Scoring the Quarterback

San Diegan #2

by S.M. Soto

Luke Caldwell has three abhorrent qualities to him:
1) He's a pig-headed jock.
2) He's a grade A asshole with the biggest, overbearing ego.
3) He's a manwhore.

These three qualities alone should've had me running for the hills. I tried to steer clear of him, I really did, but it was an impossible feat. Luke Caldwell was nothing if not persistent, and the way he bulldozed through my life, not taking no for an answer is proof of it. I tried to stay away from him. I wanted to hate him. But I couldn't. Luke was nothing like the idiot jock I pegged him out to be. He became a friend, a confidant, and after one unforgettable night, he became so much more. Whatever this is between us, it's impossible to ignore. I just hope when all is said and done, I won't be burned by the college bad boy.

Genres: Sports, College, Sports Romance, Romance, New Adult, Football, College Romance

350 pages, ebook

Published May 15, 2018

About the author

S.M. Soto was born and raised in Northern California where she currently resides with her son. Her love for reading began when she was a young girl, and has only continued to grow into adulthood. S.M. lives for reading books in the romance genre and writing novels with relatable characters. She refers to herself as a bit of a romance junkie. S.M. loves to connect with readers and eat copious of donuts that will surely lead to her demise (carbs are life).

Follow links:
Instagram.com/authorsmsoto
Twitter.com/AuthorSMsoto
Facebook.com/romanceauthorsmsoto

Reviews

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★]

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FRENEMIES TO LOVERS!

Stand-alone
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Blurb:
An epic Frenemies to lovers romance...
Luke Caldwell has three abhorrent qualities to him:
1) He’s a pig-headed jock.
2) He’s a grade A asshole with the biggest, overbearing ego.
3) He’s a manwhore.
These three qualities alone should’ve had me running for the hills. I tried to steer clear of him, I really did, but it was an impossible feat. Luke Caldwell was nothing if not persistent and the way he bulldozed through my life, not taking no for an answer is proof of it.
I tried to stay away from him.
I wanted to hate him. But I couldn’t.
Luke was nothing like the idiot jock I pegged him out to be. He became a friend, a confidant, and after one unforgettable night, he became so much more.
Whatever this is between us, it’s impossible to ignore. I just hope when all is said and done, I won’t be burned by the college bad boy.

[-S♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★4 Stars! Scoring The Quarterback.... Is an intriguing page turner!
I can’t stop loving him even if I wanted to, and I don’t want to try. Luke Caldwell is the man who stole my soul and heart.



Contemporary? College? Frenemies to lovers? Romance?!?
Yes! I enjoyed this book so much!
Scoring The Quarterback is a slow burn. It is without a doubt entertaining, well written, sizzling and most of all..it is refreshing.
You will laugh at the funny banter. Melt at the heartwarming moments.
And truly feel for and enjoy these characters!


Luke Caldwell

We first met Luke and immediately I knew he wasn't the guy that everyone made him out to be. Although he was most definitely and without a doubt, cocky and arrogant - I knew that there was more to Luke Caldwell. & without giving too much away, he proved me right.

Luke was a breath of fresh air!

I enjoyed his character.

Natalia

I felt for Natalia. A dead mother, a loveless father and a dysfunctional family.
Natalia life was rough, but I love how she did not let it define her. & I love that she grew throughout the book!

I love, love, love Luke and Natalia’s friendship and relationship! Their chemistry, their banter, their love for one another.
It wasn’t forced and it felt real and that to me was one of the best things about this book!




A really big thank you to the author S.M. Soto for this fantastic ARC!

[⚔Irunía⚔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, "You're different from other girls/You're unlike other girls" is NOT a compliment. There's abundance of this overused and overdone concept in the book.

Also the events of the second part of the story proved Luke to be a dumb coward with no brain of his own. Fuck her sister so she hates you just because she "deserves better" and you "did it for her"??? Wait, what? 😅That's even not him who came up with the brilliant idea, he just heard some other dude speak about the ways to get rid of "clingy" girls and went ahead. The fact that he eventually didn't manage to follow through on and get it up in the process doesn't make him any less stupid and immature, sorry.

I wanted to give this book 4* so much if only for the amazing friendship the main leads developed, but Luke was completely ruined for me as a character by the end😒

3 stars for the great beginning and overall engaging story with plain stupid and unnecessary drama at the end

[Fiona Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

You remember the first time you read a NA book that just made you so freaking excited and addicted to the genre and you couldn’t get enough. The very first one. That first time feeling that is thrilling and every reader wants to repeat.

This is it.

I was holding my breath and falling in love with this book. I can’t recommend it enough. I’ve missed this feeling so much and will be forever devoted to SM Soto fo giving it to me!

[Michelle Claypot_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is EVERYTHING I love about NA reads. It's not just friends to lovers - it's better - it's enemies to friends to lovers!!! The NA Holy Trinity ❤️❤️❤️

Luke and Natalia drove me totally insane for parts of this story - in the very best possible way!! It's a DELICIOUS slowburn - my favourite kind of read. My "make my heart happy" kind of book.

I raged at my IPad, then I got all smiley, then I was broken hearted, then I laughed, then I raged some more & so on ... Gah!! So much going on that I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough - didn't stop til I finished with burning eyes at almost 3am! So worth it! Definitely recommend this book.

I received an arc of this book

[Snow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had the right amount of NA drama, and angst...fuck, did it make me itchy with palpitations...

But mainly, I was kinda disappointed with the 'reasoning' of the main character...*sigh*

Yeah, sure...I can understand the fact that people make mistakes...and hopefuly you learn from them...

But here, he 'purposely' made the 'mistake' that broke heroine's heart, so he could show her that she doesn't deserve him...

What the ever lovin fuck, man?!

Now, that kind of "reasoning" pisses the fuck out of me and all I can say to that is "you are fucking stupid, you fucking idiot"

and when you are given this kind of explanation:

He didn't sleep with her. They just you know...messed around.
He loves you, and I know you love him. Sometimes we do stupid shit and make mistakes. Can't you just give him the benefit of the doubt? I know you're hurting...but so is he, Natalia."

Sometimes, I can't grasp the vast abyss of human stupidity...and it always surprises me in such an unpleasant way...god dammit!!!

Makes me wanna just flip out, turn green or some shit and beat the stupidity fuck out of them all.

It kinda also insults my intelligence, too...



Me, personally, in this case, I would NOT forgive or forget, ha! But this is fiction and the author portrayed the guy as a redeemable guy and yada, yada, yada...go, fuck off to the sunset together



*rant over*

Anyway, those of you who can live through angsty shit, and fucking stupid actions from a male character, who later redeem himself, sure...and provides his love a forever HEA, then go for it, if you are allergic to stupidity, then take caution!

Take meds...it'll help, hopefully😂

[hugsandcookies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looooove it!!!!

I'm so glad that this story is everything from beginning to the end, that you'd read about YA college romance. It has everything you love about and be angry about. So with this story I love the characters Natalia and Luke their POVs their amazing and funny friends that totally makes this story worth the rating I gave to a story that brings beyond the so called hate to friends and then to lovers, but without a story like this you sure can expect drama and tears.

[Alla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one deserves a little bit more than 3 stars, so lets go for 3.5 ;)
It was angsty at times and I did find myself wanting to kick someone´s ass a time or two, but overall a good book and it kept me interested.

[Bookgasms Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gahh!! Anyone who knows me knows that football romances are my kryptonite. I devour them in one sitting and can't reach for another one fast enough. And the fact that it was also an enemies to lovers romance? I was Sold!! So when I saw the blurb for Scoring the Quarterback I knew I had to read it. I loved Luke and Natalia. They were sexy, funny and their friendship was amazing.

S.M. Soto is a new to me author. While it this is the second book in the San Diego series, this is a complete standalone. I enjoyed this novel alot. I loved the banter and slow burn aspect of the story. It allowed their connection and friendship to develop over time. I found that Luke was swoony, sexy and funny. He saw how different Natalia was from other women. Likewise Natalia saw past Luke's "manwhore" ways to the man he was inside. I loved that.

While I did enjoy this story I found the writing style to be more telling vs showing which was very offputting. It seemed like at times a lot of the chapters started off as a laundry list of their recent interactions vs. us actually "seeing" them happen. I would have much preferred to have "seen" these to show the progression of their chemistry and feelings for one another. It helps deepen my connection to the characters and the story overall.

All in all though, this story was a great swoony story and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future! Bravo! 4 Stars! ~Ratula

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to so many others. Standard college campus romance between the star football player and the nerdy girl, who ties him in knots after a ton of angst goes down. This one definitely had a little too much repetition in the scenes from chapter to chapter. I wasn't sure if I even liked either the h or the H. Finally decided to let them score an "E" for effort.

Not the best I've ever read, not the worst either. Just so-so and at times fun to read with the witty sassy dialogue.

[Mg ♥ The Bookishmedialite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scoring the Quarterback is the second book in The San Diegan series by S.M. Soto and I really wanted to love it. I definitely enjoyed it more than the first one–the vibe was totally different, lighter, funny, less angsty.

The fact that I didn't love the book doesn't reflect the author's writing—which was great. My problem lies with Natalia. I did like her in the first book, but sometimes you just don't click and there's nothing you can do about it. And don't let me start talking about Sam... that girl was a mess, but the funny thing is that I would read her book just to know what's wrong with her.

Just as in the first book, the hero was worth it. I liked Nick—not so much with Nat though.

Anyway, don’t let my crazy issues hang you up from picking up this book. It was a funny and sexy story that I think some people will really enjoy. It just wasn't the right read for me.



You can find me here: INSTAGRAM

[Vanessa (nessreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 “Player” Stars

Ahhh, I don’t know what to do with myself. As soon as I started reading this book, I could not put it down. The pages were flying at how fast I was turning them. When I reached a crucial part it didn’t matter that it was after midnight, Sleep? Sleep could wait, I had to know what was going to happen. And I knew I was going to finish this book in one sitting.

Natalia’s main focus is going to school. She doesn’t have time for anything else other than to study and going to work. And she hopes it stays that way, though sometimes it’s not that easy.

Luke Caldwell lives and breathes football. He’s an arrogant and cocky quarterback. His main goal is playing in the NFL. And nothing is going to get in the way of his dream.

The attraction between Luke and Natalia is evident. But both try their hardest not to give into it. As time goes on these two develop a friendship. But slowly, feelings for each other start to manifest into something more. They don’t want to pursue what “could be” for fear that it’ll ruin everything. But sometimes taking that leap into the unknown might just be what they both need and have been looking for all along.

Gahhh, I can’t with Luke and Natalia. These two had me crazy on the edge of my seat. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. One minute they had me giggling and smiling like a fool and the next, they had me raging so hard I thought I was going pull a muscle from punching the air. There were times I wanted to shake Natalia, I wanted her to stick up for herself and not be so trustworthy. And Luke? Oh boy, he needed to be taken down a peg or two. There was this one part that had me fuming, I wanted to junk punch him over and over again. Yes, he did redeem himself, a little, but there was so much groveling to be done. But simply, Luke and Natalia just worked. I really liked them together and I just wanted more of them, so much more.

Scoring the Quarterback was a slow burn, and frenemies to lovers filled with so much angsty goodness. And now that I’ve read Natalia and Luke’s story, I neeeeeed to go back and read Aliza’a book. Oh, and not to be forgotten because she’ll not take too kindly to that, I also need more of Sam and her story. I just love this group of girlfriends so much.

SM has fast become an author added to my favorites list. I desperately crave and need all her words. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

[Tiffany Readz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Score one for S.M. Soto!

This week was my lucky week, two super cute, funny and sexy sports romances. First it was Jock Row by Sara Ney and now Scoring the Quarterback by S.M. Soto. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Luke and Natalia in this story.

Average girl, super sports guy, they meet, hate each other and that is that. Nope, not with this book. Our average girl, Natalia, meets the superstar quarterback Luke while picking up her sister at a frat party. Sure she knows all about him, but to meet him in person is even more annoying. Then when he talks to her, forget it. She can't get away from him fast enough.

Luke can get any girl he wants and he definitely doesn't want this one. She's too much freaking work, but he can appreciate her sense of humor. Quickly realizing that Natalia can dish as well as she takes, plus could care less who he is, mesmerizes Luke. It's something he's never dealt with before.

Oh the back and forth with these two is priceless! Add in Natalia's friends Samantha and Aliza and this is a full blown comedy, with some serious and sexy thrown in. I liked Luke and Natalia's characters right off the bat and rooted for Natalia even more when I learned about her upbringing. The girl deserved to be happy.

The book is well written from dual points of view and had me interested from the first page until the last. There are laugh out loud parts, as well as made me almost well up parts. Along with the main characters, the supporting characters are just as interesting. I see this is a book two in the series and it can be read as a stand alone. However, I'm going to go and pick up book one to meet Aliza properly. Samantha is up next and I'm sure it isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows for her.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke, the man whore football player. Natalia, the book loving nerd. Two polar opposites. Luke wants her... bad, but winning Natalia over is going to take some effort. She’s not going to fall at his feet just because he plays ball.
I really enjoyed this read. It made me laugh and cry, always a sign of a good book in my view.

[Rhonda Ziglar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 SLOW-BURN STARS!! A beautiful slow-burn romance story. This story is full of angst, fun banter, sexy times, drama and fantastic characters. We met Natalia and Luke in the first book, The Darkest Hour which was phenomenal too. I could not wait to read Natalia and Luke's story, they were so opposite of each other, but their chemistry was off the charts. S.M. Soto's writing is flawless and what a storyteller she is, you will never want her books to end. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[Nerdy Dirty & Flirty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This college sports romance was amazing. From the very beginning I loved it. The banter and dialog back and forth between Luke and Natalia was so entertaining as they got to know each other. They were very funny frienemies. I loved the way things developed between them. The slow burn and evolution of their relationship made for a great read.

The secondary characters definitely contributed to the story as well. Support system, sounding board, bad idea provider, and sometimes just seemingly to mentally scar each other in memorable ways. There was an unresolved story for me that I can only hope means I get another book with these characters and starring a specific best friend. Maybe also a redemption story for a certain unpleasant character.

In the meantime I highly recommend this story that was hard to put down and had me smiling with it's perfection by the end.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing college romance story this is! I loved Luke and Natalie and their humorous banter. There is angst in this story as well, all of which had be captivated throughout. This story is certainly a page turner, and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

[Life on Readpeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Read more of my reviews at Whoo Gives A Hoot *

Scoring the Quarterback is my first S.M. Soto read and I must say that I really enjoyed every second of this story! Now that I've read this one I can't wait to go back and read the first book in this standalone series!

Luke and Natalia's back and forth bantering had me going crazy (in the best way possible) at times and I couldn't get enough of these two. This book gave me that slow-burn kind a feel and I really enjoyed the character development throughout. Fans of frenemies to lovers will certainly fall in LOVE with this story!

[Michelle Brace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap this book had my emotions running the gamete. This book had me from the first page. Two completely opposite people bringing out the best in one another. Forming a friendship that the more time you spend with each other turns into more but would it ever work?

These two and the banter they had was highly entertaining. The attraction that built throughout the story was so good and the anger that this book brought out in me, oh lord. I the ups and downs on my emotions, oh lord, I wasn't sure if I was coming or going towards the end there. I would be thinking one thing but then change my mind just to remember and want to hurt someone again. I loved how everything was resolved and how the rest of the story played out.

This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to get more. I definitely recommend this book.

[Brittany from Can’t Quit Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalia is a girl who wants to study and go to school. She doesn’t have time for anything else.

Luke is a playboy quarterback who uses women as stress relief and never goes back for seconds. His goal is the NFL, and he doesn’t have a plan B. He is cocky, arrogant, and says whatever crude comment is on his mind.

Overtime, these two develop feelings for each other, but they try to hold off on acting on the attraction.

The first portion of the book is written from Natalia’s POV, but you can tell when Luke’s feelings begin to change.

We don’t get Luke’s POV until a crucial point of the book. I feel that waiting for his POV made the scene more emotional and drew out the suspense.

Natalia’s character was too trustworthy at some points. She is used to getting walked over by her family and really wants to see the best in everyone.

Luke is used to people only wanting him for his fame and not for who he really is deep inside. His walls are built high. He doesn’t realize football isn’t his only love until it is too late.

I really loved this story, but I couldn’t get over one scene. That is something I don’t think I could get past if I was in Natalia’s situation especially since was done with the intention to hurt her. If I did, it would take a long time. I understand the reasoning behind Luke thinking he had to do something drastic, but it doesn’t excuse his behavior.

-An ARC was generously given in exchange for an honest review.-

[Britt Chaotic Creatives · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always loved a good college football romance, but S.M. Soto has taken that to a whole new level with Scoring The Quarterback! This enemies to lovers, slow burn, with just the right amount of angst to keep your heart pounding read had me hooked right from the start. I devoured this in one sitting. You couldn’t have pulled me away if you tried. Delving deeper than just nerdy girl meets football star, Scoring The Quarterback packs is full of real emotion with characters that work their way right into your heart.

Natalia is the kind of character you just want to wrap up in a big hug. I quickly found myself rooting for her to find real happiness. Her heartbreaking childhood combined with her kind heart make her one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever read. Overcoming what would break most, Natalia puts all of herself into being the best she can. Luke is her complete opposite. Cocky, player, and at the top of his game he comes off as at stereotypical jock at first.

It’s not long before theses two are more frenemies than enemies, and that’s when you begin to see there’s much more to Luke than meets the eye. The sparks were immediate between these two, but they took their time building up to that next level. It made for a romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat!

[✨ Denise’s Dreamy Reads ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ DREAMY’S REVIEW ✨

Scoring the Quarterback is a sports, fenemies to lovers romance and everything I love about New Adult! Angsty with some drama and heat! YUM!

A total page turner, Natalia and Luke had my attention loud and clear! I love how these two were clear opposites and even though it was hard to see their attraction and chemistry at first, S.M. Soto gives a flow where you fall in love with her characters and their story being told!

Natalia is the total bookworm while Luke is the arrogant and hot jock. There’s so much more to the both of them than what’s meet the eye.

I enjoyed how she was not impressed by his ways, but slowly and surely, he wormed his way into her heart each passing day. The banter between these two was priceless and I couldn’t not get enough! But let me tell you, at one point I didn’t think Luke would be redeemable and or forgivable, but I mean, he did... a little bit. A LITTLE BIT! GAH, you just must read this book!

This is a slow burn and trust me when I tell you, the wait is worth it! Luke and Natalia gripped at my heart, had me at the edge of my seat, and rooting for them HARD!

S.M. Soto’s writing is something you have to experience for yourself, and trust me, you will fall in love! I’m so excited to read more by Soto because I need Aliza’s story!

Four dreamy stars: 💫💫💫💫

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[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! 5 Stars!

I truly loved everything about this book. It was not your typical college romance story. The H/h did not just jump into bed together. In fact their relationship was a steamy, slow burn. Just how I hoped it would be. The slow pace of their developing relationship was perfect. Natalia and Luke don't get off to a perfect start. He is the arrogant star football player, man whore and she is the quiet, independent, hard-working student. Total opposites.

What I enjoyed was how Luke's true persona was revealed over time. Natalia was an open book. I hated her upbringing. Immensely. However, I believe those earlier years are what shaped her to be the beautiful young woman she is. I also loved that despite how innocent she was, Natalia was not naive.

So Luke and Natalia decide it's best to be friends. It wasn't long before they became best friends. And I'm sure you can guess what happens eventually. I loved the emotional feels throughout the story. I adored the secondary characters. (well, most of them) This story had angst and while there wasn't really suspense, I found myself guessing at the plot, wondering how the author would wrap this up.

This is my first book by this S.M. Soto. I will soon be going back to read book one in this series and look forward to book three as well.

I want to add that this book brought me enjoyment as well as complete satisfaction with how it turned out. The epilogue was perfect! Two weeks later and I'm still feeling this amazing book. I totally recommend this read!

This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it. :)

[Clau · Rating 1 out of 5]

More like 1.5 ⭐️
The truth is, it could have been better. The main characters, Natalia and Luke, complemented each other in a way I really liked. But I had several issues with the story. First of all, the authors writing honestly sucks. Second, the pace of the story was really... weird, I guess. For about 60% of the book, it feels as if nothing happens. Third, there were a lot of stuff that, at least to me, didn't make any sense. For example, the beginning of the friendship between Natalia and Luke, and the lack of retribution from Gina after she finds out about it (for the record, Natalia was really freaked out about it, and yet Gina only complains to her dad, instead of humiliating her in front of everyone or something like that). And finally, the end was way to rushed for me.

[Emily Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love an angst driven friends to lovers story? Then make sure you one click S.M. Soto’s Scoring the Quarterback, book 2 in her San Diegan series. This novel can completely be read as a standalone- I did. However, after reading, I will say I want more from this author. Her book was just absolutely ridiculously amazing.

Scoring the Quarterback is about college QB, Luke and Natalia, a book loving nerd. When this pigheaded manwhore meets Natalia he is instantly intrigued however friendzoned. These two couldn’t be more opposite. Soto wowed me with her characters love/hate relationship. They way they poked, prodded and bantered with each other. They tiptoed that invisible line throughout the novel filling you full of all that angst and keeping you reeled in until the very end.

I literally read this cover to cover in one day. There wasn’t a moment when I could put it down. Soto created characters and a relationship that was so addictive I couldn’t bring myself to stop reading until the last page was turned. This is a new author I discovered and based on this novel alone, it won’t be the last time I one click her books. If you love a sport romance with some friends to lovers spread throughout then make sure you one click this one. You won’t walk away disappointed!

[Beneath The Covers Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review can be found HERE --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

*ARC provided for a voluntary honest review.* ~Sonal

[madie (madieanne) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my second time reading scoring the quarterback and this experience was even better than the first omg

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of this author for me as I didn't know what to expect loved it didn't want it to end ..can't wait to read the rest of her books

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy. Ok so I love sports romances and I love friends to lovers and enemies to lovers stories…but this book was just…well, a hot mess for me.

So, let me start with Natalia…she and I just didn’t click. Maybe that’s what made this book such a bear for me? I just felt like she was going out of her way to be mean to Luke. One of the things that I love about enemies to lovers is that the characters aren’t instant bffs. They bicker and fight while becoming friends when they weren’t looking. I didn’t get that vibe from Natalia and Luke at all. I felt like Natalia was just plain mean to Luke at times, and he was nothing but nice to her. Yes, his nicknames were a little stupid and he had his stupid moments but I just couldn’t figure out why he was interested in Natalia.

Luke…I actually really liked him. As I stated above, I have no idea why he was into Natalia. He went out of his way to be with her and spend time with her and well…I don’t get it. I wish I’d gotten his POV earlier in the book. Since every chapter was labeled with “Natalia”, I kept waiting and hoping I’d get something from Luke so that I could see what was going on in his head. When I finally did get a POV for him, I hated how he let his friends get into his head and plant doubts about him and Natalia. And choosing Gina to hurt Natalia made me hate him a little.

Samantha…she was the worst best friend ever. I couldn’t understand why Natalia was best friends with her aside from the fact that they were roommates. And with all of her crap, there was a part thrown in about how awful her childhood was, as if that was an excuse and was supposed to make me feel sorry for her and it just didn’t.

Gina or Georgina or Gina…not sure of her actual name. I’m not usually the type of reader that needs ALL the information but in this case, the author kept switching between the two names constantly, even in the same paragraph, that I started to question which name the author liked better and what the characters name was. It was especially confusing in the beginning of the book, when everyone was just being introduced. It’s just one of a few continuity errors I caught. Another one was when Luke asked Natalia about why she never asks him about football and said something like “You know I play”….yes, she does know. You invited her to a game! So…it annoyed me. But I digress…this was supposed to be about Gina….and how much I hated her. The biggest thing this author excelled at for this book was making me hate characters because I LOATHED Gina. And Gina’s parents. And the way Natalia was treated by her family. And maybe that’s part of why I had issues…I couldn’t really warm up to Natalia yet I hated how she was treated. Gina was a spiteful bitch. I can’t sugarcoat it. She was beyond awful.

The one thing I can say about this book is that while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.