hmmm
x and BOOK BOYFRIENDS that you can add to your list (I know you have one)

Thank you so much to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this book early.

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peachy_dreamy's review

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dark funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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