Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls

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Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls

by Tellulah Darling (Goodreads Author)

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 337 ratings · 131 reviews

Why the hell can’t chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a player. He just wishes girls wouldn’t change the game from sex to relationships. It makes him look like an asshole. But when Sam’s best friend, Ally Klinger, gets dumped, she begs him to transform her into someone who can screw around then screw off...more

ebook, 244 pages

Published October 1st 2012 by Te Da Media

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Jul 23, 2012 Kristen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: new-adult-college, netgalley, friends-to-lovers, glad-it-was-free, humorous, not-recommended, crass-and-vulgar

DNF

I can not bring myself to finish this book! I'm at 75% and I've had enough. Talk about a bunch of crude characters! This is definitely a story about crass high school teenagers behaving amorality.

I love books that are realistic and show the reality of life, but this book felt like I was hanging out with teens that have no other focus in life than talking about sex, behaving crudely, and figuring out how to get into each others pants. All the bed hopping became repulsive.

The basic story is a...more

18 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2013 Jaime Arkin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: have-this, ebook-format, favorites, stand-alone-books, ya, new-adult, narc-2012, on-my-real-shelves

So I knew I had to read this book when I saw my BFF tweeting bits and pieces of this and I'm so glad I did because I loved this!!

Sam Cruz is a player... and he is proud of it. Love just isn't in the cards for him. (to say he has commitment issues would be an understatement) He doesn't think he should have to look like the asshole when girls who are well aware of his reputation pull a 180 on him.

Ally Klinger is Sam's best friend, and she's happily filled that role for him, but when she gets dump...more

7 likes · like · see review

Aug 15, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was just Too! Effing! HILARIOUS! From the summary, I knew this was going to be a fun book, and it sure did NOT disappoint. Yes, it was cliche. And yes, it was predictable. BUT, it has been an awfully long time since I've LITERALLY had laugh out loud moments pretty much throughout the ENTIRE book.

Before I begin, I've seen some negative reviews on this book, and they were pretty much complaints that there was so much sex and that characters were too crude. But the summary does warn us th...more This book was just Too! Effing! HILARIOUS! From the summary, I knew this was going to be a fun book, and it sure did NOT disappoint. Yes, it was cliche. And yes, it was predictable. BUT, it has been an awfully long time since I've LITERALLY had laugh out loud moments pretty much throughout the ENTIRE book.

Before I begin, I've seen some negative reviews on this book, and they were pretty much complaints that there was so much sex and that characters were too crude. But the summary does warn us that "this book contains strong language, drinking, euphemisms and lots of bow chicka wow wow.” Now whether this was added before or after the reviews, I'm not sure, but I thought part of the reason why the book was so great was BECAUSE it was so crass.

I will say I did think the characters were a bit too young, I mean they're seniors in high school and take the idea of sex and sleeping around WAY too lightly. Perhaps college would be a better time for these kids to experiment and find their sexual comfort zone. But I think adding a few years to our characters would have made the book better because we wouldn't think they're just dumb, horny kids.

But the reason why I liked this book so much compared to many others with the similar player-turning-geek-into-hottie-and-end-up-falling-for-them-instead concept was because of the quirky moments and the great dialogue.

Quirkiness as in the pooping penguin chocolate dispenser and Ally's crazy knowledge of them, the crazy cat and the parrots who learned how to call Sam a jerk - even the fun characters like Ian, Rachel, Matt and Rosie. And the crazy make-believe scenarios that come out of their mouths like, "You could end up in a black market bust buying a rare species of scorpion to send to Jer. Then I'd have to break you out of a foreign prison."

Some of my favorite scenes (edited for length of course)?

(view spoiler)

So yes, this book may have been a little on the ridiculous side, but I don't care because it was such a fun, fun, fun read!(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 14, 2012 Trisha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, ipad, romance, humour, ya-literature, dual-narrators, netgalley, smexy

This was pretty hilarious, although way more *smexy* than I am used to in YA. Characters are seem to be about 17 or 18, with the plot focusing on Sam & Ally's best friend relationship, and the journey to it maybe being something more. Ally is a geeky nerd girl who has just been dumped by her domineering pretentious boyfriend of two years. Devastated, Ally decides to turn her life around and act more like BFF Sam, a total player, who treats girls very badly indeed.

This is an extremely witty...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 06, 2012 Claire Gamblin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: ebook, netgalley, read-but-dont-own, realistic-fiction, romance, stand-alone-books, want-now, will-read-again, young-adult

Book Title; Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide To Getting Girls

Author; Tellulah Darling

Publication Date; October 17th 2012

Publisher; Te Da Media

Description; Why the hell can’t chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a player. He just wishes girls wouldn’t change the game from sex to relationships. It makes him look like an asshole. But when Sam’s best friend, Ally Klinger, gets dumped, she begs him to transform her into someone who can sc...more

4 likes · like · see review

Aug 03, 2012 Rochelle (Books Like Stars) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-releases, books-i-read-in-2012, 2012-debut-author, kindle-shelf, swoon-worthy-guys-yum

Review originally published on Books Like Stars

Check out my interview with the author

Typically, I avoid NetGalley. I signed up months ago and my account sits there collecting dust because I generally have TOO MUCH to read already. But when they sent me an email alerting me about Tellulah Darling's book and read the synopsis, I just HAD to request a copy. It sounded very "Friends with Benefits meets Can't Buy Me Love" and I generally enjoy things of that nature. Hot and romantic but not too syrup...more Review originally published on Books Like Stars

Check out my interview with the author

Typically, I avoid NetGalley. I signed up months ago and my account sits there collecting dust because I generally have TOO MUCH to read already. But when they sent me an email alerting me about Tellulah Darling's book and read the synopsis, I just HAD to request a copy. It sounded very "Friends with Benefits meets Can't Buy Me Love" and I generally enjoy things of that nature. Hot and romantic but not too syrupy and mushy. I'm happy to say I'm glad I have NetGalley or I would've missed this cool and comical debut.

Sam Cruz is the ultimate player. When it comes to girls, he gets it in and gets out quick. No muss, no fuss. No drama or commitments. He relishes in the fact that he can land any girl. His best friend Ally is his total opposite. An uber vintage wearing, veggie eating, environment-conscious geek who's all about the relationship status. That is, until her long time boyfriend dumps her. On her birthday. Ouch! Severely heartbroken, she turns to Sam to help her transform into basically...him. She wants to be sexy, dominate the male species and hook-up with guys with no strings attached. Sam reluctantly agrees, even though he writes off the "Ally Project" as doomed to fail before it even starts. But after Ally gets a haircut, contacts and a tighter wardrobe, Sam fights every nerve (and hormone) in the lower half of his body to go after her himself. What's worse is that Ally is totally excelling at Sam's type of lifestyle and he feels like he's created a monster. Because now all he can think about is being with Ally. But is he ready to jeopardize his one true friendship for something more?

Can I just say how much FUN this book was! It was hilarious. I loved every minute of reading this book. What I loved most about SCIGTGG is how realistic the characters were. I never felt like Sam and Ally's personalities and dialogue came off as overdone. They're both sarcastic and humorous without sounding corny. I always fall for the opposites attract romances. And these two couldn't be more opposite. The book is told from both their POVs, which made my reading experience even more enjoyable. And how refreshing to read a YA book meant for older teens. The duo are seventeen and on their way to college. I think this gave the author a lot of leeway in regards to the scenes that were sex related. She didn't have to restrain herself from cursing or sexual situations and it made the story seem much more real than when authors try to censor themselves. Some may mind the sex and the language but I honestly didn't. It all made the story more genuine.

The only thing I didn't like was...no, nothing. I can't think of one thing I disliked. As far as the author's attempt at the young adult genre goes, Tellulah Darling nailed it. I will be looking out for her books in the future.

Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is a fun, fast-paced romantic comedy that will have you laughing out loud and keep you turning the pages. It really over exceeded my expectations.

I'd like to thank the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

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Feb 04, 2013 Suz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, humor, contemporary

4.5 stars. Very funny light romance about life long friends who eventually realize they love each other, but first they have to grow through their baggage a bit to get to the embracing of it.

Sex is a primary topic in the book, and there are a couple of sex scenes, but I wouldn't call them terribly graphic. Certainly not as graphic as a lot of the romances available these days. Still, it's not really suitable for young teens.

I slid right into this story, in spite of the age of the protagonists, a...more

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Nov 11, 2012 YA Novelties rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Check this review out at our blog!

This book, although it is young-adult, should probably only be read by mature teens or an older audience.

I really liked Ally in the beginning before her transformation. I kind of thought that she was already a kick-butt heroine but...

After her transformation, I did not quite like Ally. She became that girl in high school. Maybe it was my own personal views that made me not like this book, but the book did have some redeeming qualities to it. The dialogue (well...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: new-adult, contemporary-romance, netgalley, realistic-fiction

At times this book was crass and crude (the title character manages to have meaningless sex in a parking lot in the first chapter) but it did have its sweet moments to balance out the sex and swearing.

Seventeen year olds Ally and Sam have been friends forever – their mothers met at a mothers group back in the day. When Ally’s boyfriend of two years dumps her for someone else she approaches Sam to help her get some game. Sam, master seducer that he is, decides that is his chance to change the wor...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Carly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://lisleslivres.blogspot.com/2012...
I got this one from Netgalley. Overall, I thought it was very cute.
Characters: Any girl reading this will start to hate Sam from page 1. He's a womanizer, but after awhile it becomes evident that he has reasons for the way he acts. Additionally, some of the remarks he makes, though inappropriate, are funny. On the other hand, I kind of liked Ally. I could commiserate with her nerdiness, but I didn't like that she let one guy change her. Frankly, I didn't l...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Angeline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The idea of the playboy guy with the geeky-suddenly-turned-hot best friend isn't necessarily a new idea. In fact, I've read/watched about 4 books/movies with the same concept. Predictable plot and predictable ending is probably one of the main reasons why this book doesn't score so hot on my feather meter. That paired with the stereotypical "teenagers are thinking/doing the wam-bams" portrayal made this book fall flat to me. But, all is not lost due to the cast of quirky characters and witty ban...more The idea of the playboy guy with the geeky-suddenly-turned-hot best friend isn't necessarily a new idea. In fact, I've read/watched about 4 books/movies with the same concept. Predictable plot and predictable ending is probably one of the main reasons why this book doesn't score so hot on my feather meter. That paired with the stereotypical "teenagers are thinking/doing the wam-bams" portrayal made this book fall flat to me. But, all is not lost due to the cast of quirky characters and witty banter.

I think I can say for all of us that we love (some more discreetly than others) geek to chic stories. Ally Klinger is a total nerd who would rather spend a day in a lab with parrots than hit it up at a club. Ally was sweet and crazy (in a good way). I loved her character in the beginning. She was down-to-earth and seemed like a practical, rational person. Then, out of the blue, she started to become sluttier and sluttier. She became hard-core party girl without a care in the world, sometimes stringing along more than one guy a time. This femme fatale was a 180 turn from the sweet and goofy Ally I came to know. Like a person drunk off of hurt and power she became self-destructive. Then, after getting a grip on reality she became angry at Sam,her best-friend, for doing what he does best: man-whoring. Talk about hypocritical.

Sam's character was your typical guy. Not caring how many honey-pots he sampled or how he seemed in front of others. I liked that he wasn't perfect, that he was actually flawed and actually cared about others. But, I hate that he didn't find the balls to save his best-friend from her road to self-destruction in exchange for free sex. At least his dialogue sounded some-what realistic if crude, sad to say guys really do talk/think the way Sam does.

After reading a lot of romance YA novels, only a few are able to pull off the sex factor with grace and realism. Sadly, this book is not one of them. With handling sex, there's a fine line between acknowledging that teen's actually think about it and just outright saying that they're doing it anytime anywhere. It's nice when YA author write about sex in a realistic, new and awkward sort of way. There is a way to write about sex in a mature and sophisticated way. But, when you treat teens like they're about to create a new generation of babies in the next year or so, it's both demeaning and stereotypical. There is a limit to just how far, teens are willing to delve into the world of sex. Most of the time it's more thinking than doing.

Overall: If you're looking for a quick read where the plot is predictable and is full of "bow chicka wow wow" moments, then this book is perfect for you. I myself won't be re-reading this book anytime soon.

Thank you to the publishers for providing the ARC via Netgalley.

This review can be found on my blog: https://hidateen.blogspot.com (less)

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Oct 03, 2012 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

The original review for this story can be found HERE on The Book Hookup.

Christina's Review:

**Note** An eGalley of this title was provided by the publishers via Net Galley. However, that did not influence this review in any way.

♥ The Lowdown: Sam Cruz is your typical player, but he raises the game to a level where it almost becomes an art form, and he’s damn proud of this achievement. He shuns relationships, believing it’s better to get “in” and get out before the girl gets attached. In his idea...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Samantha Weck rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Storyline...

This book is amazing. I loved it! It made me laugh and smile. I loved the different point of views. I liked seeing Sam's point of view considering he was a player. It was very interesting on how a player works. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in one sitting.

The Characters...

Sam is a great friend and easy going... when he isn't cranky or angry. I liked his character. He was just like any other teenage boy. He's not good with words and can be wrong and a jerk in certai...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Briggsteenscene rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

FOR OLDER TEENS

I can't stress the age appropriateness on this one enough. There is a lot of sex going on, but at the same time it's very humorous and once you get past all the bed hopping it is a love story.

Sam is a player, like the player of all players, and he thinks that if girls thought more like guys then the world would be perfect. His best friend Ally was just dumped by her boyfriend and she asks him to teach her how not to care and just have casual hookups. Suddenly Ally is just like Sa...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Ann Sloan rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK, I admit it, I’m getting too old for this kind of YA book. Sam is a high school senior? How many times has he repeated 12th grade? Because he acts like he is in his mid-20s, at least.
Even Tellulah Darling's website says that this is for older YA’s. I agree, in their 20s.
Sex, sex, sex. As I’ve asked elsewhere, when do these kids have time to go to school, do homework, finish research papers? All they do is party, use their parents’ credit cards to buy inappropriate clothes (does the school ha...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Seanean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

Sam Cruz has been a major player for a while now. He may just be a high school senior, but he's got all the moves. He has mastered the one-night stand. No sex at his place. No cuddles after. He's the "hit 'em and quit 'em" type all the way.

If only the girls weren't always looking for something more...

When Sam's best friend, Ally, gets dumped, she begs Sam for help. She wants to be a player, too. Just a few one-night stands with no emotional attachments w...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 18, 2012 Gayle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As I read through the first chapter of this story something kept tugging at me like an old friend trying to get you to reminisce about an event that you can’t quite remember. Suddenly it came to me that it’s the dialog that is familiar. This is the type of rapid-fire dialog of Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday, between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, or Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in George Cukor’s The Philadelphia Story.

Then, there are the characters, Sam, who could easily transition into Ph...more As I read through the first chapter of this story something kept tugging at me like an old friend trying to get you to reminisce about an event that you can’t quite remember. Suddenly it came to me that it’s the dialog that is familiar. This is the type of rapid-fire dialog of Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday, between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, or Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in George Cukor’s The Philadelphia Story.

Then, there are the characters, Sam, who could easily transition into Philip Marlowe. I can also imagine Ally telling Sam, “You know Steve [Sam], you're not very hard to figure, only at times. Sometimes I know exactly what you're going to say. Most of the time. The other times... the other times, you're just a stinker.” I’m not certain if Ms. Darling intended to tip her hat to the classic movies, but that’s how it worked for me, and I loved it.

Sam, who has what he believes is a fool-proof plan for having relationships with girls that keeps him desired, yet detached, is handed the perfect opportunity to make his best friend in his image. The fact that his best friend is female is just icing on the cake. A female who thinks with her libido, rather than her heart—Wow! Ally, recently dumped and feeling it, has come to the conclusion that Sam’s plan can benefit her in oh, so many ways! The quest is a perfect story of the “game” of love involving the back and forth between a couple until they eventually end up on the same page—a place that only they did not see in advance.

Guys will identify with the timeless question, “Why can’t girls be more like guys?” Girls will identify with Ally’s quest to answer that question for herself. All will recognize the search for identity that is universal. Some, like me, will be able to ignore the updated language and settings and be drawn back into the world of the 30s & 40s classic movies. Intentional or not, this book lends itself well to the big screen. Are you writing the screenplay now, Ms. Darling? You should.

Speaking of the updated language and settings, assuming this book comes to the attention of just the right “keeper of our morals,” it will of course be banned in the U.S. That is not a bad thing for two reasons: 1) It will be in excellent company, and 2) It will then be read and enjoyed by many more teens who may have not noticed it originally.

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Aug 13, 2012 Jen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: high-school, guy-reads, multiple-pov, romance, relationships, ya

Thanks to netgalley for sending me a copy of this book to review!

This is a book about two teenagers who are best friends, and a lot of casual sex. Basically, Sam is a senior in high school who tries to have as much casual sex as possible and has his rules to getting in and getting out fast. Ally is also a senior who is a vegetarian, wears hemp clothing and wants to save animals and the environment and is incredibly intelligent. But after her jerk boyfriend decides to dump her, Ally decides to go...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Gem rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thanks to NetGalley, Te Da Media and Tellulah Darling for allowing me to read this before the publication date.

Sam Cruz is your typical player, and he knows it! He goes for pretty much every girl, apart from his best friend, Ally. She gets dumped by her earthy, vegan boyfriend on her birthday. Together Sam and Ally make a pact to transform her into a female version of him. But has his plan worked too well? When Sam realises he’s attracted to Ally will he decide to choose friendship over his lust...more Thanks to NetGalley, Te Da Media and Tellulah Darling for allowing me to read this before the publication date.

Sam Cruz is your typical player, and he knows it! He goes for pretty much every girl, apart from his best friend, Ally. She gets dumped by her earthy, vegan boyfriend on her birthday. Together Sam and Ally make a pact to transform her into a female version of him. But has his plan worked too well? When Sam realises he’s attracted to Ally will he decide to choose friendship over his lustful feelings, or is there a way the two can be combined?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I have only recently decided to read more YA books and I found this to be a lot sexier than others. Well, I liked it! It did have my pulse racing at times, each sex scene was different to the one before which I found refreshing. They spoke to each other like any two best friends at 17/18 would and I thought the exploration of sexual attraction and interaction was spot on for this age.

I loved knowing Sam and Ally’s point of view. I think I connected more with Sam because I felt sorry for him having lost a friend at the points where all Ally seemed to care about was their sexual relationship. I would have liked to know more about the death of Sam’s mother and how this affected his father. I think seeing his father behave the way he does is the making of Sam’s personality and I wanted a bit more background on their relationship.

Both Sam and Ally are so witty. They had me laughing and smiling all the way through, definitely the signs of a well written book. I never felt myself needing to skim read any part of this which is something I usually have to stop myself doing. The story moved at just the right pace.

I would recommend this book to those interested in YA and romantic comedy fiction. I’ll be buying the book in October to meet with Sam and Ally again!

Sam turns to me. 'I am never getting you tampons.' I snap open the top button of my cardigan to flash him my black lace bra. 'Probably never,' he amends.

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Jul 02, 2012 Giu Molina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, wow, wow.
When I read Sam Cruz’s synopsis I thought it was going to be a fast read, a book to distract myself and that’s it. Boy, I was wrong. In certain point it was a fast read because I couldn’t stop reading, but it was so much more than I was expecting!
First of all the book is hilarious. There was moments when I had to stop reading and just breath because I was laughing so hard. I have to congratulate Tellulah because although I read many romantic comedies, none made me laugh out loud...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Raelynn Fry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls
Author: Tellulah Darling
Genre:YA
Content Rating: R for “strong language, drinking, euphemisms, and lots of "’bow chicka wow wow’”
Coffee Beans: 4.5
Favorite Line: Holy crap, there were so many.
Personal Recommendation: Read it. Now
Cover Appeal: So awesome it’s beyond words
Instalove Factor: None
Spoliers: No

Publisher’s Summary:

Why the hell can't chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a playe...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Hira rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: by-author-or-publisher, favorites, arcs, for-review, netgalley

*To read more reviews by me, visit Views & Reviews *

I loved this book! It was so cute and funny! I gotta admit I was nervous about reading it because it had mixed reviews on Goodreads (half of the people gave it 4 stars and the other half gave it 1) and none of my friends have read this book. So I didn't really know what to expect. And when it started out I was still kind of unsure. But by the third chapter I started enjoying it. And when I finished it, I ended up loving it!

I love best-frien...more *To read more reviews by me, visit Views & Reviews *

I loved this book! It was so cute and funny! I gotta admit I was nervous about reading it because it had mixed reviews on Goodreads (half of the people gave it 4 stars and the other half gave it 1) and none of my friends have read this book. So I didn't really know what to expect. And when it started out I was still kind of unsure. But by the third chapter I started enjoying it. And when I finished it, I ended up loving it!

I love best-friend love stories. I know it's a big cliche but I still love them! I think romantic relationships should always have friendship in them. And when you've been best friends with a person for 17 years, you know everything about them. And if you love them still, for better or for worse, well, then that's true love. So naturally I loved this book, because it totally complied with my opinions.

The writing was good. There were times when I didn't get some references (like movie references and all). But all around it was good and it wasn't boring. Although if the writing would've been a bit different, I would've given the book 5 stars. I'm not saying that the writing was bad, I'm just saying that it was ok or good. That it wasn't 'amazing'. Or my type...

But I loved that it was written in alternating POV! I love those kind of books. I love reading both sides of the story.

I loved the characters! The thing I liked the most about them was that they were real. They felt real emotions and made real decisions. I didn't feel like "what the hell, that's not even believable!" Because all of it was! And they were well developed. But most of all, they didn't have mysterious pasts and everything happened in the present. Not that I don't like the 'mysterious pasts' thing. But the books I've been reading, almost all of them had the mysterious past thing going on. This was fresh for me.

I didn't develop a book crush on Sam (even if I do love his name!) but he was really sweet. And I really liked his character. I don't usually like guys like Sam, you know the player type, "jump in bed with anyone" type, "no commitment" type, but I get his reasons. And he was a really great friend and over all a really good guy.

At first I didn't like Abby. She was too nerdy. But then around Sam and her other friends she was fine and I realized that the nerdiness was only around her boyfriend and that was only a part of her character, to show how she evolved.

My favorite part of the book was Sam's and Abby's relationship. To see how they evolved and accepted each other. How they realized what they actually wanted.

Overall, this was a fun read and I would definitely recommend that you check it out. A warning though, there's sex and swearing in the book so if you're not comfortable with that, I recommend that you pass this book. If you're fine with it, then go ahead and read it! Then come back here and let me know what you think.

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Aug 16, 2012 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a surprise! And a solid 3.75-4.0 stars.

It's the story of Ally, an all around regular girl, who gets dumped by her boyfriend of two years, and the story of Sam who has been Ally's best friend since childhood. While Ally has always been a relationship girl, Sam enjoys random hook ups and onetime sexual encounters. When Ally's boyfriend leaves her, Sam agrees turn Ally into a hottie and to teach her the all his anti relationship secrets.

Okay, first off, I absolutely knew where this bo...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Brit rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, kindle-coo, teen-spirit

If you follow my reviews, you know that I have two extremes when it comes to genres. Smut and YA. Oddly, this book straddled the line between the two.

No, this was not some hardcore, sex-detailed book. It glossed over all those parts but they were definitely implied. So if you’re wondering if you should let your 13 year old read this… I would maybe wait a little. This is not Twilight or some “hold-up on the sex stuff until marriage” book. Nope, these are two high school students who freely do th...more If you follow my reviews, you know that I have two extremes when it comes to genres. Smut and YA. Oddly, this book straddled the line between the two.

No, this was not some hardcore, sex-detailed book. It glossed over all those parts but they were definitely implied. So if you’re wondering if you should let your 13 year old read this… I would maybe wait a little. This is not Twilight or some “hold-up on the sex stuff until marriage” book. Nope, these are two high school students who freely do the deed. I think that’s why I liked it! No, I’m not supporting 17 year olds doing the nasty but I’m not against it. I just think it’s important to be realistic. [Yikes, someone’s going to unfriend me for that statement]

Now that I’ve said that, let me tell you about the book. First, I liked it. I was rooting for the relationship and liked the two main characters. The constant witty one-liners did get a bit much… no one is that quick on their feet… but the story had a great pace and you wanted to know what was going to happen (I’ve read lots of YA books where you really didn’t give a shit after the first 50 pages).

As far as the plot/ending: Is it a surprise? No! It’s a teen-romance book. You know what’s going to happen. Hell, if you haven’t read this genre before still know what’s going to happen. The author could have added a little more substance to the inner-workings/motives for the characters (don’t think “his mom died” or “she got dumped” is a strong justification, but I’m not 17, so maybe it is) but I don’t think it ruined the book. Again, I liked the book. I coo’ed and clapped… and that’s saying something.

If you want a movie equivalent to this one (in case you’re that much of a book snob), think Can’t Buy Me Love meets She’s All That meets My Girl… but with more sex.

Last though: Where they hell does this take place? I was so confused by all the random secondary characters and their backgrounds (names and place of origin). The fact that they called it University (vs. College) made me think Canada… but could be a writing flaw. Oh well!

Disclaimer: I got this book from NetGalley. AKA Free Book. Just gotta put that out there.
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Jul 17, 2012 Lindsey Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bordering along giving this a 4 and a 4.5. I loved it so much, but I don't know if it warrants a 5 simply because it didn't draw out the same emotions other books I gave a 5 star rating to did. My tummy didn't flutter and my heart didn't race. But I loved this book all the same!

I loved, loved, loved this book! In fact, I can't think of anything I didn't like about it. The entire story played out in my brain like a movie. The story was cute and fully of quick whit. I laughed out loud so many t...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Bri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, new-adult, netgalley-read, 2012-favorites, favorites, recs-for-jamiej

Well, wasn't this just a pleasant surprise? I do believe I just had my first foray into what I can only hope will be a booming genre: New Adult. Yes, these characters were high school aged: Sam and Ally are high school seniors, and they *gasp* actually talk like high schoolers. Their crude, profanity laden humor was, well, perfect for the age range. They talked about sex (and lots of it). It was the first YA book I've read in a long time that actually felt real to me.

The humor endeared me to the...more Well, wasn't this just a pleasant surprise? I do believe I just had my first foray into what I can only hope will be a booming genre: New Adult. Yes, these characters were high school aged: Sam and Ally are high school seniors, and they *gasp* actually talk like high schoolers. Their crude, profanity laden humor was, well, perfect for the age range. They talked about sex (and lots of it). It was the first YA book I've read in a long time that actually felt real to me.

The humor endeared me to these characters almost immediately. I laughed and snorted and gasped in shock (only that what was happening was actually happening in a YA novel; not because I was offended).

I'm always a fan of the best-friends-to-more storyline, and this book didn't disappoint. I loved watching the growth of both characters, especially Sam, and though I would've liked a little more fleshing out with some of his deeper issues, the ending satisfied me enough to leave me happy. Plus, I'm thinking that a few of these things will be ironed out before the final book is released in October.

Because I don't think it's too much of a stretch to realize this will have an HEA, I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying that the big ILY in this book was the most real, heartfelt declaration I've read in a very long time. It wasn't cheesy, but it sure made me swoon.

(view spoiler)

If you're interested in a fresh take on a genre that has started falling a little flat for me, give this book a shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed.(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Purcheria rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of The DUFF or similar books

Shelves: books-on-my-e-reader, contemporary, emotional-baggage, through-netgalley, favorites, laugh-out-loud-funny, romance, sarcastic-hero-heroine, snarky-heroine, un-putdownable, witty-heroine

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this book. It was my first official approved book from the site (yay me!), so I was really stoked to read it.

So on to the book, shall we?...

Can I just say that this book was friggin' awesome! Oh my goodness, the amount of times I burst out laughing was ridiculous. It was funny, dramatic, sweet and of course romantic. I absolutely loved it. In the first few chapters alone I've snagged on a new word that will forever live in my mental dictionary:...Vulle...more

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May 02, 2013 Purelyamuse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Purelyamuse by: modersafari1

Shelves: contemporary, romance, swoon, young-adult

Sam: chick magnet. Has rules for getting chicks. He's a dude's dude. Bang 'em and leave 'em type, but he's also adorable. Allison: Sam's best friend, funny, smart, hot underneath the hemp sacks she wears. Told from both POV's with two distinct voices, this is a fun read. I laughed through the entire thing. This is the dirtiest non-dirty book I've ever read. It's one big, long, hard innuendo. See what I did there? If you constantly make dirty jokes with your significant other and find that humoro...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Vikki ~where did my *squee* go ~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: friends-to-lovers, laugh-out-loud, leave-me-with-a-smile, new-ya, sweet, ya, kindle-lendable

This was another random Amazon inpulse purchase. I'm lucky that that strategy has worked out well the last few times. This was a very cute, funny YA (ish) book. (Ill get back to the "ish" part since it's my only real gripe.

Sam and Ally are best friends. The kinds of best friends who have been inseparable since they were in diapers. Sam is a serious player. He is a love-em and leave-em guy, who isn't shy about his attitude about relationships.

"Sweet, idiotic boy, contrary to your belief that yo...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Audrey Wilkerson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books-read, books-reviewed

Sam has a system. He has a set of rules so he doesn’t have to do the relationship part of relationships with girls. For him, it works really well. When his best friend since babyhood, Ally, gets dumped by her self-absorbed, protest-attending vegan boyfriend on her birthday, she decides that maybe she should follow Sam’s rules to stop being such a doormat with guys. And she starts by trying to kiss Sam and asking him to sleep with her.

This is about enjoying myself without getting hurt. Screw arou...more Sam has a system. He has a set of rules so he doesn’t have to do the relationship part of relationships with girls. For him, it works really well. When his best friend since babyhood, Ally, gets dumped by her self-absorbed, protest-attending vegan boyfriend on her birthday, she decides that maybe she should follow Sam’s rules to stop being such a doormat with guys. And she starts by trying to kiss Sam and asking him to sleep with her.

This is about enjoying myself without getting hurt. Screw around then screw off. You’re the veritable master. So teach me.
This proposal has a certain amount of appeal to Sam. Can he teach a girl his rules? And, more importantly, can she live by them?

After Ally submits to a makeover from top to bottom to underneath, Sam is shocked to discover that he is attracted to Ally himself. Ally, however, is loving all of the attention she is receiving and is taking on her new role with aplomb. In addition to sleeping with Sam (and leaving soon after, just like his rules dictate), she hooks up with a couple of other guys as well. Sam is certain that he never wants to be in a relationship, but why is he feeling the way he does? Can friends stay friends when the benefits are added to the mix?

Clocking in at less than 200 pages (Kindle version), this cute, light story asks the age-old question: can two people have a sexual relationship without at least one of the participants wanting it to become something more? It also asks this: can you lose the “friend” part of the equation when there are no expectations of a relationship?

The narrators of the chapters ping-pong back and forth between Sam and Ally. This is the perfect way to present the story because as the reader, you can see how both sides react to the each of the situations that naturally arise. The humor, the secondary characters and Ally finding herself are engaging and real.

The only negative is how quickly the events happened at the end of the book. I won’t spoil it for you, but the conclusion seemed a bit rushed. I think the events would have been more believable if there had been a couple chapters or more before the finale.

And I love the cover.

3.5 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)

Genres: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary Romance
Ages: 14 and up
You might want to know: Be forewarned that this book is about sex. There are many sexual situations and conversations about sexual situations. This book also contains profanity and drinking.

Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls by Tellulah Darling was published October 17, 2012 by Te Da Media. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. (less)

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About Tellulah Darling

Tellulah Darling
noun

1. YA Novelist
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter and instructor
3. Sassy minx

Geeks out over: cool tech.
Squees for: great storytelling.
Delights in: fabulous conversation.
Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.

More about Tellulah Darling...

Books by Tellulah Darling

My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #1)

My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #2)

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