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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Really enjoyed it!
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: bully
Angst:
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: bully
Angst:
Everything but the conflict
Loved it! Seriously binge read the heck out of it. Exactly what I’m looking for in a hate to love, redemption and all.
But honestly, nothing bugs me more than lack of communication or miscommunication being the key conflict issue in the story. You know that peak moment that goes and messes it all up? Yeah, that one. It would have been a solid 4/4.5 star read for me. I just personally dislike using that as the main conflict.
Loved it! Seriously binge read the heck out of it. Exactly what I’m looking for in a hate to love, redemption and all.
But honestly, nothing bugs me more than lack of communication or miscommunication being the key conflict issue in the story. You know that peak moment that goes and messes it all up? Yeah, that one. It would have been a solid 4/4.5 star read for me. I just personally dislike using that as the main conflict.
dark
emotional
tense
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
dark
emotional
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
Full of devoured this one in the blink on an eye. Should have expected it since I’ve read all 8 of Angel & Samantha’s “Royals of Forsyth” series at least twice (some 3-4 times). I was hesitant because of the High School setting, and because I wasn’t sure it would really hold a candle to the Forsyth series, but oh boy was I wrong! These women can write characters you just full on fucking hate, and get angry at, and can’t even stand sometimes.. and then flip the empathy switch to have you rooting for them and holding your breath for the HEA.
fast-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
↠ Story Pacing
The story is well told, with a strong storyline (if a little predictable) with hilariously laugh out loud moments. The sassy prickly but soft character of Gwen is excellently rendered by her biting realistic sarcasm. As well, the comedic tone slips in an element of their “teen” ages; which is a great reminder that they ARE still kids - as they act largely act without “adult supervision” unless its a plot point. And when they quibbled and fought, they were SO CUTE like a married couple bickering in their insult love language.
↠ Characters/development
Gwen was actually a really good buyable character, I don’t always like the way authors write their “strong female leads”. She was “strong” as a practice to protect herself, but was not perfect and accepted her corrections where appropriate. Hamilton was the typical perfect head boy but his character arc was handled, again, realistically in that it didn’t happen overnight - it was a journey - and it all begins with saying I’m sorry.
↠ Overall plot quality
Although the plot was a little predictable, that’s not something I really grade hard against, for me - it’s about the way the story is told. And this story is one of the better, realistically and maturely handled, bully romance stories I have read. There is real frustration, real angst, and real spark as their relationship grows from a friendship to an enemies bond to a rivalry bond back to an enemies bond and then, finally, a lovers bond.
↠ Recommended for/similar to
Despite being a bully dark romance, it’s maybe a henley grey on the morally black scale, and there is a strong likable cast of characters to round out the different sides of the main leads. If Lifetime ever did a bully romance this would their prototype for sure.
The story is well told, with a strong storyline (if a little predictable) with hilariously laugh out loud moments. The sassy prickly but soft character of Gwen is excellently rendered by her biting realistic sarcasm. As well, the comedic tone slips in an element of their “teen” ages; which is a great reminder that they ARE still kids - as they act largely act without “adult supervision” unless its a plot point. And when they quibbled and fought, they were SO CUTE like a married couple bickering in their insult love language.
↠ Characters/development
Gwen was actually a really good buyable character, I don’t always like the way authors write their “strong female leads”. She was “strong” as a practice to protect herself, but was not perfect and accepted her corrections where appropriate. Hamilton was the typical perfect head boy but his character arc was handled, again, realistically in that it didn’t happen overnight - it was a journey - and it all begins with saying I’m sorry.
↠ Overall plot quality
Although the plot was a little predictable, that’s not something I really grade hard against, for me - it’s about the way the story is told. And this story is one of the better, realistically and maturely handled, bully romance stories I have read. There is real frustration, real angst, and real spark as their relationship grows from a friendship to an enemies bond to a rivalry bond back to an enemies bond and then, finally, a lovers bond.
↠ Recommended for/similar to
Despite being a bully dark romance, it’s maybe a henley grey on the morally black scale, and there is a strong likable cast of characters to round out the different sides of the main leads. If Lifetime ever did a bully romance this would their prototype for sure.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Pushed through. Got bored at the end.
Full of devoured this one in the blink on an eye. Should have expected it since I’ve read all 8 of Angel & Samantha’s “Royals of Forsyth” series at least twice (some 3-4 times). I was hesitant because of the High School setting, and because I wasn’t sure it would really hold a candle to the Forsyth series, but oh boy was I wrong! These women can write characters you just full on fucking hate, and get angry at, and can’t even stand sometimes.. and then flip the empathy switch to have you rooting for them and holding your breath for the HEA.