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All-Star Love: A Six Lakes Tennis Academy Novel
A young adult fake dating romance set in the world of competitive tennis
The spend my senior year dazzling college scouts by playing my best tennis
What actually my tennis academy’s head coach, who happens to be my uncle, takes off to Tahiti with the school’s tuition money. Now my own classmates view me as a traitor.
My school is desperate for good press, so they partner with a reality show called The Academy. Only they’re going to exploit our scandal. Colleges won’t bother with my tennis skills when capital D Drama are the primary headlines.
Also not helping? When my wayward forehand shot nails transfer student Shane Wagner in the face on day one. Shane, obnoxiously gorgeous for starters, happens to be the number one nationally-seeded player in junior boys’ tennis. Oops.
Everyone at school views Shane as an outsider and fame-seeker. Turns out, he’s just as much an outcast as me. Our new band together as the show producers push for drama. We can each get what we want if we play our parts. Pretending to be together, we can control the narrative.
We’ll have to play hard to save our school from total ruin before we’re outmatched.
"There is drama galore, sneaky meetups and kisses, and a healthy dose of truth despite the harshness of some of the drama that brings it all about. It is an intriguing story touching on many of the issues teens face nowadays, brought more into the light by the reality show filming them."
- YA Books Central
The spend my senior year dazzling college scouts by playing my best tennis
What actually my tennis academy’s head coach, who happens to be my uncle, takes off to Tahiti with the school’s tuition money. Now my own classmates view me as a traitor.
My school is desperate for good press, so they partner with a reality show called The Academy. Only they’re going to exploit our scandal. Colleges won’t bother with my tennis skills when capital D Drama are the primary headlines.
Also not helping? When my wayward forehand shot nails transfer student Shane Wagner in the face on day one. Shane, obnoxiously gorgeous for starters, happens to be the number one nationally-seeded player in junior boys’ tennis. Oops.
Everyone at school views Shane as an outsider and fame-seeker. Turns out, he’s just as much an outcast as me. Our new band together as the show producers push for drama. We can each get what we want if we play our parts. Pretending to be together, we can control the narrative.
We’ll have to play hard to save our school from total ruin before we’re outmatched.
"There is drama galore, sneaky meetups and kisses, and a healthy dose of truth despite the harshness of some of the drama that brings it all about. It is an intriguing story touching on many of the issues teens face nowadays, brought more into the light by the reality show filming them."
- YA Books Central
295 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2022
74 people are currently reading
2560 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie J. Scott
24 books599 followersStephanie J. Scott writes light-hearted, quirky romance and young adult. She enjoys dance fitness, everything cats, and has a slight obsession with Instagram. A Midwest girl at heart, she resides outside of Chicago with her tech-of-all-trades husband and fuzzy furbabies.
I spend a lot of time on Instagram! @stephaniejaynebooks
More about books & my author newsletter at:
www.stephaniejscott.com
I spend a lot of time on Instagram! @stephaniejaynebooks
More about books & my author newsletter at:
www.stephaniejscott.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
May 12, 2022
"I kissed him like nothing mattered. No, I kissed him like he mattered. Like we mattered."
✅Fake dating
✅Reality TV
✅Sports romance
It's such a fun and cute read. I was hooked from the beginning. The plot is super fun and so interesting, I enjoyed it so much. It's swoon worthy. The drama in it is chef's kiss 🤌What I didn't like was how this book was falsely marketed as "enemies to lovers". It's really not. It's just a bad first encounter between two strangers, which is why I give it 4 stars.
The plot revolves around Six Lakes Tennis Academy and we read it from Maisie's POV. Maisie finds herself in a complex situation which has tampered with her and the Academy's reputation. The solution to build that up? Reality TV and some top seed players.
I was worried at first that the plot might not revolve around Tennis too much, but I was surprised by how consistently relevant it stayed to the story.
The characters Maisie and Shane are so cute together. The chemistry is perfect. The two are their own person and know what they want, what their expectations are. Maisie is such a likable character, Shane is full of charm. The supporting characters, except for Nia are quite forgetful. I didn't like Nia, she was a diva in my opinion no matter how Maisie tried to justify her actions.
I will look forward to reading more of the author's works and recommend this book to those who need a light-hearted YA romance. If you enjoy sports romance and tennis in particular, don't hesitate to pick this one up.
eARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
✅Fake dating
✅Reality TV
✅Sports romance
It's such a fun and cute read. I was hooked from the beginning. The plot is super fun and so interesting, I enjoyed it so much. It's swoon worthy. The drama in it is chef's kiss 🤌What I didn't like was how this book was falsely marketed as "enemies to lovers". It's really not. It's just a bad first encounter between two strangers, which is why I give it 4 stars.
The plot revolves around Six Lakes Tennis Academy and we read it from Maisie's POV. Maisie finds herself in a complex situation which has tampered with her and the Academy's reputation. The solution to build that up? Reality TV and some top seed players.
I was worried at first that the plot might not revolve around Tennis too much, but I was surprised by how consistently relevant it stayed to the story.
The characters Maisie and Shane are so cute together. The chemistry is perfect. The two are their own person and know what they want, what their expectations are. Maisie is such a likable character, Shane is full of charm. The supporting characters, except for Nia are quite forgetful. I didn't like Nia, she was a diva in my opinion no matter how Maisie tried to justify her actions.
I will look forward to reading more of the author's works and recommend this book to those who need a light-hearted YA romance. If you enjoy sports romance and tennis in particular, don't hesitate to pick this one up.
eARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
June 10, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
make sure to check out my blog!
rating: 3 stars
This book turned out to be better than I expected so let’s go through all the things I liked and did not like.
First of all, when I started reading this book and saw that it was written in first person I wanted to DNF it because it’s not something I prefer when reading. But, as always, I gave this book a chance and it turned out to be just fine. First person definitely suits this story better and it was so easy to read.
Secondly, the characters in this book were really boring and written in a very stereotypical way. I wish we got to see more development but it never happened. Maisie gave me major “I’m not like other girls” vibes throughout the whole story but her and Shane had some adorable moments together. Also, we were promised rivals to lovers and fake dating but they weren’t any of those things. They immediately started dating for real and they were rivals for maybe five seconds in total. I felt betrayed by this honestly.
As I said previously I don't think that this was a bad book but the plot also felt super rushed. I wish we got more insight in what happened between Maisie and her uncle and how everything else truly turned out. I finished reading it last night but I already don't remember half of the things that occured in the epilogue.
To sum everything up, this was a mediocre read and perfect if you’re not looking for something with a more complex plot line and more in depth characters!
make sure to check out my blog!
rating: 3 stars
This book turned out to be better than I expected so let’s go through all the things I liked and did not like.
First of all, when I started reading this book and saw that it was written in first person I wanted to DNF it because it’s not something I prefer when reading. But, as always, I gave this book a chance and it turned out to be just fine. First person definitely suits this story better and it was so easy to read.
Secondly, the characters in this book were really boring and written in a very stereotypical way. I wish we got to see more development but it never happened. Maisie gave me major “I’m not like other girls” vibes throughout the whole story but her and Shane had some adorable moments together. Also, we were promised rivals to lovers and fake dating but they weren’t any of those things. They immediately started dating for real and they were rivals for maybe five seconds in total. I felt betrayed by this honestly.
As I said previously I don't think that this was a bad book but the plot also felt super rushed. I wish we got more insight in what happened between Maisie and her uncle and how everything else truly turned out. I finished reading it last night but I already don't remember half of the things that occured in the epilogue.
To sum everything up, this was a mediocre read and perfect if you’re not looking for something with a more complex plot line and more in depth characters!
June 2, 2022
Full Review on The Candid Cover
All-Star Love by Stephanie J. Scott combines tennis with reality TV in an engaging contemporary that is set in a tennis academy. With a school scandal, a fake relationship, and a clever main character, this one contains plenty of drama, all of which is amplified by the producers behind the school’s new reality show. I especially enjoyed the way the main character fights to control her own narrative behind the producers’ backs, and her own secret scheming is so entertaining to read about. This is a great book for those looking for something cute with a big helping of drama.
❀ DRAMATIC PLOT LINES
After her uncle steals the Six Lakes Tennis Academy’s tuition money and runs off, Masie’s reputation–and the school’s reputation–are in shambles. However, when the school partners with a new reality show and brings in two new transfer students to participate, there is hope for Six Lakes to stay open and for the students to succeed professionally. Being a reality show, Masie is aware of the dramatic plot lines and misrepresentation The Academy has in store for her future, so she decides to take matters into her own hands by playing up the tension between her friends and fake dating one of the new students. As life at Six Lakes becomes even more chaotic, Masie must fight to save the school while staying true to what is real.
❀ ENJOYABLE MAIN CHARACTER
Masie is an enjoyable main character, and I liked her voice. She is determined to do the right thing by using the show as an opportunity to save the school and to help her best friend succeed in the world of tennis, and I admired the way she does whatever it takes to support Nia, even pretending to hate her. Throughout the book, several aspects of her life are tested, from her education to her friendships, but Masie stays strong and commits to achieving her goals regardless of backlash from those around her.
❀ TWIST ON REALITY SHOW CONCEPT
What I especially enjoyed about this book is the twist on the reality show concept. There are several books out there about the ways these programs twist reality, but what is interesting about this one is the way the characters embrace this and use it to their advantage. While the producers are clever and try their hardest to push their predetermined narratives, Masie teams up with Shane to control her own image and get what she wants from the show, and I loved the different layers of manipulation at play in the story. Reading about Masie’s own scheming brings a lot of drama to the book, and I found the behind-the-scenes aspects of the reality show well done.
❀ A UNIQUE NOVEL
All-Star Love by Stephanie J. Scott is a unique novel about staying true to yourself in an environment where others have their own plans for your story. I loved the blend of tennis with reality TV, and the main character’s cleverness and compassion make her an interesting lead. The twist on the classic reality show concept is especially entertaining, making this a great read for those who are looking for a cute and dramatic read.
All-Star Love by Stephanie J. Scott combines tennis with reality TV in an engaging contemporary that is set in a tennis academy. With a school scandal, a fake relationship, and a clever main character, this one contains plenty of drama, all of which is amplified by the producers behind the school’s new reality show. I especially enjoyed the way the main character fights to control her own narrative behind the producers’ backs, and her own secret scheming is so entertaining to read about. This is a great book for those looking for something cute with a big helping of drama.
❀ DRAMATIC PLOT LINES
After her uncle steals the Six Lakes Tennis Academy’s tuition money and runs off, Masie’s reputation–and the school’s reputation–are in shambles. However, when the school partners with a new reality show and brings in two new transfer students to participate, there is hope for Six Lakes to stay open and for the students to succeed professionally. Being a reality show, Masie is aware of the dramatic plot lines and misrepresentation The Academy has in store for her future, so she decides to take matters into her own hands by playing up the tension between her friends and fake dating one of the new students. As life at Six Lakes becomes even more chaotic, Masie must fight to save the school while staying true to what is real.
❀ ENJOYABLE MAIN CHARACTER
Masie is an enjoyable main character, and I liked her voice. She is determined to do the right thing by using the show as an opportunity to save the school and to help her best friend succeed in the world of tennis, and I admired the way she does whatever it takes to support Nia, even pretending to hate her. Throughout the book, several aspects of her life are tested, from her education to her friendships, but Masie stays strong and commits to achieving her goals regardless of backlash from those around her.
❀ TWIST ON REALITY SHOW CONCEPT
What I especially enjoyed about this book is the twist on the reality show concept. There are several books out there about the ways these programs twist reality, but what is interesting about this one is the way the characters embrace this and use it to their advantage. While the producers are clever and try their hardest to push their predetermined narratives, Masie teams up with Shane to control her own image and get what she wants from the show, and I loved the different layers of manipulation at play in the story. Reading about Masie’s own scheming brings a lot of drama to the book, and I found the behind-the-scenes aspects of the reality show well done.
❀ A UNIQUE NOVEL
All-Star Love by Stephanie J. Scott is a unique novel about staying true to yourself in an environment where others have their own plans for your story. I loved the blend of tennis with reality TV, and the main character’s cleverness and compassion make her an interesting lead. The twist on the classic reality show concept is especially entertaining, making this a great read for those who are looking for a cute and dramatic read.
June 9, 2022
I want to start off by saying that I’ve procrastinated writing this review so my thoughts are a bit unorganised and I do not remember most of the book (I forgot everything literally the day after I finished reading it. Bummer.)
Thank you, NetGalley, the publishers and Stephanie J. Scott, for giving me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story that was being told had very little potential in my opinion. I was no longer interested in the story and the ridiculous characters when I was 40% in. I wanted to stop reading, I did not, but I skimmed the rest of the book not taking everything in, so in a way, I did stop reading because I have very little idea about what happens in the end. I have never hated EVERY character in a book before. Everyone was so dramatic and they were all so boring.
I don't really have anything else to say apart from the fact that this book was a huge waste of my time.
Thank you, NetGalley, the publishers and Stephanie J. Scott, for giving me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story that was being told had very little potential in my opinion. I was no longer interested in the story and the ridiculous characters when I was 40% in. I wanted to stop reading, I did not, but I skimmed the rest of the book not taking everything in, so in a way, I did stop reading because I have very little idea about what happens in the end. I have never hated EVERY character in a book before. Everyone was so dramatic and they were all so boring.
I don't really have anything else to say apart from the fact that this book was a huge waste of my time.
June 16, 2022
3.75/5
Um romance leve, divertido, com muita confusão e drama adolescente à mistura.
O motivo que me fez ler este livro foi falar de ténis que é um desporto que adoro 🎾 Na realidade, o tema não é muito abordado e gostava mais de ter lido mais sobre.
Todo o drama adolescente fez-me alguma confusão, alguns momentos foram demasiado exagerados.
É uma leitura rápida com tropes muito famosas e bem deliciosas. Temos um suave enemies-to-lovers, com fake dating e o drama de um reality show.
Tem os ingredientes ideais e acho que irá agradar a todos os amantes de romance YA.
!! Foi-me cedida uma cópia avançada deste livro em troca de uma opinião honesta.
Um romance leve, divertido, com muita confusão e drama adolescente à mistura.
O motivo que me fez ler este livro foi falar de ténis que é um desporto que adoro 🎾 Na realidade, o tema não é muito abordado e gostava mais de ter lido mais sobre.
Todo o drama adolescente fez-me alguma confusão, alguns momentos foram demasiado exagerados.
É uma leitura rápida com tropes muito famosas e bem deliciosas. Temos um suave enemies-to-lovers, com fake dating e o drama de um reality show.
Tem os ingredientes ideais e acho que irá agradar a todos os amantes de romance YA.
!! Foi-me cedida uma cópia avançada deste livro em troca de uma opinião honesta.
May 4, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Stephanie J Scott for an arc of this book! This was cute, it really wasn’t enemies to lovers, they got together in first 100 pages but all around just a cute wholesome romance.
May 24, 2022
DNF @ 24% The premise of this book was very interesting however the execution did not do it justice. The characters were just SO incredibly boring. Nothing about them was interesting. If you asked me to I wouldnt be able to name one characteristic about any of the characters. Also the pacing was super weird it was slow but also too fast at times. It’s sad because this seemed like it had potential.
** This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review**
** This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review**
June 16, 2022
*thank you to netgalley for the arc*
All-Star Love is the type of book I wish I liked, however had too many issues for me to do so. My rating for this book started out at three stars, but as I thought over this book, and wrote the review I lowered it to two stars, and finally one star.
Despite being advertised as an enemies to lovers book, It really wasn't. They got together within the first 100 pages. The book has some serious pacing issues, being too fast at times, and also too slow, which made it hard for me to get fully interested and involved in the book.
I also found all of the main characters to be boring, dramatic, and have no personality whatsoever. it seemed like they were in love within the first chapter, and of course the main character isn't like the other girls.
Also the book is supposed to revolved around tennis, but there was no tennis until like half way through.
I did enjoy the writing style, but I think the Bland characters and the horrible pacing and plot, led me feeling unsatisfied.
All-Star Love is the type of book I wish I liked, however had too many issues for me to do so. My rating for this book started out at three stars, but as I thought over this book, and wrote the review I lowered it to two stars, and finally one star.
Despite being advertised as an enemies to lovers book, It really wasn't. They got together within the first 100 pages. The book has some serious pacing issues, being too fast at times, and also too slow, which made it hard for me to get fully interested and involved in the book.
I also found all of the main characters to be boring, dramatic, and have no personality whatsoever. it seemed like they were in love within the first chapter, and of course the main character isn't like the other girls.
Also the book is supposed to revolved around tennis, but there was no tennis until like half way through.
I did enjoy the writing style, but I think the Bland characters and the horrible pacing and plot, led me feeling unsatisfied.
May 26, 2022
First off I want to thank NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me a ebook copy of All-Star Love by Stephanie J. Scott like a day before it was released. Even with my review it was still a good book, and I definitely would’ve bought it/checked it out from the library.
I think I have to give this book a four out of five stars rating. I’m honestly surprised with myself that it isn’t a three, but I think it has something to do with my current obsession about reading about reality shows and the corruption behind them. Much like the show they were going to air in the book, the story lines didn’t all make sense. The entire plot line about the Uncle who ran away with the money could have been completely cut, and the book would stay almost the exact same. Also Sveta?? Really confused on why she was brought in if she was barely in the book. It came across as she was supposed to be a bigger character, but again, like The Academy her storyline seemed like it was cut out? I’m not really sure, but she seems nice enough. I feel like you can look away from all of that, but one thing I can’t ignore is the almost lack of trials. Okay, I know I sound crazy but hear me out, I know Paige was supposed to be a villain, and she kind of was, but she didn’t really seem to have any power till the very end. There was animosity between students, but after a little tuff they got along again. I’m not sure what exactly made it feel this way, maybe there needed to be a more developed B-Roll or something.
I promise I have good stuff too though!! I absolutely LOVE Maisie and Nia’s friendship, wish I could say I had something similar, but much like Shane I’ve moved around a bit. I definitely see a lot of myself in Nia. I can be pretty stubborn, and I too try to absolutely ignore an injury so it doesn’t affect any practices. I like how Stephanie wrote a book about a tennis boarding school. My brother plays tennis and you never really see other books talk about it, so it made for a really interesting read by combining that and reality TV.
Overall I would like to say that, yes, maybe I was being a bit too critical in the first half of my review, but that is just my opinion and I encourage you to read it for yourself to not only be able to construct your own opinion, but to also support this lovely author.
I think I have to give this book a four out of five stars rating. I’m honestly surprised with myself that it isn’t a three, but I think it has something to do with my current obsession about reading about reality shows and the corruption behind them. Much like the show they were going to air in the book, the story lines didn’t all make sense. The entire plot line about the Uncle who ran away with the money could have been completely cut, and the book would stay almost the exact same. Also Sveta?? Really confused on why she was brought in if she was barely in the book. It came across as she was supposed to be a bigger character, but again, like The Academy her storyline seemed like it was cut out? I’m not really sure, but she seems nice enough. I feel like you can look away from all of that, but one thing I can’t ignore is the almost lack of trials. Okay, I know I sound crazy but hear me out, I know Paige was supposed to be a villain, and she kind of was, but she didn’t really seem to have any power till the very end. There was animosity between students, but after a little tuff they got along again. I’m not sure what exactly made it feel this way, maybe there needed to be a more developed B-Roll or something.
I promise I have good stuff too though!! I absolutely LOVE Maisie and Nia’s friendship, wish I could say I had something similar, but much like Shane I’ve moved around a bit. I definitely see a lot of myself in Nia. I can be pretty stubborn, and I too try to absolutely ignore an injury so it doesn’t affect any practices. I like how Stephanie wrote a book about a tennis boarding school. My brother plays tennis and you never really see other books talk about it, so it made for a really interesting read by combining that and reality TV.
Overall I would like to say that, yes, maybe I was being a bit too critical in the first half of my review, but that is just my opinion and I encourage you to read it for yourself to not only be able to construct your own opinion, but to also support this lovely author.
July 10, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of this book, my opinion is not influenced and it's honest and true
As a tennis player myself, I was really interested to read this book.
It's a cute teen story that talks about school, life, friendship and love.
The protagonis is Maisie, she attends Six Lakes Tennis Academy, and during the summer break a scandal affected her life: hers uncle, who taught in the school, stole money from it and flew away.
Maisie, after that scandal, just wants to have a normal last year at school with her best friend Nia, but the headmaster just announces that the school will be the set for a new tv show, the Academy.
Everything then seems to fall apart, Nia wants to argue with her to create "pathos", but the fake arguments seems to start to be too real, and Paige, the producer, is literally a shark.
The only good thing is Shane, a pro tennis player who is attending his last year of school at Six Lakes just because of the tv show. He is cute and kind and his lips tastes like blueberry.
I am really happy I read this book, it was a cute and enjoyable story, with no expectations.
The love story was cute, and the friendship really realistic for their young ages.
It was not a masterpiece, but it was well written and I liked it very much, and as a tennis player I like that aspect of the book.
If you're an adult, I understand you can find the characters naive or annoying, but since I remember my teenage years very well, I found the descriptions really realistic.
The ending was a bit rush, everyting went "too well", unrealisticaly, in Italy we say "a tarallucci e vino", but ehy, it's okay reading something not that deep from time to time.
As a tennis player myself, I was really interested to read this book.
It's a cute teen story that talks about school, life, friendship and love.
The protagonis is Maisie, she attends Six Lakes Tennis Academy, and during the summer break a scandal affected her life: hers uncle, who taught in the school, stole money from it and flew away.
Maisie, after that scandal, just wants to have a normal last year at school with her best friend Nia, but the headmaster just announces that the school will be the set for a new tv show, the Academy.
Everything then seems to fall apart, Nia wants to argue with her to create "pathos", but the fake arguments seems to start to be too real, and Paige, the producer, is literally a shark.
The only good thing is Shane, a pro tennis player who is attending his last year of school at Six Lakes just because of the tv show. He is cute and kind and his lips tastes like blueberry.
I am really happy I read this book, it was a cute and enjoyable story, with no expectations.
The love story was cute, and the friendship really realistic for their young ages.
It was not a masterpiece, but it was well written and I liked it very much, and as a tennis player I like that aspect of the book.
If you're an adult, I understand you can find the characters naive or annoying, but since I remember my teenage years very well, I found the descriptions really realistic.
The ending was a bit rush, everyting went "too well", unrealisticaly, in Italy we say "a tarallucci e vino", but ehy, it's okay reading something not that deep from time to time.
July 22, 2022
I am returning to this book to write a review and the thing is...I barely remember anything (and this is very new to me!!), so you can already gather my initial thoughts regarding the book.
The story in and of itself had a lot of potential with the promise of an elite athletic academy that fosters competition, where an enemies to lovers trope happens mixed with some scandal, however, in reality we get insta-love (they literally "fall" for each other in the first 100 pages), and of course, stereotyping: as a Slav, it is my utmost pleasure reading a book by an American author that introduces a Slavic woman and paints her out to be a robot whose only purpose is to be a great athlete and to stir some drama. Add the characters' constant mixing between her being Russian and Ukrainian since it is apparently the same (and during this time with the conflict that has been happening since 2014???), and Sveta being unable to speak proper English, you get a Slav's dream (at least she was not promiscuous).
Continuing on to our main character, Maisie, who is not like the other girls, because she does not dress up or wear makeup when she goes out, she likes to eat greasy food and she still has a great body, she does not engage in the drama because it is beneath her--it felt like the author is still stuck in the 2010-2015 era of YA novels. There was no depth to Maise; she was so unlikeable that it made me want to DNF this book.
Also, for a story that is supposed to be surrounded by tennis, there was almost no tennis in it?
~ 1.5 stars (rounded down due to the blandness of the characters and the "not like the other girls" that we should have outgrown and left behind in the previous decade)
~Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.~
The story in and of itself had a lot of potential with the promise of an elite athletic academy that fosters competition, where an enemies to lovers trope happens mixed with some scandal, however, in reality we get insta-love (they literally "fall" for each other in the first 100 pages), and of course, stereotyping: as a Slav, it is my utmost pleasure reading a book by an American author that introduces a Slavic woman and paints her out to be a robot whose only purpose is to be a great athlete and to stir some drama. Add the characters' constant mixing between her being Russian and Ukrainian since it is apparently the same (and during this time with the conflict that has been happening since 2014???), and Sveta being unable to speak proper English, you get a Slav's dream (at least she was not promiscuous).
Continuing on to our main character, Maisie, who is not like the other girls, because she does not dress up or wear makeup when she goes out, she likes to eat greasy food and she still has a great body, she does not engage in the drama because it is beneath her--it felt like the author is still stuck in the 2010-2015 era of YA novels. There was no depth to Maise; she was so unlikeable that it made me want to DNF this book.
Also, for a story that is supposed to be surrounded by tennis, there was almost no tennis in it?
~ 1.5 stars (rounded down due to the blandness of the characters and the "not like the other girls" that we should have outgrown and left behind in the previous decade)
~Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.~
May 21, 2022
genre: YA
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5
spice rating: 0/5
This was a really quick and easy read for me and I thought it was so cute about tennis and also teen romance, but mostly with maturing and focusing on the right things and your passions. I thought the storyline was good and I loved how it encourages chasing after your passions and respecting others and their boundaries. I loved what Maisie stood for but I didn’t like that her character would give in so easily to her doubts, kind of in an unrealistic way. Someone with such strong beliefs confidence wouldn’t suddenly question and distrust the intentions of those around her. The romance timing didn’t bother me actually. I like how they went from enemies at first but then to Maisie accepting Shane and crushing on him, even if it was quick for something to happen(and she really couldn’t admit it to herself), because she’s being a genuinely good person and not excluding him like her peers pressured her to do. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a romance though, so the title was a little bit misleading. A little romance, a lot of reality TV drama & an amazing show of camaraderie, it turned out to be really charming and hold some good messages. Overall I give this 3.5 stars and I would suggest you read this if you like teen romance, tennis, coming of age, and reality tv.
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5
spice rating: 0/5
This was a really quick and easy read for me and I thought it was so cute about tennis and also teen romance, but mostly with maturing and focusing on the right things and your passions. I thought the storyline was good and I loved how it encourages chasing after your passions and respecting others and their boundaries. I loved what Maisie stood for but I didn’t like that her character would give in so easily to her doubts, kind of in an unrealistic way. Someone with such strong beliefs confidence wouldn’t suddenly question and distrust the intentions of those around her. The romance timing didn’t bother me actually. I like how they went from enemies at first but then to Maisie accepting Shane and crushing on him, even if it was quick for something to happen(and she really couldn’t admit it to herself), because she’s being a genuinely good person and not excluding him like her peers pressured her to do. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a romance though, so the title was a little bit misleading. A little romance, a lot of reality TV drama & an amazing show of camaraderie, it turned out to be really charming and hold some good messages. Overall I give this 3.5 stars and I would suggest you read this if you like teen romance, tennis, coming of age, and reality tv.
June 12, 2022
All-Star love had so much promise. A tennis academy, a scandal, high schoolers, reality TV! I was ready for tennis, romance and some drama. The synopsis for the book started with “an enemies to more fake dating romance set in the world of competitive tennis”. It had all the makings of an exciting book… and completely missed the mark.
It’s a huge stretch to call this “enemies to more” since Maisie was pining after Shane since the moment she saw him. But perhaps they were referring to the other classmates being enemies with Shane? Regardless this had minimal romance so if you are looking for romance this isn’t the book for you.
I almost DNF at 19%. The whole first half of the book was a lot of meaningless back story. There was no competitive tennis until 48%, they referenced some practice things prior to that but no actual matches. Disappointingly, there was little mention about the uncles scandal but then he was randomly found at the VERY END of the book and was wrapped up in some sort of gambling ring? That storyline was really unfinished.
Basically, this book over promised and under delivered. It was a 2.5 star read for me. Once it got into the actual tennis it was worth reading but definitely wouldn’t market it as a romance.
Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
It’s a huge stretch to call this “enemies to more” since Maisie was pining after Shane since the moment she saw him. But perhaps they were referring to the other classmates being enemies with Shane? Regardless this had minimal romance so if you are looking for romance this isn’t the book for you.
I almost DNF at 19%. The whole first half of the book was a lot of meaningless back story. There was no competitive tennis until 48%, they referenced some practice things prior to that but no actual matches. Disappointingly, there was little mention about the uncles scandal but then he was randomly found at the VERY END of the book and was wrapped up in some sort of gambling ring? That storyline was really unfinished.
Basically, this book over promised and under delivered. It was a 2.5 star read for me. Once it got into the actual tennis it was worth reading but definitely wouldn’t market it as a romance.
Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
April 11, 2023
3/5 solid read! Enjoyed almost every second of reading it!
For a stuff your kindle read I thought this was great! In my mind it read like an anime plot and I enjoyed it way more than I was expecting. Such a fun, slice of life, story!
It is for sure written from a high schooler’s perspective and in many ways I enjoyed the childish mental banter from Massie our MC. The romance was super sweet and made me smile and chuckle on multiple occasions.
Although there were some editing that might need to be done (there were quite a few typos), it read smoothly! There were some moments in the plot that I was confused by. As in, the MC came to a conclusion about a situation that I wouldn’t have naturally come to. The story at times I felt might have been bogged down from time to time with some extra detail that I didn’t exactly need.
Overall though, this book is charming in a very Disney channel movie way and i throughly enjoyed it!
For a stuff your kindle read I thought this was great! In my mind it read like an anime plot and I enjoyed it way more than I was expecting. Such a fun, slice of life, story!
It is for sure written from a high schooler’s perspective and in many ways I enjoyed the childish mental banter from Massie our MC. The romance was super sweet and made me smile and chuckle on multiple occasions.
Although there were some editing that might need to be done (there were quite a few typos), it read smoothly! There were some moments in the plot that I was confused by. As in, the MC came to a conclusion about a situation that I wouldn’t have naturally come to. The story at times I felt might have been bogged down from time to time with some extra detail that I didn’t exactly need.
Overall though, this book is charming in a very Disney channel movie way and i throughly enjoyed it!
May 15, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy!
My expectations for this book were sky high and I was so happy when my request for ARC was approved, right away I started reading then... *snore*
To start, I am a big fan of the sports. IRL I watch tournaments from Challengers, 250, 500, Masters, Grand Slams. Hard court, clay, grass. ATP or WTA. Top 100 or so players I know and their best play, their best surface. This book showcase so little tennis like does Shane or Maisie even have one-handed or two-handed backhand? Idk maybe I slept through that part. Maisie ain't even good at tennis and Nia is utterly selfish. The characters are boring. Besides the coaches showing genuine care for the students, all I got here is weak teenage drama and Maisie and Shane kissing every time they get. Fuck the corny-ass The Academy bullshit. I could barely pick this book back up and finish. Fairly disappointed.
My expectations for this book were sky high and I was so happy when my request for ARC was approved, right away I started reading then... *snore*
To start, I am a big fan of the sports. IRL I watch tournaments from Challengers, 250, 500, Masters, Grand Slams. Hard court, clay, grass. ATP or WTA. Top 100 or so players I know and their best play, their best surface. This book showcase so little tennis like does Shane or Maisie even have one-handed or two-handed backhand? Idk maybe I slept through that part. Maisie ain't even good at tennis and Nia is utterly selfish. The characters are boring. Besides the coaches showing genuine care for the students, all I got here is weak teenage drama and Maisie and Shane kissing every time they get. Fuck the corny-ass The Academy bullshit. I could barely pick this book back up and finish. Fairly disappointed.
March 21, 2024
I’ve been excited to read this book for so long! I love tennis and actually have a WIP of my own revolving around the sport. Also, it promised TWO of my favorite tropes. However, it unfortunately didn’t deliver on either one. There was hardly any animosity to consider this “enemies to lovers” and the fake dating was just…lacking. The writing was confusing at times - especially dialogue. How the characters interacted with each other just made no sense to me and it often felt like I was missing chunks of the story. I had a hard time understanding the characters’ motivations - why they were mad, why they did certain things, and even why they forgave. Idk the writing was just stiff and confusing to me so i was pretty disappointed since I was super excited going into it.
May 24, 2022
quería que me gustara pero cada página que leía sólo quería dejar de leerlo. lo del reality show me llamó mucho la atención pero mmm fake dating? yo no vi nada de eso, y los personajes que no fueran los protas me sacaban de quicio con sus decisiones y su forma de ser.
sí, ya sé qué todos quieren ser el centro de atención pero podrían ser más amables; a los dos foráneos me los trataban súper mal y si tenían algo que ver con ellos los llamaban traidores mmm ok? ya sé que es YA pero pudo haber sido mejor. shane ven conmigo yo te cuido <3
thanks to netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
sí, ya sé qué todos quieren ser el centro de atención pero podrían ser más amables; a los dos foráneos me los trataban súper mal y si tenían algo que ver con ellos los llamaban traidores mmm ok? ya sé que es YA pero pudo haber sido mejor. shane ven conmigo yo te cuido <3
thanks to netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 26, 2022
Ouff the way this almost put me into a reading slump. I wanted to DNF this book but kept pushing hoping it got better, eventually it did (only a bit tho). Genuinely I only got interesting in this book after about 40% of it which is honestly a little long for this genre.
The characters were frustrating to deal with. Like why is the FMC trying so hard to put herself in situations where she’s clearly not wanted like bbg don’t do that to yourself. The premise of this book seemed really cool, it had some nice tropes too but it sucks that Justice wasn’t done to it.
Tbh, wouldn’t recommend :/
Thank you NetGalley for this in exchange for an honest review.
The characters were frustrating to deal with. Like why is the FMC trying so hard to put herself in situations where she’s clearly not wanted like bbg don’t do that to yourself. The premise of this book seemed really cool, it had some nice tropes too but it sucks that Justice wasn’t done to it.
Tbh, wouldn’t recommend :/
Thank you NetGalley for this in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2022
❤️❤️❤️
💋
This one wasn’t to my personal taste as much as I had hoped.
It felt like it could have been great and the blurb intrigued me.
Once I got into reading it felt to young for me.
The story was lighthearted and I found myself giggling in a few places.
In general I would recommend it to those who are looking for a lighthearted read.
It was definitely enjoyable.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
💋
This one wasn’t to my personal taste as much as I had hoped.
It felt like it could have been great and the blurb intrigued me.
Once I got into reading it felt to young for me.
The story was lighthearted and I found myself giggling in a few places.
In general I would recommend it to those who are looking for a lighthearted read.
It was definitely enjoyable.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
August 2, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I mean, it wasn't a bad book, but it was like, dramatic, and I don't really see the point of the book. But I did enjoy reading it, so yeah. There was nothing really memorable about the book, so that's it for the review. Pick it up if you have nothing else to read
I mean, it wasn't a bad book, but it was like, dramatic, and I don't really see the point of the book. But I did enjoy reading it, so yeah. There was nothing really memorable about the book, so that's it for the review. Pick it up if you have nothing else to read
May 20, 2023
okay so this did have so much promise. i loved the tennis setting & boarding school mwahhh i ADORE! but i felt a little uncomfy reading about literal children. and the tv plot line just felt a bit forced and just MEH. also i was confused i thought the romance was meant to be fake dating but it just wasn’t. a pretty chill and easy read though YAY
July 20, 2022
This book is really fun and awesome. I loved the reality TV premise and it was done very creatively. You should really check out this book it is super sweet.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 17, 2022
3.75 cute !!
November 5, 2024
okay 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
May 17, 2022
I was so excited to read this book because of what I read at the description and it did disappoint a little bit, is sold as an enemies to lovers when they kiss in the first few chapters, the main character was a bit annoying at times but overall it was a cute romance sports, the relationship between Shane and Maisie was cute, what I liked the most was the behind the scenes of the reality tv show that are shown to the reader.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC
May 29, 2022
I really wanted to absolutely love this book (especially because it involves reality tv and competitive tennis), but it was just an okay read for me.
I liked the plot of this book which is what kept me going most of the time. The drama of the reality tv show coupled with the sports romance-ness and teenage angst made for some fun scenes. It also kinda made me wish I could watch a sports romance reality tv show.
The romance wasn't super strong in this book so if you're mostly persuaded to read it because of that, you'll probably be disappointed. There were some cute scenes and I did genuinely like the love interest, Shane, but there weren't lots of great, romantic-ness.
Honestly, the thing I liked the least about this book was the main character. Even when she was resolving things at the end, I wasn't a big fan. It just kinda felt like things were happening to her, but she didn't have much interest in fixing them. Or she would be sad and upset about the things happening, complaining, but then not do enough to change things. That wasn't really my vibe. I can appreciate a flawed character, but she just got annoying.
Overall, I liked the plot and premise of this book, I just wish things would have been better.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Blog • Instagram • Twitter
I liked the plot of this book which is what kept me going most of the time. The drama of the reality tv show coupled with the sports romance-ness and teenage angst made for some fun scenes. It also kinda made me wish I could watch a sports romance reality tv show.
The romance wasn't super strong in this book so if you're mostly persuaded to read it because of that, you'll probably be disappointed. There were some cute scenes and I did genuinely like the love interest, Shane, but there weren't lots of great, romantic-ness.
Honestly, the thing I liked the least about this book was the main character. Even when she was resolving things at the end, I wasn't a big fan. It just kinda felt like things were happening to her, but she didn't have much interest in fixing them. Or she would be sad and upset about the things happening, complaining, but then not do enough to change things. That wasn't really my vibe. I can appreciate a flawed character, but she just got annoying.
Overall, I liked the plot and premise of this book, I just wish things would have been better.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Blog • Instagram • Twitter
May 14, 2022
REVIEW: It was a nice book. I couldn´t say a romcom, even there was a little of that. I think it was more about values and character.
I liked the slow-pace relationship of Maisie and Shane.
It was a nice that the book was around tennis and the reality shows, a Little “get to know more” of tennis with studies and sport, and “behind the scenes” of the reality shows and manipulations.
It was a light and nice reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
----------
RESEÑA: Fue un buen libro, no podría decir que era una comedia romántica, aunque había un poco de ello. Creo que iba más de carácter y valores.
Me gusto la relación de Maisie y Shane a ritmo lento.
Fue agradable que el libro fuera alrededor del tenis y el reality shows. Un poco de “conocer algo más” de tenis con estudios y deporte, y “detrás de las cámaras” de los reality shows y sus manipulaciones.
Fue una lectura buena y ligera.
Gracias a Netgalley y a la editorial por dejarme leerlo a cambio de una honesta reseña.
I liked the slow-pace relationship of Maisie and Shane.
It was a nice that the book was around tennis and the reality shows, a Little “get to know more” of tennis with studies and sport, and “behind the scenes” of the reality shows and manipulations.
It was a light and nice reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
----------
RESEÑA: Fue un buen libro, no podría decir que era una comedia romántica, aunque había un poco de ello. Creo que iba más de carácter y valores.
Me gusto la relación de Maisie y Shane a ritmo lento.
Fue agradable que el libro fuera alrededor del tenis y el reality shows. Un poco de “conocer algo más” de tenis con estudios y deporte, y “detrás de las cámaras” de los reality shows y sus manipulaciones.
Fue una lectura buena y ligera.
Gracias a Netgalley y a la editorial por dejarme leerlo a cambio de una honesta reseña.
May 4, 2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.".
All-Star Love was an okay story it was cute. I thought it would be a laugh out loud kinda of read would I recommend it? yes
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Happy Reading Lisa 📚
All-Star Love was an okay story it was cute. I thought it would be a laugh out loud kinda of read would I recommend it? yes
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Happy Reading Lisa 📚
June 30, 2022
Maisie planned on a relatively normal senior year, with working hard to gain a collage scholarship through her tennis. What she didn’t plan on was Six Lakes, her tennis academy, to fall to its knees when the founder stole the school’s tuition money. When Maisie returns to school for her senior year, most of the pupils have been pulled out of the school, and there are few people still there. The worst thing, though, is that she is outcast as a traitor. The founder, who stole all the money? He was Maisie’s uncle.
In an attempt to keep the school running, a partnership is set up with a reality show, The Academy. Maisie does not care to have her school, and her uncle’s scandal, the subject of a television show, but she doesn’t exactly have a choice. Everyone else seems thrilled at the idea of becoming stars, and getting their names and faces out into the world, where potential sports agents might find them. And with the knowledge that Six Lakes will host The Academy, two new students transfer, although only one really catches Maisie’s attention. And that may or may not be because he is gorgeous, and she accidentally sent a tennis ball flying at his face.
As much as Maisie has been cast aside because of her uncle, Shane Wagner, the transfer student, is thoroughly deemed an outsider and is excluded by most of the school. Somehow, though, Maisie keeps finding herself in his company, and she can’t deny that he isn’t exactly bad company. But with show producers creating drama where there isn’t any, how long can fake relationships remain fake?
Maisie is incredibly committed to her school. Even after her uncle ruined almost everything, she is not about to hide away, or go to a different school. Six Lakes is a place she is proud of, and she wants to make it a place others can be proud of once again. The only problem is the producers of The Academy don’t want to film tennis matches, or drills, or listen to the pupils ramble on about what tennis means to them. They want fights, relationships built and crumbling. They want televised high school drama, which doesn’t exist at Six Lakes. So, they manufacture it. After an unfortunate moment when the producer catches Maisie and Shane alone together, it becomes set that their ‘relationship’ will be important in the show. Maisie and Shane must pretend to be a couple.
The problem that occurs with the show, and camera being everywhere, all the time, is that you can never be entirely sure who is being genuine and who is putting on a front for the show. The students band together to try and control the direction of the show, by manufacturing their own drama, on their own terms, but things quickly turn sour, and gossip, even fake gossip, spreads quicker than wildfire. From the very beginning, with Maisie being unsure about the show, I didn’t think it was a good idea. And when the producers actually arrived? It was clear they had no interest at all in the school, or the welfare of the students. It was sickening the way they categories certain people based on whether or not viewers of the show might care about them, or whether or not they needed more diversity in the show. But even still, everyone had agreed to have the crew there, whether or not they realised it was a bad idea once they arrived.
Although Maisie and Shane’s relationship itself was mostly fake, it was still wonderful to read about them. They are both outsiders, but neither can see much fault in the other. Maisie wasn’t involved in her uncle’s scandal, and Shane might be at Six Lakes for the show, but he doesn’t have much of an ulterior motive, other than to get him name out there. Both would prefer to focus on tennis then the cameras, and in their similarities, they find themselves starting the like spending time with each other. And although the cameras are often on them, not all of their interactions are fake…
Although Six Lakes is a tennis academy, it almost seems like tennis takes a back burner to the show in this book. Tennis becomes a backdrop to the drama around The Academy, which perfectly sums up what the show is doing to the students. All anyone can talk about is The Academy, rather than tennis, and the fact that the show seems like more of an important topic for the book to focus on further proves what Maisie is feeling when the camera infiltrate her life. I thought this was a very clever way to show the reader exactly how she felt – I would have loved some more focus on tennis, but to the producers, there were more important things to focus on.
There is so much I want to say about this book, although this review would be very long if I mentioned it all. The Academy brings chaos and changes up relationships, whether creating or destroying them. This is an excellent book, which I read in a day, because I simply couldn’t put it down. If you want a drama filled book, this is most certainly the one for you.
In an attempt to keep the school running, a partnership is set up with a reality show, The Academy. Maisie does not care to have her school, and her uncle’s scandal, the subject of a television show, but she doesn’t exactly have a choice. Everyone else seems thrilled at the idea of becoming stars, and getting their names and faces out into the world, where potential sports agents might find them. And with the knowledge that Six Lakes will host The Academy, two new students transfer, although only one really catches Maisie’s attention. And that may or may not be because he is gorgeous, and she accidentally sent a tennis ball flying at his face.
As much as Maisie has been cast aside because of her uncle, Shane Wagner, the transfer student, is thoroughly deemed an outsider and is excluded by most of the school. Somehow, though, Maisie keeps finding herself in his company, and she can’t deny that he isn’t exactly bad company. But with show producers creating drama where there isn’t any, how long can fake relationships remain fake?
Maisie is incredibly committed to her school. Even after her uncle ruined almost everything, she is not about to hide away, or go to a different school. Six Lakes is a place she is proud of, and she wants to make it a place others can be proud of once again. The only problem is the producers of The Academy don’t want to film tennis matches, or drills, or listen to the pupils ramble on about what tennis means to them. They want fights, relationships built and crumbling. They want televised high school drama, which doesn’t exist at Six Lakes. So, they manufacture it. After an unfortunate moment when the producer catches Maisie and Shane alone together, it becomes set that their ‘relationship’ will be important in the show. Maisie and Shane must pretend to be a couple.
The problem that occurs with the show, and camera being everywhere, all the time, is that you can never be entirely sure who is being genuine and who is putting on a front for the show. The students band together to try and control the direction of the show, by manufacturing their own drama, on their own terms, but things quickly turn sour, and gossip, even fake gossip, spreads quicker than wildfire. From the very beginning, with Maisie being unsure about the show, I didn’t think it was a good idea. And when the producers actually arrived? It was clear they had no interest at all in the school, or the welfare of the students. It was sickening the way they categories certain people based on whether or not viewers of the show might care about them, or whether or not they needed more diversity in the show. But even still, everyone had agreed to have the crew there, whether or not they realised it was a bad idea once they arrived.
Although Maisie and Shane’s relationship itself was mostly fake, it was still wonderful to read about them. They are both outsiders, but neither can see much fault in the other. Maisie wasn’t involved in her uncle’s scandal, and Shane might be at Six Lakes for the show, but he doesn’t have much of an ulterior motive, other than to get him name out there. Both would prefer to focus on tennis then the cameras, and in their similarities, they find themselves starting the like spending time with each other. And although the cameras are often on them, not all of their interactions are fake…
Although Six Lakes is a tennis academy, it almost seems like tennis takes a back burner to the show in this book. Tennis becomes a backdrop to the drama around The Academy, which perfectly sums up what the show is doing to the students. All anyone can talk about is The Academy, rather than tennis, and the fact that the show seems like more of an important topic for the book to focus on further proves what Maisie is feeling when the camera infiltrate her life. I thought this was a very clever way to show the reader exactly how she felt – I would have loved some more focus on tennis, but to the producers, there were more important things to focus on.
There is so much I want to say about this book, although this review would be very long if I mentioned it all. The Academy brings chaos and changes up relationships, whether creating or destroying them. This is an excellent book, which I read in a day, because I simply couldn’t put it down. If you want a drama filled book, this is most certainly the one for you.
May 19, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It was a nice palette cleanser from some of the other stuff I was reading. It felt like a light and fluffy rom-com and I was having a good time reading it.
The characters were a mixed bag I liked some of them. I wasn't crazy connected but I didn't hate Maisie she was a fine main character and as far as the love interest (Shane) goes he did his job and had some depth and purpose. I really wish we had more time with Nina, I know her and Maisie were fighting for most of the book which drove me up the wall but I can see why it was done to drive the plot further. It just seemed that Nina and her family would have added a interesting few members to the cast it felt like a missed opportunity .
The one main flaw in this book was the pace. It felt off to fast in the beginning and middle and too slow in the end part. Another issue is it was advertised as enemies to lovers with fake dating and it's not really like that. First, it was rivals to lovers they never hated each other for any reason other that they were competing for the same thing, hence rivals. They never really fake dated just fake kissed? I see where the author was going with this and the idea has potential to be a really good book it just fell a little flat. An additional thought, they never really hated each other so it was a little bit false advertised but I liked the book nonetheless.
To close this up I like this book nothing ground shattering but a very cute book to read between more intense fantasy series.
*I received a ARC from NetGalley. Thank you Stephanie J. Scott!!
The characters were a mixed bag I liked some of them. I wasn't crazy connected but I didn't hate Maisie she was a fine main character and as far as the love interest (Shane) goes he did his job and had some depth and purpose. I really wish we had more time with Nina, I know her and Maisie were fighting for most of the book which drove me up the wall but I can see why it was done to drive the plot further. It just seemed that Nina and her family would have added a interesting few members to the cast it felt like a missed opportunity .
The one main flaw in this book was the pace. It felt off to fast in the beginning and middle and too slow in the end part. Another issue is it was advertised as enemies to lovers with fake dating and it's not really like that. First, it was rivals to lovers they never hated each other for any reason other that they were competing for the same thing, hence rivals. They never really fake dated just fake kissed? I see where the author was going with this and the idea has potential to be a really good book it just fell a little flat. An additional thought, they never really hated each other so it was a little bit false advertised but I liked the book nonetheless.
To close this up I like this book nothing ground shattering but a very cute book to read between more intense fantasy series.
*I received a ARC from NetGalley. Thank you Stephanie J. Scott!!
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