Rival

• High School / College
  - Step siblings
  - Angsty
  - Forbidden
  - Secrets
  - Misunderstanding
  - Flashbacks

I'm actually upset that I wasted time reading this book.

The main characters were flat. The plot was terrible. The writing isn't pure shit but it's not enough for me to give this two stars. I've literally read wattpad stories that were better than this. It's unbelievable how this book has been praised so much yet has the worst possible content.

My concern isn't the characters are step-siblings with a romantic interest in one another (although that's a bit worrisome too), but rather the fact that they're just such shitty people. Fallon is an insufferable idiot. Madoc is an absolute jerkoff. Having your two main characters as incredibly annoying people doesn't help your book. Fallon is almost everything I hate in a character. Fallon goes on and on about how she shouldn't have sex with him and how she has a plan for revenge, but she has no self control. Is your step-brother that insanely hot that you literally cannot control yourself? He's a massive douche yet she still falls for him because of course he has a different side to him that very few people see. Is it really that difficult to not have sex with someone? Genuinely curious because everyone else in New Adult fiction has that issue, and readers don't seem to be too annoyed by it. This book is supposed to be a romance but everything felt so forced, and I mean everything. For the life of me, I could not understand how the two main characters actually liked each other. When the boy you're “hate-fucking” for your “plan” consistently calls your mom, who you don't exactly get along with but don't necessarily hate, a gold digger you probably shouldn't fall for him. When a boy slut shames and makes fun of you, you probably shouldn't fall for him. What is it with authors romanticizing this bullshit? This isn't hot, this isn't sexy, this is disgusting and pathetic.

Now onto the plot. The entirety of it was a cliche. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with cliches and typical tropes, they're part of life - but dear god, if you're going to write about them/incorporate them at least attempt to have your own spin on things. Everything was predictable, and the things that weren't just seemed like shit the author threw in just to add a little drama to the story.

I think sex is great. Well-written sex is even better. Sex that replaces a chapter where an actual story should be, not so great. Sex sex sex sex sex sex. That's what this book is. Sex is used as a filler for a story with an already shitty plot, or rather a story that's lacking a cohesive, well thought out plot.

The only redeemable thing about this book was Tate and I wish I hadn't read this book before Bully, because at this point I'd like to stay as far away from Penelope Douglas as possible.

1/5, if I could give it a zero I would.