Taking Chances Molly McAdams Book Review

Fuck this book. Seriously, fuck this book. I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE THAT IN A REVIEW YOU GUYS, and finally after reading the worst book EVER I finally have the chance to do so. Now, I am going to go in depth on spoilers of Taking Chances by Molly McAdams, but not until a few paragraphs down and I will warn you of spoilers to come with giant letters. You guys, if I wasn’t reading Taking Chances on a $200 device, I would have chucked it across the room, I was so angry with this poorly written, poorly characterized book. Further, the values within kind of go against all of more core beliefs and while I won’t dislike you or think less of you if you’re down for those things, for me I was just like no, not okay not cool.

Taking Chances Molly McAdams Book Cover

Okay, you guys this review is going to be full of swears because I am so angry and I am not talented enough to express that anger without swears and sometimes nothing gets the point across better for me than a well placed fuck. OKAY SO. Taking Chances opens with main character Harper getting ready to leave home — a military base where she lives with her father and a lot of Marines for college across the country in San Diego. Harper calls her dad Sir. This is a super big deal. Anyways, she flys out to college where she meets her roommate Breanna who decides to give Harper a makeover and they become best friends. After the makeover montage, Harper goes with Breanna to a party at her brother’s house. At the party all the guys lose their shit over Harper because she’s so hot and funny and we know this because we get to read all about her outfit. THEN! There’s this guy there who is like the most gorgeous guy Harper has ever seen, his name is Chase. However he’s a total manwhore. And so they don’t date and she proceeds to slut shame any girl who goes near Chase. THEN a few days later she meets another guy who is even more gorgeous that Chase, named Brandon and he fights underground. Brandon becomes Harper’s boyfriend but she’s still attracted to Chase. That’s the plot for 50% of the book. Then something bad happens. Then the book drags for the rest of it. And don’t you worry, I will detail my problems with this awful book.

Okay you guys, I don’t get why dudes constantly lose their shit over Harper. She’s so basic and boring, but apparently really hot.  And funny. And just so cool and so amazing. We’re consistently told how amazing she is, but not shown it. Instead, I saw a petulant brat who was too self-involved for me to really care about her. I mean, we didn’t even learn what her major in college was or what she liked doing besides hooking up and shopping and eating and drinking. She’s really boring and I just don’t get why three guys within the book were so into her that it practically comes down to brass knuckles.

As for the guys, I totally got it with Chase because they had that he’s so tattooed and bad and needs to be reformed sort of relationship. But honestly, if Chase is the dude on the cover on the left with that awful hair dye job, I do not get it. He looks trashy from behind. But he’s also a total asshole to Harper most of the time, which ugh. No, not hot. THEN. There is Brandon who is pretty much a cardboard cut out stand in. He’s so nice and sweet and perfect and just YAWN. SNOOZE. I mean, there’s some drama but it’s so obviously manufactured. And I just still cannot figure out for the life of me what the big deal is.

ALSO! Because this isn’t a spoiler but I need to rant about this too — there were only two girl characters who were ‘good’. Every other female character within Harper and Breanna’s age group were ‘sluts’ or ‘tramps’ or ‘basewhores’. Like for real? I get that Harper is like the Virgin Madonna, but why does every other girl with sexual experience who just want to hook up have to be a whore? Like, that slut shaming is so stupid. I wish there were more solid girl friendships within the book instead of just between Harper and her roommate, and even then none of their conversations pass the Bedchel test.

The writing style is pretty awful you guys. I think at this point with over 700 reviews at my belt and a goodreads average rating of 4.02, you guys know me and you know that when I read a book  I don’t set out to hate it. Especially if it has a setting and a cover I’m interested in. I read books with an open mind. I don’t walk in with a vendetta. And I say this to you, the writing is awful in this book. We barely scratch the surface with characterization. The dialogue is cheesy and awful peppered with babe BABE BABY BABE and I’m all ugh gag me. My notes on this book in my kindle were two ‘fuck this shit’ and ‘girl head for the hills’ because there’s no natural progression or development, just like two pages and then it’s love. I mean, I know people constantly give Twilight shit for being instalove, but at least there was SOME sort of swoon and attraction with glances and hand touching. With this, I just felt nothing. I will say, I was kind of okay with the plotting, but that’s mainly because I needed to know what was going to happen next. HOWEVER, much of the plot is drawn out and convoluted and instead of really exploring an event and the emotions and repercussions and reactions, it’s over in a blink and we’re onto the next trauma of the moment.

 NOW TO GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS AND SPOILERS AND MY ISSUES SO STOP READING IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE COMPLETELY SPOILED BUT I NEED TO PUT ALL OF THIS OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE FEELING THE SAME THING AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE

You guys. I have made my peace with love triangles, I may not absolutely be head over heels for them, but if they are well done, at this point I’m resigned to them being a fixture in the books I read. I expect the point of the triangle to make a choice, not have the choice made for them. You guys, Taking Chances has the most bullshit plot twist and look away like I said above if you don’t want to be spoiled. But okay, so fucking Harper cheats on Brandon just twice with Chase and has sex without protection and OF COURSE she gets pregnant. Of fricken course. Because as we all know, if you have sex you will get pregnant and you will die, only she doesn’t die. Instead, Chase does. And oh my god I was so PISSED. I literally yelled at this book. I thought it was such a huge fucking cop out. Instead of having to force airhead Harper to decide between the guys, she kills off Chase in a car accident and it’s glossed over and by 70% we basically forget all about Chase and she’s pretty much over it. I hate this you guys. I hate when authors take the easy way out because they can’t make up their fricken mind or a decision. I had this same exact feeling with the book ending of My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccoult. I thought that was a cop out too. Sorry, but you don’t set up this big huge choice for the main character to make and then take away that agency by killing off one of the options. No, that’s just awful and poor plotting/writing.

Also, stupid cardboard Brandon doesn’t even seem all that upset by the cheating. Nope, instead not even TWO MONTHS after Chase is cold in the ground, he goes back out with Harper. And AND Chase’s family is cool with this, in fact they encourage it. AND Brandon just forgives her like that and she doesn’t have to do a thing to earn his trust back. Hold the phone you guys just HOLD THE PHONE. If some guy ever cheated on me, it would take much more than a few pretty words to get my trust back. Straight up, there’s something wrong with the relationship when someone strays and time to leave that relationship and not get back together. So, ugh. I was just shaking my head so hard it was about to fall off.

Can I also just say, how hard is the concept of birth control? Like, almost every girl I went to college with was on it. Is that a NY thing? Is it a NY thing where the RAs leave baskets of condoms in the hallway and where we had a vending machine for them? Is this something that only my part of the nation does? Am I the weird one in this situation here? Like, I literally do not understand why it’s so difficult to understand that if you don’t use protection you might end up pregnant. I know that doesn’t happen all the time — not everyone who has unprotected sex ends up pregnant (THANK GOD). But seriously? Like didn’t we all get the banana and the condom lesson in high school or did I just go to a really liberal school? I just do not get it. I know that I personally am not the most level headed person, but honestly even I know that hey ya might want to wrap your tool ESPECIALLY if you called the guy a walking STD at one point, oh my goddddd.

Further, last night I was thinking about my review of this book and what I would say and I had an epiphany. I realized one of the things I hate about this book is that it’s view of the world and relationships is diametrically the opposite of my personal core beliefs and values. You see, at the end of the book Harper is married at 19, drops out of college and has another baby on the way. Are you kidding me? Is this the message we want to send to girls who read this book? What happened to being a strong independent woman who can take care of herself? No. This is like some 1950s shit and I can’t stand it. I don’t know, maybe it’s different here in NY, but I just can’t ever see taking that route. Basically the whole message I got overall was that it’s cool to get pregnant young because if it’s the right guy he’ll take care of you and you won’t even have to work. Fricken UGHHHHHHH. The end of the book it’s basically mentioned that the two girls Breanna and Harper won’t have to work because their husbands will make enough money. Girls this is gross to me. Like, get a job and be financially independent. What if your man dies in an accident? What if the marriage doesn’t work out? Then she has no back up plan and is basically qualified for few jobs. I mean, hello in this economy it’s like a bachelor’s degree is the equivalent of a high school degree and you really need your master’s for something that pays well and I’m just so disgusted that she decides not to finish college and not get a job. I get that her husband at 22 can magically support her because he owns a gym or whatever, but still this just made me so angry. I guess I just feel that in 2013, as women we should be able to support ourselves rather than be fully dependent upon another person.

I also just kind of felt like it was the purpose of women to get married and have babies. And that’s not why I read or choose to read New Adult. I like to read New Adult because it deals with things I can relate to — namely college and just starting a career or struggling. I don’t read New Adult for things like pregnancies and mortgages because most people I know in their early 20s are not worrying about those things. I mean, maybe I just run with a more educated crowd? But this is not my experience at all.

In all conscience, I can’t recommend Taking Chances to you if you are anything like me. If you like strong independent women as main characters, you won’t find that here. If you like swoons and a slow burn and banter, you are out of luck. If you like writing where you highlight every other page, this is not the book. However, if you like a long drawn out, train wreck of a soap opera, then you’ll love Taking Chances.

Disclosure: Received for review, but what the heck I’ll buy the 99 cent copy so I don’t feel awful about this review which is the most negative review I’ve ever written.

Other reviews of Taking Chances by Molly McAdams:

Dear Author – “ non stop eye rolling what the f__ck reactions of everyone that circles the orbit that is Harper.

The Book Scoop – “By the end of the book, I was reading it so that I could close the book and put these characters out of my head.

My Secret Romance Book Reviews – “definitely an emotional story and not one that I regret reading.

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April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. I’m tired, so I’ll be back later for a more substantive comment, but for now:

    I bet this look could have used a well-placed fuck, rather than all of this crazy bullshit.

  2. Oh my gosh, April — THIS REVIEW! This just killed me. It’s funny, because I almost bought this the other day when I was on a buying splurge on the Amazon store. I would’ve been swayed by the Goodreads rating, but instead I went with something else.

    Actually, the funny thing is that I just read The Vincent Boys the other day and while I liked the story part, the editing drove me NUTS! I seriously wonder how some of these books get published (I’m not sure about Taking Chances, but I know The Vincent Boys has been picked up by a publisher). I think the whole “new adult” genre is just getting rave reviews from people because it’s a newer thing (but is it really?) … people like the love part of it, but that it’s not full-out adult romance.

    Meh. I know I’ll leave this one — there are way better books out there!

    At any rate, I loved your ranty review. 🙂

    • I definitely would have bought Taking Chances based on the cover and the publisher (it was picked up by an adult division of Harper) if I wasn’t offered an Edelweiss copy. PLUS, with that goodreads rating, I kind of assumed it would be good because that’s a lot of people rating and a 4 overall is great.

      I really want to read The Vincent books, I am glad that the story is good at least. I feel like when books get picked up by a publisher, they should be edited and critiqued and cleaned up — so they are up to par with standards of that publisher ya know?

      I actually really like New Adult, but that’s because I find a lot of it mirrors what I’ve recently been through and what I’m currently going through — on the verge of you know adulthood where I’ve been through college and did adult things, but I’m still not into popping babies out nor do I have a mortgage or anything.

      Thanks! 🙂

  3. OMG. I’ve been waiting for this review since I saw your Twitter updates about this book, lol. After reading the whole review, I do not blame you for not liking it. I mean it just sounds awful. I am taking this off of my want to read list on Goodreads. Thank you for your very honest review! 🙂

    • Aww, I feel bad that people don’t want to read this anymore. Like, I do think that each book has it’s reader, but I honestly am not sorry about not liking this one.

      Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  4. While this book sounds horrific, your review is spectacular.

    The birth control thing is one of my major pet precession in hooks. Especially if this is a college environment. I mean, I finished college over ten freaking years ago and there were condoms everywhere then, so I can only assume that’s even more the case now.

    Thank you for reading this one so the rest of us don’t have to.

    • Thank you, Sarah.

      I finished college in 2009 and I currently sit on a college committee for work which deals with prevention and education and I can vouch that at least in NY State run colleges condoms are everywhere.

      Sometimes, I like to take one for the team ha ha.

  5. That would be “peeve,” not precession. Stupid autocorrect. >:-{

  6. Wow! This books sounds horrible, although the review is amazing. The pregnancy plot drives me up the wall and it’s SO common in books and on tv. That plus slut shaming! Why is this still a thing! Why!

    • Yeah, I don’t get why pregnancy is such a big plot point, but maybe my mind will change when I actually have children.

      I also don’t get why it’s still cool to look down on girls for having sex but to congratulate guys for getting around. It’s so infuriating.

  7. Oh, girl. I am so sorry. And, holy cow, am I happy I didn’t request this one when I saw it. Truly don’t understand the slut shaming (especially, if we’re judging by her standards, she turned into a massive one…). Not happy with the easy-way-out-of-a-love-triangle either. Yeah, f-this.

  8. I loved this review!! I’m still giggling! April, I know you tell it like it is, but I have never gotten to see this side of you! There is a sick twisted part of me that wants to pick up this book, just to see what a train wreck it is… but I value my brain cells too much! As for the protection thing, there is this weird movement in certain parts of the country to cut back on teaching protection, etc. My college used to have condom dispensers in the bathrooms, right next to the tampon dispenser. About five years ago they took them out of the women’s bathrooms. Then two years ago they took them out of the men’s bathrooms. Were they removed because they weren’t selling, or because of the message? Dunno.

    As for the book, this type of crap is the reason I avoid chick lit. (Though I can’t recall ever reading one that decided to have more than one dramatic theme like this!)

    And finally, I hated My Sister’s Keeper too!!!!!!

    Fucking. Awesome. Review!

  9. Thanks for this candid review! I would dislike this book also. I hate reading about weak women, especially women acting in this way.

  10. So, so so glad I didn’t request this book for review. You and several others have been ripping it to shreds. (Though I did love reading this review!)

  11. I know I said this on gchat when you told me everything about this book but it bears repeating: this sounds like the worst, most ridiculous book ever.

  12. Yikes! Thanks for your honesty and the heads-up. I thought this book sounded interesting, but after this review, I’ll definitely be steering clear of it.

  13. I’m not much for love-triangles in the first place, but wow, this one sounds horrible. And the Character kill-off? Really? I mean, couldn’t the author have thought of something a bit more creative than that? Thanks for the awesome review.

    • What would be better (more dramatic) is if she dumped the bf, chose the bad boy THEN he died! But in all seriousness, this book sounds horrific in every single way. I think I’ve just enjoyed my year’s allowance of schadenfreude reading your review! :-S

  14. (Okay, embarrassing type mistake in my first comment – here’s the real one:)

    I’m not much for love-triangles in the first place, but wow, this one sounds horrible. And the Character kill-off? Really? I mean, couldn’t the author have thought of something a bit more creative than that? Thanks for the awesome review.

  15. And all of these reasons are why I couldn’t even finish the thing. Props to you for sticking it out – I couldn’t force myself enough!

  16. Yay for swearing in reviews! There should be more of it.

    This book sounds all kinds of stupid and ridiculous. And the birth control this is INFURIATING.

    As for the not-working thing… I’m all for not working if you don’t want to and if your significant other can handle the bills, as long as you know that things happen and you might have to go back to work at some point. (I totally want to be a housewife.) HOWEVER. That is if you don’t have kids and everything is all hunky-dory. Buuuut having kids at 19 dramatically changes things and you probably need 2 incomes to give your kids everything they need, so she should at least have some sort of part-time job, and finishing college would have been good, for no other reason than to say she was able to do it.

    This book sounds really dumb. I probably never would have even heard of it if it wasn’t for your review. But your rant was fun to read 🙂

  17. Ugh, it sounds worse than I thought! Thanks for your honesty.

  18. Holy cow, April, this book sounds terrible! I can tell right now that I would HATE this book. I totally get you with the slut shaming crap. I hate that. Like you said, it’s the 21st century people. Women that have sex are not sluts. That’s ridiculous, and I hate that crap. I also hate when authors imply that women are all catty. I actually stopped reading a book when an author wrote something like that in her book. It wasn’t even a main part of the book, but it pissed me off so much, that I could never finish it.

    I hope you feel a little better venting your frustrations about this book. I always feel a little better when I do that.

    I will definitely steer clear of this one 🙂

  19. Skipping this book for sure. That would all piss me off so much and I hope no one points to this as new adult (which I really like as a concept.

    The birth control thing is ridiculous though. I went to school in cities but grew up in Ohio and everyone is on birth control there too. I mean senior year of high school at least 60% of females were. In college everyone was even if they weren’t sexually active just in case.

  20. I really hope this is not what “new adult” is all about. From the blurb I had a feeling this would not be my kind of book, but your spoilers convinced me I’d hate it as much as you!

    I will say, though, that I know there is a certain kind of reader (and person) that this kind of story appeals to. Was it a pull-to-publish fanfiction? Because that’s what it sounds like, and stories with this kind of nonsensical plot development and boring characters are popular with a huge segment those stories. And there are still places where kids don’t receive adequate sex-ed, slut-shaming is institutionalized, and people still get those tacky highlights like the dude on the cover. Oh, America.

  21. Wow, I was very surprised to see this kind of review. I saw the cover photo and was like “oh this looks interesting…” and then when I read the review I was shocked.

    I think unfortunately, a lot of indie YAs are going in this direction. I mean parts of this book sound kind of similar to Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I appreciate this honest and candid review.

  22. April, clearly the author was upfront about the unprotected sex- the title of the book is Taking Chances, and that’s what unprotected sex is. It’s like Russian Roulette with stds and babies in the chamber instead of bullets.

    Seriosly, other than that, what other chances did the main character take? I will not be reading this book- although I am curious as who the third boy was? I like to know all the details about the car accident.

    As for the cover, I didn’t know Tommy Lee was into book cover modeling?

  23. They really actually do that whole putting condoms on a banana thing in schools there? I thought that was a cliche high school movie thing!

    Anyway. I hated this book. It was awful and offensive. I wanted to quit at 2%, forced myself to read until 38% and couldn’t take any more. I have a lot of parts highlighted to write about though. I’m actually concerned at how popular this book is. It was refreshing to read that someone else thought it was badly written as well 🙂

  24. Okay, I am back and awake and able to truly appreciate your rage. So, let’s go!

    New blogging goal: start a review with “fuck this book.”

    Oh wow. It starts with a makeover montage. O_O That’s straight up Legally Blonde or something. Only Mean Girls style, what with all the slut-shaming of any girl who fucks the manwhore. Yet, then she does, but I’m guessing she doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with HER behavior. Like, if you’re going to think people are whores or whatever for sleeping around, then you should think that about yourself, too, okay?

    Wow. She sounds like the biggest stereotype of a mean girl sorority girl. Ew. And the two stereotypes of frat guys that she can’t choose between. UGH. The correct answer = the three of them should get in a car and drive off a cliff.

    WTF is a basewhore? Also, there should be NO books by female authors that have more than one female character that don’t pass the Bechdel test. Like, you can’t throw in one goddamn conversation about periods or some shit? Or chocolate? Women LOVE chocolate. They could go shopping and NOT talk about dudes while they do it. How hard is this?

    Ew. I hate pet names almost all of the time, and baby is the worst. I use those things only ironically.

    Ha, you are so right about that twist. I heard about it from Oceana’s review and I was all like LOL WHUT. I’m so glad bitch gets to live happily ever after because the universe killed off her confusion. She never has to choose and gets to cheat without repercussions. If this is the real world, I am committing seppuku immediately.

    Okay, my school didn’t have vending machines or condoms available from the RA, but like people KNEW about protection. I mean, GODDAMN. We did have one girl drop out junior year that I knew of due to pregnancy. Her boyfriend had cancer when he was younger, and was super proud of the fact that he was sterile. Yeah, not true, apparently. Wah wah.

    Everything about this is disgusting. I think I need to go rinse out my brain.

  25. Okay, deep breaths, lady. Say it with me now… FUCK IT. Yup, just like that. It’s alright to have a case of the fuck-its every now and again. Seriously. I have the fuck-it’s right now, so you’re not alone. Say it one more time. FUCK IT. Feel better? Good.

    Honestly, your review is so much more interesting than the book itself sounds. Ugggh, it just sucks when something with a vaguely intriguing cover ends up being a total turd nugget. I think the worst thing about it all is the fact that there is no discernable message (or at least not one with some decency) to be had— like, at all. The fact that the author thinks this is what young adults/teenagers would or should want to emmulate is quite disturbing to me and clearly McAdams doesn’t know her audience. Or maybe she does but that type of crowd kinda scares me, to be frank. Oh well, at least we were all entertained by your review so thanks for taking one for the team!

  26. I don’t condone book burning, but I might make an exception for this one.

  27. So I read this review, the top part, the other day. I disliked everything you said in the top part, so I have already resigned not to buy this book. It’s been recommended to me by a couple people too, so I would have bought it. Thank you, I can now buy myself that new burger on McDonalds dollar menu without feeling guilty.

    I had to come back for the spoilers. And whoa, so glad I did, because now I know for a fact I would not have liked this book. You know me and my obsession with any books dealing with babies or pregnancy. It’s the mom in me, and since I know I wont be having another one, its nice to read about them without all the shitty clean up, ya know.

    However, I do not like books with young people having babies. WTF. I toterated twilight because lets face it, that was a unique situation. She was on the cusp of becoming a vampire and never being able to experience that. Plus, who knew vampire spunk was so potent.

    Brian and I married young, but we knew that’s what we wanted, so why wait? We were responsible though. We didn’t cheat on eachother, EVER, and let me tell you he would not even be in my life right now if he had. And what’s with the slut shaming? So everyone else her age is a slut, but yet she cheats and hooks up and shes not? that’s messed up.

    but back to babies. We waited until we were ready. And though at the time we were, things happen. Brian lost his job, the company went under, so I was the one working and he was home with aubrey looking for work. he has a great job now, and I could technically stay home now, but I don’t. I work so we have extra money. Because we are a team. I feel that’s how it should be. I depend on Brian for a lot of our family income, but if something happens, I’d be ready pick up the pieces and support myself and my daughter.

    Everyone should have that mind set. Maybe it’s because I’m like you in that sense, but I just don’t see how anyone can strive to depend of someone else.

    ugh and the birth control. Really. come on. I was sexually active for 9 years before I had my daughter. and she was planned!!! Vaginas are not difficult to maintain. It’s pretty much on a schedule, and there are endless supplies out there to help protect yourself.

    Well now I’m just ranting. But great honest review. I’m glad you wrote it because you saved my kindle the possible threat of being thrown too. It would have been hard to resist.

  28. I know you really didn’t like reading this book, but, wow, was your review fun to read! It sounds like such a terrible book and I am sure I would have come to all the same conclusions if I read it too. Although, while I wholeheartedly agree about how that ending sounds like a copout, I’m not sure if I agree about My Sister’s Keeper. I mean, I haven’t really analyzed it or anything, but I thought it spoke to the randomness and futility of life. Sorry you had to read such a book, but thank you for the fantastically snarky review!

  29. its like you took the words right out of my mind… definitely the worst book I’ve ever read, very poor storyline .. stopped reading it immediately she mentioned chase died, like what the actual fuck … wasn’t worth finishing. WORST MONEY SPENT :/

  30. You totally wrote your thoughts out on this one far better than I did in my review! You said all the things I wasn’t sure how to put into words. I never got why everyone was so gobsmacked over Harper. I didn’t get how she’d be so sheltered as to have almost literally been living under a rock her whole life (I mean really, never going to a mall?? and were there no women at Camp Lejune? Seriously??). And to have most of the guys who fell for her simply want her to drop everything and let them take care of her. Ugh. As you say its 2013 women should want more than that! I also didn’t think Harper was all that nice. She yells at Chase over and over to give her time to think…so he backs off and does as she commands…and what is her response to yell at him some more for not fighting for her. She wants all the attention, all the time, and she is just so super bitchy and selfish. I did not like her at all. This book was just filled with so much wrong that I’m a bit amazed that I finished it.

    • Hahaha yeah I tried not to hold anything back with this review. I didn’t get why people thought, pardon my french, that the sun shone out of her ass. She was SO boring omg. And like I did not even think to bring up how sheltered she was. Like I highly doubt she was the only girl on base and that there were no women on base either — like last I knew women are actually in the military, I have a female cousin who is in the air force and my mom went to Basic in the 80s before I was born (she dropped out, but still). It’s unfathomable to me. And kind of really sexist and dismissive of the service of these women. Oh my god. I’m getting all heated up over this book AGAIN! Go figure.

      She was kind of super mean and ugh, I could fill a burn book with my feelings about her.

      YES. too much wrong in one book, but it’s like a rubberneck read, you just can’t seem to look away from the trainwreck.

  31. Sex education? Baahaha.
    I’m from a small town (and dudes, when I say small I don’t mean YA book small where they only have /ONE/ Starbucks or /ONE/ elementary school, etc. I’m talking our school was PreK-12, kids came from ours and a small town some 5 miles away, and was quite literally in my backyard) and the closest thing we ever had to sex ed was when our school nurse came in and basically did the scare-you-with-all-the-STDS talk and threw in a little “but if you’re /still/ going to do it then use protection or whatever but abstinence is best.” But it’s not like we didn’t all know about condoms anyway. I can’t actually recall anyone who dropped out to have a kid, but there were plenty who settled right down in the town and had a baby shortly after graduation.
    I, however, got married to the guy I’d been dating since I was sixteen the December after graduation, quit college, moved to the city (with him, of course, and basically became a professional layabout. I’m not saying it as if I’m proud, but I am okay with it. I dropped out of college for personal reasons not baby-related ones (omygosh I never want a baby) and haven’t known what I wanted to do with my life for sure until about a week ago, I’m not even kidding you. Through it all, though, my husband’s been very supportive. He didn’t push me and is now excited for me and helping me move forward.
    ….and then I told you my life story. Um. Sorry about that. I just kind of wanted to share another side of things.

    As everyone else has said in the comments: awesome review, April. Whenever I read a bad book this is what I’m thinking but certainly not what makes it into my actual review.
    And can I just say: please stop with all the self-published to established publisher stuff. There are definitely books out there that deserve and right now the market is just being clogged up with crap so those good ones don’t get recognition.

  32. I read this review back when you were tweeting about it but I was super lazy and reading it on my phone which usually equals too much hassle to bother commenting but I’m coming back now just to say this was one of the funniest reviews you’ve ever written AND you also managed to make really valid points about why it’s a sucky book. AND OMG all those plot points you mentioned – was there an editor who read this book and thought, “Yeah, this all works for me.” I just. can’t.

  33. Totally agree with this review!! J bought the ebook after reading rave reviews & was SO disappointed. It was so unrealistic. These guys just swoon over this chick (why??) after 2 days they are so madly in love with her because she is amazing!! And then she gets preggo & Chase’s parents are thrilled! What?? Maybe thats the way they roll in Cali but here in NJ, major ass would be kicked for bring 19 & pregnant. Very disappointed & bad message for young girls….:(

  34. Okay, so I got married young, had my first child young, and don’t work. I do, however, have a college degree and have never cheated on my husband. Even having a few similarities with the character in this book, I think I would also hate it. I have very low tolerance for unprotected sex and even lower for cheating. This book definitely sounds terrible.

  35. I finished this book and was fucking pissy!!!! Then I read your review and pissed my pants laughing so hard! XD thank you for marking reading this book worth while.

  36. THIS review is why I love to read negative reviews. I love it when all the nitty gritty things are pointed out in a book.

    Personally, I knew this wasn’t going to be my type of book when I saw the cover. Obvious love triangle…and no other plot besides the romance. Those plot twists are pretty pathetic and I’d be damn-right infuriated too.

    It was nice of you to buy an ecopy after you were done. I prolly wouldn’t have, but that’s because I’m cheap, lol.

  37. Loved both Brandon and Chase, hatef Harper! In my opinion she NEVER deserved either of them!

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