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Off Limits #2

The Smarty-Pants

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She’s a free spirit. He’s bound by the rules. A school trip is going to change everything.

Gracie Porter was born an artist. She has thirty lava lamps and several murals (aka her bedroom walls) to prove it. But then her mom goes back to work and Gracie suddenly finds herself taking care of her six younger siblings, with no time for herself. When Gracie is offered a spot on a weeklong school trip, she jumps at the chance to get out of the house. She didn’t count on the cute, but dorky, Markus Brown being there as well.

Markus Brown is too smart for his own good. At least, that’s how everyone else sees him. In reality, he’s living the life his father paved for him. He couldn’t care less about college or grades. When Markus ends up on the same school trip as Gracie, his secret crush, he finally feels like he has permission to be himself, and to go after the girl of his dreams. But he’s been entrenched in his father’s thinking far too long, and there are some old habits that won’t die without a fight.

Gracie and Markus have one week to open their hearts, learn to trust each other, and realize that life is better when they don’t try to do it alone.

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2019

35 people are currently reading
104 people want to read

About the author

Kat Bellemore

44 books150 followers

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5 stars
46 (46%)
4 stars
27 (27%)
3 stars
21 (21%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
3 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Lillian's Lovely Library .
29 reviews10 followers
May 25, 2024
Unfortunately the author decided to write a scene where the two main characters are " going to seek the spirits that still haunted historic Philadelphia", so I just decided to stop there !
2,707 reviews13 followers
October 29, 2019
A sweet plot...

This is a coming-of-age story about teens moving into adulthood. Gracie is a junior in high school whose mother has gone back to work. She's suddenly faced with the challenge of balancing high school with adult responsibilities for her six younger siblings. Markus is only a few months from graduation and facing a future orchestrated for him by his father just like his childhood has been.

Gracie is outgoing and boyfriends have told her she is a little over-the-top. Marcus is well-groomed, proper, and restrained while being socially inept. An unlikely combination of personalities, yet they form a friendship that Marcus hopes will become more.

This is a sweet story, full of self-doubt and teen angst. Kat Bellamore captures the uncertainties that young adults face as they explore new relationships and prepare to leave home and find their future. I received a free copy of this book but my review is voluntary and honest.
1,839 reviews12 followers
October 28, 2019
This is a cute story of 2 teenagers who have trouble communicating, sharing themselves so they can maybe be together in a relationship. There are some funny things that happen to them also. Even adults can learn some things be reading this book. I received an ARC. This is my voluntary, honest opinion.
Profile Image for Janet Graham.
2,506 reviews11 followers
October 28, 2019
Being True To One's Own Self
This is a sweet and clean story about high schoolers trying to find out what they want to do and how to tell their parents. The story is well done and fairly realistic.
Profile Image for Kanwarpal Singh.
1,013 reviews9 followers
December 17, 2024
Gracie Porter was born an artist, and she want to make, Difference in the world by doing something for society through art so she decided to go for artist therapy. But then gracie mom goes back to work and Gracie suddenly finds herself taking care of her six younger siblings, with no time for herself.

Markus Brown is too smart for his own good. At least, that’s how everyone else sees him. In reality, he’s living the life his father paved for him. He couldn’t care less about college or grades. But he want to make a difference in the world through social cause and humanitarian grounds.

When Gracie is offered a spot on a weeklong school trip, she jumps at the chance to get out of the house. She didn’t count on the cute, but dorky, Markus Brown , who also ends up on the same school trip as Gracie, his secret crush, he finally feels like he has permission to be himself, and to go after the girl of his dreams. But he’s been entrenched in his father’s thinking far too long, and there are some old habits as at first he doesn't knew anything about and misjudged and said things hurtful for artist reputation, but soon realised his mistake where he went wrong and mend the ways.

Gracie and Markus have one week to open their hearts, learn to trust each other, and realize that life is better when they don’t try to do it alone. So both share there heart out first to themselves then to there families and realised that they never speak up and family though that's what they want but when they spoke up they supported them. And thus conclusions came with a happy ending for both
Profile Image for ☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ ѕℓιм ☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ .
1,540 reviews103 followers
August 14, 2020
Good

https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2020...

Spoilers....just a few.

I finally got around to reading the second book to this series. I know I read like the fourth book. I believe in this series. I know I am kind of out of order when it comes to this series. But regardless of out of order, I am, I still think that this book is good.

Not only that I felt that Gracie and Mark were right for each other. Never thought that Mark was a nerd... I thought he was a different type. But felt that he was different and right for Gracie and she to him. Plus; I felt that he definitely needed to talk to his dad. About what he wanted out of life. Not only that, but it also helped so much when it came to telling his father. He finally knew what is dad felt and why his mom and dad broke up.

Plus I see that he went to MIT. I kind of forgot he was in college. Because book four wasn’t based on him and Gracie but on there other friend Sandra and the principal son Blair...
Profile Image for Culture-Vulture.
540 reviews
March 2, 2022


It's well-written, and the plot keeps you engaged. However, the two romantic leads seem to have a lot of miscommunication and small fights, not to mention the other MUCH bigger issues, for everything to get resolved so smoothly at the end. It felt rushed and incomplete.

And he goes to MIT anyway?! So that's a tepid HFN, at best.

4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Michaela | Reading in the Heartland.
3,713 reviews81 followers
December 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this high school romance. Not anything like I was expecting, and it was so much better. I loved the different locale, and how these two got along in a form of forced proximity. I liked how they talked through life issues together and the big focus on family. It was a fun read that I did not want to put down.
Profile Image for  The Flipped Page (Susan K).
1,862 reviews39 followers
June 15, 2020
I wanted to like this, I really did. I give myself credit for finishing it. It was clean, but writing style wasn't up to par for me as a reader. The general plot was fine, it felt like Markus was described a bit awkward and stilted at times, stumbling around a bit. Had the potential to be better. Hopefully this author will keep at it and get some feedback from a good editor
Profile Image for zen.aa.
70 reviews1 follower
August 9, 2025
Rate:2,5 stars

I loved that the mmc was so shy but that was actually it, I didn’t really enjoy it idk why
802 reviews6 followers
October 31, 2019
What an absolutely eye-opening look at high school angst that so many teens ultimately face! Gracie has taken on the task of helping with her six younger siblings when her mother returns to the work force during her junior year. Markus comes from an almost exact opposite situation being an only child who is being raised by his academic father. Both of these teens have excelled in the classroom and been model students. So no surprise when they are both chosen to participate in a week-long excursion to Philadelphia. What could go wrong? Almost everything it seems. I would recommend this book. It reminded me of some of my own memories from almost 60 years past and those of my teenage grandchildren, 15 & 17!

I received an ARC copy of the book. This is my voluntary, honest and completely personal review.
VICKI FROM WYOMING
Profile Image for MoonGarden.
382 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2020
They say opposites attract...

On the surface these two couldn't be more different, but inside Markus is feeling stifled by the life his father mapped out for him but he doesn't know how to break out of the mould he has been in for so long.

I really felt a sort of kinship with Gracie. As the oldest of 8 kids I spent plenty of my growing up years taking care of younger kids with little no time fur myself, even all I really wanted was to be drawing. 

The book is a really fun, but still light- hearted, look back into high school and figuring out who you really are, and who you want to be.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Ashleigh.
3,411 reviews1 follower
November 4, 2019
A quick enjoyable read.
I felt that the author had the ability to convey some depth to the personalities of the characters bringing a greater sense of reality to her story.
The writing draws you in and keeps you interested until the end.
The chemistry between the H and h is great plus their attitudes and events going on make the story even richer.

I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.
10.9k reviews125 followers
November 5, 2019
I've read several books written by Kat Bellemore; she has done a great job at writing a good book; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of books her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
4,012 reviews34 followers
November 1, 2019
The book is a good teen and young adult romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good. The story is an enjoyable, funny, and sweet romance read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
345 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2019
Good four star!

Kay Bellemore has written a nice book. I has a Good story line and I enjoyed reading it very much and I recommend it to you.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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