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Bad Romance

by Heather Demetrios (Goodreads Author)

4.07 · Rating Details · 579 Ratings · 196 Reviews

Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her California town, too small to contain her big city dreams. Out of her life, and into the role of Parisian artist, New York director—anything but scared and alone.

Enter Gavin: charming, talented, adored. Controlling. Dang ...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published June 13th 2017 by Henry Holt & Company Inc

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Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

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Oct 13, 2016 Emily May rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, coverly-love, contemporary, 2017

Something in me is dimming, something that I already know I can’t get back. But you’re worth it. You are. I will tell myself this for several more months. And when I realize you aren’t worth it, it’ll be too late.

4 1/2 stars. This book had a really powerful emotional effect on me. I hadn't meant to, but once I'd started, I had to finish it in one sitting, so I found myself wide-eyed and blinking back tears in the early morning hours. This is what I'd hoped The Girl Who Fell would be.

It is such ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 TheCrazyWorldOfABookLover rated it it was amazing

Let me introduce you to the most emotional book you will read this year.

Bad Romance is one of the most unique-gut wrenching-emotional-OMG I CAN’T PUT THIS DOWN-well written-Am I crying? Yep I’m crying again- books you will read.

Heather’s writing in this is just ... absurd. In the best possible way. If you don’t read YA, she, my friends, is the author that will change your mind.

This is like an incredible mix of Dusty Innocents + It Ends With Us.

Bad Romance starts at the end - told from the heroi ...more

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Jun 17, 2017 Hulya Kara Yuksel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“A year from now I’ll be screaming Fuck you, FUCK YOU into a pillow because I won’t have the guts to say the words to your face. But right now, a boy is staring at me from the end of the hall and even though he doesn’t say a word, he’s claimed me. I’m new territory and you’ve planted your flag."

This book was so freaking good. I loved it, I hated it. My emotions are all over the places right now but in the end I FUCKING LOVED EVERY WORDS IN THIS BOOK VERY, VERY MUCH!!! I highly recommend it. ;)

A “A year from now I’ll be screaming Fuck you, FUCK YOU into a pillow because I won’t have the guts to say the words to your face. But right now, a boy is staring at me from the end of the hall and even though he doesn’t say a word, he’s claimed me. I’m new territory and you’ve planted your flag."

This book was so freaking good. I loved it, I hated it. My emotions are all over the places right now but in the end I FUCKING LOVED EVERY WORDS IN THIS BOOK VERY, VERY MUCH!!! I highly recommend it. ;)

And I'm going to tell you a story and this my Bad Romance.

This book brought my some old memories with my ex. And of course it wasn't started all bad in the beginning but when you get over that thin line "that's it, I'm done this fucking dance with you over and over again" So I burned all that bridges because unfortunately after some point, love is not enough when other person always takes away your power and empty your soul with his requests. He was my 1st serious boyfriend and I was a V while we were dating (I was still a V until I married with my husband. Yeah, I'm an old fashion girl! I wanted to wait, so what?) Anyway he always expected me to show him affection in the public like all the time (to hug him/kiss him like we glued each other) or when we sit in the cafe or when we were walking in the street he always tried to stick his tongue into my mouth until I can't breath or he wanted to make out in the cinema or Ohhh my love, I want give your birthday present in the hotel room when I'm all alone with you (because he decided that I'm not comfortable in the public to show him how much I love him!!!... Well, let me tell you something. When someone hugs you like an octopus all the time, eventually you will get uncomfortable in the public... Anyway I said no to him and my answer broke his poor little heart and this was our -The End-) He was like a baby which he needs 24/7 attention from me... Anyway things like that made me into depression and all I was doing talking, talking, talking with him and my god, it made me so fucking sick to my stomach to repeating myself to him. It was so damn exhausting, he took all my life energy. Whenever I explain myself to him, he says he understands me and after that he apologize to me for not to push me again etc but still he always did the same things over and over again. And I tried, tried,tried to save us but when I broke up with him almost after 1 year, I was the happiest girl in this damn earth. After him there will be no more headaches, no more scars on my lips or on my face... So yeah, I did a right thing for saying goodbye to him...

Ps. I'm sharing this personal thing with you because if you're in this kind of relationship, please leave that asshole ASAP! Do not make the same mistakes I did... Please! 👊👊👊

Oh I almost forgot, Gavin fuck you!!!

...more

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Oct 30, 2015 Lucia rated it really liked it

Shelves: cover-love

This woman changed my perception of YA contemporary novels and I couldn't wait to read this novel. Fortunately, Mrs. Demetrios did not disappoint.

I really liked writing style and storyline. I loved that as main focus of her book, author picked a topic that is not much present in YA genre - toxic relationship and dating abuse. It is very important topic and I am so grateful that this novel depicted it in very fitting and realistic way.

Mrs. Demetrios sure knows how to write powerful YA contempor ...more

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Dec 21, 2016 Gaby rated it it was amazing

Y'know when you're reading a TOUGH book? The books about abuse, abortion, pregnancy, cheating, etc. and you can feel your insides twisting and you want to die even though, once you're done, whatever you're reading turns out to be one of the best books you've read all year because it's so rewarding? BAD ROMANCE by Heather Demetrios manages to be one of those TOUGH books (trigger warnings for suicide + emotional and minor physical abuse from significant others and parental figures) that sticks wit Y'know when you're reading a TOUGH book? The books about abuse, abortion, pregnancy, cheating, etc. and you can feel your insides twisting and you want to die even though, once you're done, whatever you're reading turns out to be one of the best books you've read all year because it's so rewarding? BAD ROMANCE by Heather Demetrios manages to be one of those TOUGH books (trigger warnings for suicide + emotional and minor physical abuse from significant others and parental figures) that sticks with you and makes you feel the feels but doesn't make your insides cringe so hard you can't read more then 30 pages at a time. In fact, if I didn't have to go to work, I probably would have read this book all in one sitting.

This probably has to do with the fact that, even though BAD ROMANCE manages to sensitively unpack Grace's experience (how trapped she feels, her perceived worthlessness, etc.) and explain how a funny, charismatic girl with close friends and big dreams could end up in such a horrible relationship, Grace is still ultimately a funny, charismatic girl with close friends and big dreams. With theater references packed throughout, incredible, strong female friendships, and peripheral male characters who are kind and are placed strategically to remind the reader that healthy relationships are attainable, Heather Demetrios never lets you feel like this book is a black hole of despair. And that's probably what kept me turning the pages until way past my bedtime.

The other super notable thing about this book is the story structure. First of all, BAD ROMANCE is voicey AF. Second, it starts at the end of the relationship, after it's all over. Grace spends the book speaking to Gavin (the abusive boyfriend) and explaining to him (using second person 'you') how everything went so wrong for her. The book is written almost as a letter to Gavin, a cathartic release that helps Grace move forward, which means hindsight plays a part and that Grace is very aware (and even comments) as she gets to certain points in the story that something is very wrong in the relationship.

Bottom line: BAD ROMANCE is a sensitive, honest, emotional look into one of the worst kinds of relationships that will make you feel the feels, probably teach you something new, but not totally wreck you in the worst way possible. Unless you consider listening to the Rent soundtrack on endless repeat a totally wrecking situation. (I don't.) (My favorite song is still ALL OF THEM. HOW DO YOU PICK A FAVORITE?) ...more

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Jun 06, 2017 Rachel (APCB Reviews) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-releases, fast-read

This book was so hard to rate. It feels reductive to give this book a rating because "Bad Romance" is about so much more than the stars it receives. It is not merely about a typical toxic relationship, it is about manipulative and abusive relationships and the heartbreaking effects it has on the main character.

I've been a huge fan of Heather Demetrios since I read her beautiful book "I'll Meet You There". I didn't love this book as much as that one, but this book isn't just meant to be enjoyed. This book was so hard to rate. It feels reductive to give this book a rating because "Bad Romance" is about so much more than the stars it receives. It is not merely about a typical toxic relationship, it is about manipulative and abusive relationships and the heartbreaking effects it has on the main character.

I've been a huge fan of Heather Demetrios since I read her beautiful book "I'll Meet You There". I didn't love this book as much as that one, but this book isn't just meant to be enjoyed. It's meant to be heard and understood. This book is meant to teach us. Demetrios writes this book in such a perfect way to truly capture the full impact of this story and the raw emotions attached to every scene. This story is equal parts addictive, devastating, fun, somber, horrifying, and uplifting. There are so many tough scenes in this book. While this book did have its light moments, I would not say this is a light read.

Grace can't wait to move out of her house and get away from California suburbia Birch Grove. She finds her savior from her abusive household through drama student and rocker Gavin. They fall head over heels in love and everything is perfect. Until little by little Gavin reveals who he truly is and Grace starts to lose herself in the relationship.

Grace is a character I really sympathized for. With an unfair upbringing and nearly insurmountable pressure coming at her from all sides, she is desperate for a distraction, a savior. Anything to distract her from the troubles at home. She's compassionate and eloquent and a great leader. She's sweet and hardworking, and I felt for her throughout this book. I also loved the drama elements of this book! She is a huge fan of plays and poetry and literature and I love the scenes that has to do with music and theater.

She also has the best support system ever. I love her friendship with her friends Natalie and Alyssa, and I love that they stuck together throughout the highs and lows of this book. And onto Gavin... What an enigma. I obviously hate his character and his physical and emotional abuse towards Grace, but Demetrios did such a great job portraying him and showing readers how it is possible that Grace could fall for someone like him. It really opened my eyes to the nuances of toxic relationships and just how hard it can be to walk away from someone.

This book will hopefully open up conversations and help people in similar situations as Grace. Demetrios dealt with this subject in such a delicate yet firm manner. It's also doubly heartfelt as this book is loosely based off of Demetrios's own personal experiences. In the end I love the empowering message that Demetrios sends readers off with, and I am forever glad that I gave this book a chance. It has opened my eyes to a subject I never fully understood and has shown me what true strength and grace looks like. ...more

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May 29, 2017 YA Wednesdays rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017

Full review can be found on YAWednesdays.com. Below is the Overall review of the book.

Let me be clear. This book will not be your summer beach read. It will be THE read of your summer–a book that resonates and stays with you for a very long time.

This story is a beautifully written personal/fictional account of an abusive relationship Heather experienced in her past. Grace Carter is a girl on a mission–she wants to live the BIG ARTISTIC LIFE in New York or Paris. Heavily involved in the theater Full review can be found on YAWednesdays.com. Below is the Overall review of the book.

Let me be clear. This book will not be your summer beach read. It will be THE read of your summer–a book that resonates and stays with you for a very long time.

This story is a beautifully written personal/fictional account of an abusive relationship Heather experienced in her past. Grace Carter is a girl on a mission–she wants to live the BIG ARTISTIC LIFE in New York or Paris. Heavily involved in the theater program at school, her goal is to study and work in theater in a big city. No matter where she lands, she wants it to be very far from Birch Grove, California. Full of self-doubt, surrounded by the best of friends, she is dedicated to her work as an assistant director for her school’s theater program.

One of her other dreams: Gavin Davis, hot rock star senior in a fedora ( please see Just. Why. Section on the blog for more on the fedora). Artistic and full of swagger, Grace has a long-time unrequited crush on him. He hardly knows she exists until he notices her and it’s anything but the special girl trope from there. I don’t want to ruin anything else for you except to say what follows…well, it made this book impossible to put down. In fact, I read it in one sitting and was at the edge of my seat the entire book.

Poignant and painful, Demetrios tackles topics such as abusive relationships, mental health, poverty, suicide, blended families, self-doubt and friendship. She explores teen sexuality in a very frank and honest way without all the modesty tropes prevalent in YA. Grace is on the brink so many times in this story and is looped back again and again. I’ll add that it’s not just Gavin pulling on her emotional strings, which is what makes the complexity of her relationship with him so much more enthralling to read. You feel almost like a fly on the wall, like you shouldn’t be there, but Heather finds an observation or point to make that makes you feel like you should have been a witness. You know the beginning, middle and end, but it’s the handling of the details that captivates the reader.

I have a feeling that this book will be a book that’s hard to hold on to. It will be bought and shared and traded. There are so many lessons so eloquently written. This will be the book that many abuse victims coming forward will be holding in their hands saying that Heather’s story helped them find the courage. Judging by the Goodreads reviews I’ve read through, many friends in the book community have been in abusive relationships and already shared that reading this book caused them to speak out and acknowledge past abuse in their reviews.

This is not a pretty book, but it is a kernel of hope. ...more

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Jun 03, 2017 Mandy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: summer-2017-pub

*I received this eARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for a honest review - thanks so much for sending me over a copy!*

This book does have a lot of triggers – it is about an unhealthy relationship, and it does contain topics such as abuse, mental illness, suicide, and rape.

Wow. Wow. Wowwwwwwwww. I didn't expect to be amazed by this book. I thought it would be an intriguing read and an easy four crown read, but this book made me an emotional wreck. I literally have never felt sick t *I received this eARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for a honest review - thanks so much for sending me over a copy!*

This book does have a lot of triggers – it is about an unhealthy relationship, and it does contain topics such as abuse, mental illness, suicide, and rape.

Wow. Wow. Wowwwwwwwww. I didn't expect to be amazed by this book. I thought it would be an intriguing read and an easy four crown read, but this book made me an emotional wreck. I literally have never felt sick to my stomach or so angry before when reading and this book did it to me.

Let's just get the small bad out of the way first and then we can talk about the rest. The only issue I had was how long it took me to get into it. The first 20% of the book is really a lot of background knowledge and stories going on, that it just seemed to take forever to get to the actual part where the story began. There was a lotttttttttttt of inner monologues. But once you get past this, it just goes straight into the complexities and intricacies that make this the haunting story that it is.

Now that we got that out of the way, let's talk about this book. This booook. Honestly. I don't even know where to begin. This book let's you know right away - Gavin is the villain. He is not a good guy. He has messed up Grace in ways. The reader knows this. The reader understands this. But goodness, with the way that Demetrios writes, if you're not confused at some point throughout the story. And that's the whole point - relationships are not simple and especially ones that are abusive.

First off, this book had amazing girl friendship power. I loved Grace's friend group. They were amazing. I loved them. I lovedddddddd them. Nat and Lys were perfect. So much empowerment.

I loved Grace. Once I got past her perchance for inner monologues, gosh, did I love her. She was so human, so believable, so realistic. She was complex and fiery and caring and the perfect heroine for this story. The reader can't help but love this dreamer and hope for her dreams to come true. This story is a character driven book, and Grace is a brilliant character to drive this story forward. By the end of the story, I felt so much for her that literally everything bad that happened to her, I felt my heart breaking even more and I was literally sick to my stomach over the situations that she was in.

Gavin was such an intriguing character as well. Of course, I hated him...but the truth is I didn't hate him all the time - and that was the worst part. You see the beginnings of the relationship where he is this good, loving guy. But as the story grows, it becomes clear that there are problems. He has problems. This is not a fairytale. But it's still so scary that he was this Prince Charming guy in the beginning. Demetrios did such a fantastic job with his character.

I think such an interesting part of the novel was the fact that Demetrios uses a different format for this book. Basically, the novel is Grace's letter to Gavin, telling him about their story. She uses the word, "You" a lot and at times, it places the reader as Gavin, doing what he is doing. It totally made me see a lot of things differently than if it was just saying, well, Gavin did this and Gavin did that. It had a whole different feeling with it, and I thought it created so much more of an impact.

As I said, this is a very character driven novel. It is focused on the relationship and Grace's journey. There isn't much of a big plot focusing on saving a kingdom - it's focused on one's girl journey in finding out who she is and what her relationships do to her. If you're expecting a lot of action, this is not a story for you - but trust me, this is captivating in its own way. I sat for two hours straight just to finish this book because it was so gripping. I had to know what happening. I was two seconds away from shouting at my Kindle and I was flipping through the pages so fast.

I don't want to say too much about this book to spoil anything, but this book was simply hauntingly beautiful. I haven't seen too many domestic violence stories in YA lately, but it is such a prevalent problem facing young adults today. While this book has many triggers, I think it's a book that a lot of people would benefit from reading - because it shows you just how innocently things can start off. It is a story that will make you angry, but it's a story that I feel a lot of people need to read (if they are okay with the triggers). It is hard to read, but wow. I'll definitely be picking up my physical copy soon.

Five crowns, and while I did debate about putting a Princess Rating on this (I didn't want to trivialize anything), it is a Tiana rating. ...more

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Jun 13, 2017 Stacee rated it really liked it

Shelves: rape-or-molestation, contains-the-evil-sentence, read-in-2017

This is a hard book to rate. It was also a hard book to read.

Grace is an amazingly well written character. Her descent from charismatic and spontaneous to broken and beaten down is subtle and so effective. Gavin is portrayed in such a way that you can understand how and why Grace falls for him. But it was Nat and Lys who steal the show and I love that they were such a positive support system for her.

Plot wise, it was exactly what I was expecting. And I loved the use of second person. It was li ...more

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Jun 17, 2017 Alyssa rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-releases

4.5 stars. I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying. 😭😭😭

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her California town, too small to contain her big city dreams. Out of her life, and in ...more

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Jul 12, 2017 Taylor is currently reading it

Taking a break from The Night Circus to read this bad boy. BTW the opening line quotes RENT , so it's safe to say I'm all in!

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Jun 30, 2017 Zyra rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, young-adult, highly-entertaining

i didn't know a relationship could be this messed up. this is a good awareness book for anybody going through such a relationship to recognise & remove themselves from such toxic bad romance.

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Jun 24, 2017 Nikki (Book Allure) rated it really liked it

This was hard to read but necessary. It shows you how abuse can disguise itself in soft kisses and sweet nothings. Don't fall for it. You can read my full review on Book Allure

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Jun 20, 2017 Lilly (Lair Of Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, egalley, ya-contemporary, 2017-reads, physical-emotional-abuse

This has to be one of THE hardest books I've ever read. The entire time I had a knot in my throat & found myself cringing in certain scenes. Trigger warning: Physical & mental abuse, suicide, and rape. A character study that takes you back to the very beginning of the main protog's mental state & the slow and painful decline to the shell of a person left behind. As hard as it was to read, I can't deny how well the author captured the human psyche. Perhaps because this story is derive ...more

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Jun 26, 2017 Ali *The Black Heart* rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is probably going to get really personal and very emotional for me, please bear with me.

Bad Romance is a book every young girl should read. Bad Romance is a book every mother of a young girl should read. Hell, every mother of a young boy should read it. It should be read as a cautionary tale of what so, so many young couples go through and we should all be aware of the signs.

It would be easy to say that Bad Romance is the story of Grace, a high school student with a hard home life who falls ...more

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Mar 10, 2017 Rachael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: release-date-2017, pre-orders

I was really excited but also so incredibly nervous to read Bad Romance because it tackles a subject that is incredibly sensitive for me and is rarely done right. I am a big fan of Demetrios though so I trusted going in that if any one could write this story, she could. Grace's story was so raw and I saw so many parallels in my own life that it made reading the story very difficult but it was so necessary. I do think Bad Romance should be required a required reading for teens (and adults) becau ...more

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Jul 04, 2017 nick rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, what-a-disappointment, contemporary, young-adult, best-female-friendships, books-that-made-me-think, july-2017

If Bad Romance had been written by anyone other than Heather Demetrios, I would not have picked it up. I don’t handle tough books like Bad Romance well, and reading this reminded me why exactly I avoid them. Plain and simple, they stress me out. I’m very torn about my feelings towards this book. On the one hand, the book does a stunning job at showing the progression of a toxic romance – it’s going to beneficial to many many teens. On the other hand, I don’t know if I can say that I “enjoyed” th If Bad Romance had been written by anyone other than Heather Demetrios, I would not have picked it up. I don’t handle tough books like Bad Romance well, and reading this reminded me why exactly I avoid them. Plain and simple, they stress me out. I’m very torn about my feelings towards this book. On the one hand, the book does a stunning job at showing the progression of a toxic romance – it’s going to beneficial to many many teens. On the other hand, I don’t know if I can say that I “enjoyed” the book because of how anxious it made me feel.

Bad Romance is not an easy book to read. Like I said, I felt very stressed reading it, but also I was just so blisteringly angry throughout the whole thing. Grace, the protagonist here, was surrounded by one shitty person after the other. She can’t catch a break with her emotionally abusive mom, her dick of a stepfather, then enter, Gavin, grade A manipulative asshole. I felt for this girl because no one deserves to be used and manipulated the way Grace was. Despite her heartbreaking home life, she remained optimistic that her future would be brighter. I don’t know how Grace managed to remain so strong throughout it all. Thankfully, Grace does have a fantastic support system in the form of her best friends, who were a bright spot in this otherwise dark story.

As readers, you get to see the abusive relationship slowly unfold before your eyes. At first glance, Gavin was charming, a sweet-talker, and a romantic guy, and he easily succeeded in sweeping Grace off her feet and provided her with the love and solace she couldn’t find at home. Demetrios did a great job at convincing readers that Gavin was the perfect guy for Grace initially. Throughout the story, we begin to see cracks in Gavin’s character, and eventually, we scrutinize every action of his. He goes from being charming to manipulative, often showing jealous tendencies, controlling who Grace hangs out with, and name-calling her. Every single time though, Grace forgives him because he promises never to do it again. It’s hard watching her constantly fall for his fake apologies and his declarations of love.

While the progression of the toxic relationship was excellent and thought-provoking, it was how and when Grace begins to take actions to get out of the relationship is where I started to find some issues. Grace saw all the red flags in her mother’s relationship with her step dad, and her friends and her sister warn her that she needs to break up with Gavin, and she doesn’t exactly heed them, and this was all understandable, because the cycle of abuse is one that’s hard to break. What I took issue with though is that it took another guy, Gideon, entering the picture for Grace to begin rethinking her relationship with Grace. I’m just not sure I liked the message that that sends out to teen readers at all.

I also was not a fan of this particular paragraph in the book:

“Gideon and his parents are what you’d call spiritual but not religious. I haven’t been to his house, but I can imagine incense burning next to a statue of Buddha, which sits against a wall with a cross on it. There’s probably a yoga mat on the floor and, I don’t know, Indian Hindu songs playing in the background.”

I don’t even know where to begin with how stereotypical of Buddhists and Indians this is with incense and yoga mats. First of all, Buddhism and Hinduism are very very different. Then there’s the whole “Indian Hindu songs” description which makes me shake my head. The word Demetrios is looking for here is Hindi. Hindi is a language. Hindu refers to a person who follows Hinduism. This is something that could have easily been fixed with a Google search. How did an editor not catch this? *shakes head* Anyways, this whole paragraph was so unnecessary. Just say his parents are spiritual and be done with it. The cliched depiction just annoys me.

As you can tell, I have conflicted feelings towards Bad Romance. I feel bad for not loving the full message of the book given this is a very personal story for Heather Demetrios, and while I don’t deny that this is the sort of book that might help lots of teens, I’m just not happy with how things resolved. I also wish we had more of a resolution when it comes to her relationship with her mom – and what happened to Sam, her brother? Bad Romance is thought-provoking, but it had some issues in my opinion. ...more

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Jun 29, 2017 Pavlina Read more sleep less blog❤❤ is currently reading it

Shelves: best-cover, ya-books

Omg this cover is stunning!I can't wait to start it <3

description

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May 29, 2017 Brittany (The Book Addict's Guide/Novelly Yours) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, contemp-realistic-ya, from-pub-macmillan, to-review

Initial Impressions 5/29/17: 4 - 4.5 stars
This is so hard to rate because it was so hard to read at times! It was VERY well done and realistic though. So well done that it was hard to read Grace's story and the things she went through.

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Feb 19, 2017 Crystal (Bookiemoji) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: print-arc, 2017, read-in-2017

This one is addicting, emotional, and so relatable for me. So so good!

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Jun 04, 2017 Michelle (Pink Polka Dot Books) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: tbr-2017

I've lived this book & I hope if anyone currently living this book is reading it, they find the courage to get out. It's not easy, but you can do it!!

This is going to be a hard book for me to review. Right off the bat, I want to tell you I LOVED THIS BOOK. I've never read a YA book about a controlling, possessive boyfriend (portrayed in a negative way) who wasn't physically violent. And holy shit-- this one portrayed that perfectly.

Gavin starts showing Grace attention and she can't believe h I've lived this book & I hope if anyone currently living this book is reading it, they find the courage to get out. It's not easy, but you can do it!!

This is going to be a hard book for me to review. Right off the bat, I want to tell you I LOVED THIS BOOK. I've never read a YA book about a controlling, possessive boyfriend (portrayed in a negative way) who wasn't physically violent. And holy shit-- this one portrayed that perfectly.

Gavin starts showing Grace attention and she can't believe her luck. Here's this guy, who she's crushed on forever, and is totally out of her league, treating her like she's a princess. He's making her feel so loved and needed-- and basically giving her everything she doesn't get from her home life. She feels safe and important and cared about.

Then Gavin begins to get too attached. He wants to be with her all the time, wants to know where she is and who she's with. He wants to institute "rules" on what they can do and who they can hang out with. She starts seeing that maybe Gavin isn't Mr. Perfect. But by then it's too late. By then Grace can't imagine her life without Gavin, and he's definitely not going to let her go.

I kind of felt like Ms. Demetrios was following me around in the early 2000's-- because it was around that time that I had my own Gavin. He wasn't a rockstar, but he was like Gavin in every other way. He never hit me, but he may as well have. I still have the emotional scars and will snap if I perceive anyone trying to keep tabs on me. I think a relationship like that stays with you for life.

I hope this gets in the hands of every girl/boy who has or had a Gavin. I don't think I've ever read a book to so accurately depict what someone who is controlling is like. And Grace didn't have family to help her, so if she could get out-- I think it will give hope to so many young people.

The only thing that I didn't exactly love was that there was an escalation of the abuse that crossed the line into something more physical-- and I was kind of hoping this book would just stay in the mental abuse category. It almost felt like it was saying that she couldn't leave until something REALLY bad happened. And I know that's not what the message was, but I wish it didn't mix that in there to muddy the waters.

OVERALL: Thank you Heather Demetrios!! Thank you for writing a book about the guys like Gavin and relationships that are hard to get out of. I think this book should be in every middle school and high school. I feel like every teen/young adult should read it.

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Apr 25, 2017 Christy (Novel Ink) rated it really liked it

4.5 stars!

I had heard a lot of amazing things going into this book but I never actually read the summary for this book. Honestly, when I saw it on Netgalley, all it took for me to request was the authors name. I absolutely fell in love with her book, I'll Meet You There, so it was a no brainer that I had to read Bad Romance.
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What I didn't expect going into this book was how relatable it was going to be. I was seriously having flashbacks to my first real year long high school relationship. I felt ...more

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Jun 26, 2017 Sarah Louise rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned-books, books-i-adore, cover-lust

This was so, so, so good, and easily one of my favourites that I've read this year.

"When you're a stupid girl in love, it's almost impossible to see the red flags. It's so easy to pretend they're not there, to pretend that everything is perfect."

Bad Romance is about Grace, and you guessed it, her bad romance. From the initial moments of sweetness to the controlling, abusive threats, Bad Romance is told in sort of a reflection as commentary is given by Grace throughout her experience in a severe ...more

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Apr 20, 2017 Kelli Spear rated it it was amazing

Shelves: the-asap-list, best-of-2017

Unapologetic, real, unabashedly honest, Bad Romance is probably the best break-up story I have ever read.

First of all, the way this story is told is outstanding. Brilliant. It starts after the relationship has ended. Grace starts at the beginning and lets it all unfold. And the formatting is almost written like a letter to Gavin. An outside look at how their relationship went down. But an outside look from the inside, if that makes sense.

What could ultimately be the most depressing story---one t Unapologetic, real, unabashedly honest, Bad Romance is probably the best break-up story I have ever read.

First of all, the way this story is told is outstanding. Brilliant. It starts after the relationship has ended. Grace starts at the beginning and lets it all unfold. And the formatting is almost written like a letter to Gavin. An outside look at how their relationship went down. But an outside look from the inside, if that makes sense.

What could ultimately be the most depressing story---one that would be frustrating and impossible to finish---is told in such a way that you cannot help but be enraptured. It in no way glorifies abusive relationships. I just mean that Grace tells her story with wit and humor. Her voice is remarkably relatable. Most importantly, though, is that as she narrates the story, she often tosses in comments that make the reader realize hindsight is 20/20. She was able to look back and SEE what everyone else had known all along. Worst of all, is the home life that probably drew her eyes to Gavin in the first place. Her mom is in an unhealthy relationship, and you can't help but see the cycle continuing.

BUT...

For all the negative relationships in her life, Grace has some amazing female friends. Ones who always have her back. Strong characters who are the voice of reason---even when Grace was blind to the truth. Also included are the "normal" variety males who prove that this behavior ISN'T typical and you CAN be loved/cared about without having to give up pieces of yourself.

Now, even knowing how it ended, I really was able to see things from the past Grace's point of view. Finally attaining the dream guy. Believing yourself unworthy of someone so seemingly out of your league... haven't we all thought that at some point? And as things slowly unraveled, I couldn't help but understand her feelings. I couldn't help but think he had faults, but he loved her. In his own fucked up way, I'm sure he did. But that way was dangerous. Time and time again.

A moment of honesty: I dated a guy who was a bit like Gavin. We were younger (sophomores in high school), but things just moved quickly. He said "I love you" and I didn't. I wasn't there. It had been two months, I was young, and... it just wasn't me. But he was troubled. He didn't like guys talking to me. He accused me of wanting other guys. He'd get drunk and call me names. He was expelled from school for showing up drunk. A few months later, he heard an older guy had a crush on me. He showed up at his house, confronted him, threatened to beat him up if he spoke to me. Finally, I'd had enough. After 7 short months, I got out. And that night, received a call from his mother that he'd swallowed a bottle of pills. He called me from the hospital and wanted to get back together. Thankfully, I realized that that would have been a big mistake I'd never recover from. And once he was released from the hospital, he tried calling me again. The first few times I answered and we chatted a bit. But it never felt the same. Even friendship was too much. We were on separate paths in life. So, I walked away completely. And after reading this story, I'm so grateful I did. My life and mental stability could have suffered irreversible consequences.

Anyway, this is an extraordinarily important book. It can empower those who feel there is no way out. Those who feel stuck in a situation they desperately want out of. It's heartbreaking at times---I felt myself wishing Gavin could just be who she needed him to be. Someone supportive. Someone who wanted happiness for her. Who wanted Grace's dreams to become reality. And in a messed up way, I think he believed that's what he was doing. And at times, he was sweet. Sickeningly so. And it was those moments that I felt connected to Grace the most. Because for all the bad, he did have good in him, too. It just wasn't enough. And the bad was toxic. Irrevocable.

A cautionary tale, Bad Romance is a must read for women of all ages, regardless of their current romantic status. ...more

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Jun 18, 2017 Renee rated it really liked it

This book hurt. There were parts that were tough to swallow at times, but the author successfully delivers a very important message. I think almost every girl has been through something similar at some point in her life, even some that may experiencing it at present. Whether it's to reflect on the past, or give you courage and hope for the present/future - I highly recommend this book to romance readers. Not every romance ends in a happy ending and not every gorgeous villain is redeemable, and t ...more

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Jun 11, 2017 Christy rated it it was amazing

1 in 4 teens experiences dating violence. Heather captures the essence beautifully and leaves readers full of hope at the end. An incredibly well done story of "that's not love" - highly recommend!

I was on the fence in reading Bad Romance, not because I don't love Heather Demtrios (is there anything she can't do?) but because I knew this book was going to potentially break my heart. What I got was a story with so much depth and resonance that I was hardly able to put it down. I don't think you'l 1 in 4 teens experiences dating violence. Heather captures the essence beautifully and leaves readers full of hope at the end. An incredibly well done story of "that's not love" - highly recommend!

I was on the fence in reading Bad Romance, not because I don't love Heather Demtrios (is there anything she can't do?) but because I knew this book was going to potentially break my heart. What I got was a story with so much depth and resonance that I was hardly able to put it down. I don't think you'll be able to, either.

Having recently read Dreamland, I wasn't sure I was mentally prepared to take on another book about an abusive relationship. See, I’m 4 years out of an abusive marriage (and 16 years out of an abusive household - I identified a lot with Grace). I’ve spent 4 years trying to put my past behind me and being part of the #ChooseYou campaign (plus seeing Heather’s tweet about talking about getting out could save another) brought me back to the dealing with restraining orders and fearing for my life. Yeah.

Girls don’t fall in love with manipulative assholes who treat them like shit and make them seriously question their life choices. They fall in love with manipulative assholes (who treat them like shit and make them seriously question their life choices) who they think are knights in shining armor.

Ah, knight in shining armor syndrome. Much like Gavin, my knight in shining armor came at a time in my life when I was lost and needy, wanting to be rescued from my life. In Bad Romance, Gavin steps in when Grace is in need of a rescue. She has a crappy home life with some terrible examples (That’s not love, yo). Being with Gavin becomes an escape, which he quickly takes advantage of.

“He … said I wasn’t deep.” “What. The. Fuck?” Lys says. “Are you serious?” “He didn’t mean it in, like, a bad way.”

It starts small, right? An off handed comment that you can’t get out of your head. Over and over until you’re beat down and feel worthless. Grace didn’t start too far from there, considering her step father and mother physically and emotionally abuse her.

When you’re a stupid girl in love, it’s almost impossible to see the red flags. It’s so easy to pretend they’re not there, to pretend that everything is perfect.

“He didn’t mean it in, like, a bad way.” And there it is. The excuses. The fighting and the making up, so intense that how could you feel anything but deeply in love? When he’s making life altering decisions for your benefit.

Grace’s friends were legit the best in Bad Romance. They kept it real with her and protected her when they could. They didn’t abandon her, even though she became less available as a friend.

I can’t rave about this book enough. It’s paced so well, going through the motions of establishing the relationship in the pattern we see in most abusers. From the most special girl in the world to slowly degrading her self worth - Grace made it out but not without a few scars. In my head canon, she’s off to college with her besties. Maybe she’s found someone worth the love she has to give or maybe she’s hanging solo. Either way, I just want to see her happy. ...more

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Jun 24, 2017 Burcu Büyükyıldız rated it really liked it

Mutlaka okuyun. Aşkla uzaktan yakından alakası olmayan saplantılı bir ilişkinin nelere yol açabileceğini anlatan çok gerçek bir kitaptı.
Ve Gavin! -_- Fuck you! Nefret ettiğim nadir erkek karakterlerden oldun.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, alw ...more

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May 28, 2017 Latanya rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, society, wtf, contemporary, realistic-fiction

(Review courtesy of http://www.craftyscribbles.com)

As mentioned in my review of Paper Butterflies, abuse, as a trope, requires proper handling for me to read and respect. If placed in less capable hands, I throw the book into the torture porn (Allegedly), which I dislike. Abuse earns itself as a plot device never to be used irresponsibly.

Thus, as I approached Heather Demetrios' Bad Romance, I prepared to roll my eyes until they popped. Thankfully, the book proved me wrong. This story promised t ...more

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Jun 28, 2017 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: favourite, i-own, ya, contemporary

“I gave you my heart on a silver fucking platter and you ate it, piece by bloody piece.”

Thank you very much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Reading Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios is like watching a train wreck occur before you very eyes, in slow motion: you are horrified, but at the same time, you are unable to look away. The novel is emotional from beginning to end, as it explores the discourse surrounding toxic “I gave you my heart on a silver fucking platter and you ate it, piece by bloody piece.”

Thank you very much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Reading Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios is like watching a train wreck occur before you very eyes, in slow motion: you are horrified, but at the same time, you are unable to look away. The novel is emotional from beginning to end, as it explores the discourse surrounding toxic relationships, and complex family connections.

(This review contains very mild spoilers.)

Heather Demetrios’ novel is one of the most gut-wrenching, emotional YA contemporaries I have ever read. I think it’s fair to say I have never read something like this before, as many YA novels tend to shy away from the harmful side of romance.

There were many times while reading this book where I wanted to shout at Grace and tell her to look at the signs. There were many times I wanted to shake her for her inability to leave him when she starts to recognise his unhealthy behaviour. But that is the very point of the novel; that is what the novel is trying to show: that no matter how badly you want out of a bad relationship, sometimes, it is not that easy. I have never had a Gavin of my own (thank God), so I came to this book with a completely different perspective, but the novel soon opened my eyes. Bad Romance is certainly a novel that everyone should read – it is so powerful, so heartbreaking, and so inspiring, I want to give a copy to every person I know so they can learn that they don’t always need to choose romance: they can choose themselves.

What stood apart immediately was the use of second-person narration. I have never read a novel that utilises this type of narration before, and I have to admit, it does take some getting used to. It gives the impression of Grace relating a letter to Gavin, of her explaining their history together, from the perspective of hindsight. Once you get used to the narration style, the novel seamlessly flows from one scene to the next. The plot is quite simple in that there is not much action: the novel follows Grace for almost two years, as she meets Gavin, becomes his girlfriend, falls for him, and slowly becomes scared of him. But the heavy content and beautiful writing more than makes up for the slow plot. But given the novel’s subject, the slow plot makes sense, as the reader is following along with Grace on her journey from loving Gavin, to hating him.

Gavin’s abuse comes in the form of verbal and emotional, and I think this was a deliberate decision on the author’s part. Gavin never physically harms Grace (as in raising his hand to her), but he hurts her in a myriad of other ways. It is important to show the reader, most of whom are probably young adults themselves, that abuse comes in many different forms, not just the physically violent. A boyfriend can love you deeply, can treat you like a princess, but still talk down to you and try to isolate you from your family and friends – this type of behaviour is also domestic abuse, but many people, including society, don’t treat it as such.

Gavin first treats Grace as if she is unintelligent. before moving on to controlling who she is allowed to be alone around, to forcing her to give up on her dreams, and finally, attempting to cut her friends out of her life – thankfully, Grace has the best friends in the history of the world who do not allow this to happen. Grace’s best friends, Natalie and Alyssa, are the novel’s most wonderful characters – they love Grace with all their hearts, and are always there for her, even when Gavin tries to isolate her. As true friends, they pick up on Gavin’s controlling behaviour long before Grace does, and try to warn her of this. Honestly, this novel has some of the best examples of female friendship I have read in years, and is a powerful reminder that us girls always need our bffs.

Grace is a very sympathetic character, and one I formed an emotional connection with almost immediately, even though there were times I grew incensed by her decisions (or lack thereof). Her mother has a severe mental illness, which is increased by her husband’s controlling behaviour, and Grace is viewed as her household’s slave: she is not allowed to hang out with her friends or go to parties until she has scrubbed the skirting boards, and she is constantly late to school and exams because her mother needs to lock the doors for the twelfth time in a row. There were many times I was angered on Grace’s behalf, and it is very easy to see how a girl who works as her family’s Cinderella, is swept off her feet by a sensitive, tortured soul/musician like Gavin.

There isn’t much else I can say, aside from, ‘Read this haunting novel and be prepared to cry your eyes out.’ I think Bad Romance is a novel many people should strive to read, particularly because of the messages the novel promotes (if you can handle such triggers). This novel is powerfully realistic and will open your eyes to the negative, harmful side of ‘unconditional’ romance. ...more

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Jun 27, 2017 Monica Murphy rated it it was amazing

This book tackled a tough topic and the author handled it perfectly. The writing was beautiful, the characters totally believable and the story felt so very real. Teen girls and women of all ages should read it.

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About Heather Demetrios

When Heather Demetrios isn’t traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, she lives with her husband in New York City. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the East Coast home. Heather has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a recipient of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for her debut novel, Something ...more

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Exquisite Captive (Dark Caravan Cycle, #1)

Freedom's Slave (Dark Caravan Cycle, #3)

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“I gave you my heart on a silver fucking platter and you ate it, piece by bloody piece.” — 3 likes

“I will bury myself alive. I will cut my skin to shreds. I swear I will, I will. And I'll burn this fucking house down if it means I can cut you loose, be free, be without Gavin Davis.” — 1 likes

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