But I still just couldn't figure Jared out. Did he like her (somewhere deep down inside)? Did he hate her (unlikely, based on his actions and words)? What made him so angry with her? Why did he want to hurt her? Why did he want to protect her? ... Questions. Questions. Never-ending questions. I needed to know WHY! I dove in hands first, and the water cooled my tense skin. My body immediately relaxed at the pleasure of the pool. No sound, no eyes on me. I savored the peace of it, the kind of peace I get when I run. I loved the way the author subtly included little elements and details that made me fall for him while he was being a bully but yet that also didn’t excusing his actions. She made it clear to the readers that there was something deeper beneath the surface… something that the heroine couldn’t quite see at first. Now, I got the chance of reading "Rival", that tells the story of two young lovers who are broken, force to be apart and had no way of letting this love go only by transforming it into hate. They say that between love and hate is a small step, and they are right, this book proved it.

I’d just hit Madoc. I’d just hit Madoc!The novelty of my action was overwhelming, and I let out a bitter laugh. That really just happened. Anyway! The story itself is great, we do find out why Jared bullied her all those years and all it would have taken was communication, but they are teens so who communicates effectively at that age? I was along for the ride. I hated his friend Maddoc and at times I was upset with Tate, but the moment they do get together it was fireworks 💥 and I am all here for that built up tension of hate between the two. Ten different scenarios ran through my head of what I should do right now. What if I elbowed him in the gut? What if I threw my drink in his face? What if I took the sink hose and …? I made a comparison between Jared/ Tate and Madoc/Fallon. The first couple based their relationship on more feelings than the second one. Jared and Tate bonded as kids and were driven by hate, love, lust. But there are feelings involved, more intense than Madoc/Fallon. From my point of view our heroes were more intense and explosive, having this attraction impossible to ignore. The attraction was there, but I was not very convinced of the love. This constant push and pull diminished a little the love it had to be between them. I don't know if I made myself clear, but I tried.For her whole high school career, Tate has been bullied. By one person in particular... Jared. Jared is Tate’s neighbor and used to be Tate’s best friend, but You know, maybe you should’ve just driven like I suggested,” I blurted out, even though I never liked anyone else to drive when I was in the car.

The drama after 70% just was too much for me, it slowly turned into sopa opera, for real. I mean, her mother, his father, her father, Jared's mother, all the side plots running along with the main one started to get on my nerves. The book took me through a range of emotion and even left me teary in places seeing the friendship they'd once had, the hurt that was left over, the anger that was thrown around and the hearts that were left bruised. Deep down, Madoc is an adorable, sensitive person who hides behind his jokey persona and Fallon is a spunky woman who is determined not to lose herself to her past.Same happened in Rival. Fallon is in boarding school for two years but we don't know where. Does she make friends? Dorms? Did she have Facebook? How was she so isolated in this day and age. If you're gonna add in these trips away make them realistic please. Use this time to show us their development as characters.

Watching him leave the kitchen, I wiped away the cold sweat that broke out across my forehead. Nothing had happened, and he hadn’t even said anything to me, but my stomach had hollowed all the same.Second - sex - off the charts hot!!! And I mean it, sheets were on fire with those two. It probably saved the book for me, definitely added 1 star to my review. And there comes she, David’s Goliath, no matter how much he tries , he can't deny his attraction to her and what's under it... BUT she wants REVENGE Good!” he shouted in my face, boring down on me. “Finally. Because it’s been a long time since I could stand the sight of you… I promise you will be in tears by next week.”

Gushes I am soooo freaking glad Madoc gets his own book, I expect a funny az hell ride, he's not been the sharpest tool in the shed in the previous books but you can't help but like his character.. Now, I know bullying is a serious and highly sensitive issue. And I'm not downplaying that or tying to make light of that.

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Me llamo Tate. Pero él no me llama así. Nunca se referiría a mí de una manera tan informal, eso en el caso de que me dirigie- ra la palabra. No, casi ni me habla. Aun así, nunca me deja sola. That beautiful girl hated me, and I hated her, but – goddamn it – I loved how we hated, because it was raw and real. It didn’t make any sense, but yeah – it was real.”