Love and Other Secrets
Author: Christina Mandelski
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, YA
Publication Date: September 3, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush
Page: 150 Pages
Star lacrosse player Alex “Kov” Koviak has it all. Or so everyone thinks. He’s real good at pretending his life is perfect…until he meets Bailey. The girl challenges him and pushes him and makes him laugh like he’s never laughed before. Their friendship is their little secret, and he’s happy to keep her to himself.
Between school, two jobs, and trying to get into NYU film school, Bailey Banfield has zero time for a social life. But then she meets Alex in her express lane at the grocery store, and their secret friendship becomes the only place she can breathe. She refuses to complicate that with more. No matter how charming Alex can be.
When Bailey decides to film outrageous promposals for her NYU application, she enlists Alex’s help to plan an over-the-top, epic promposal to someone else. Too bad the only prom date Alex wants anywhere near Bailey is him.
For a guy who seems to have it all, he’s about to lose the only thing he’s ever wanted.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Crush contains a cocky lacrosse player in over his head with his secret best friend, unexpected midnight kisses, swoon-worthy slow dancing, and movie-night cuddling that’ll make you ache. You’re going to want an Alex of your own!
my review
I received a free copy for an honest review.
This book summarized in points:
– Drama
– Drama
– Drama
– Misunderstanding
– Miscommunication
– Friends to romance
– Popular guy
I was very surprised by 1) how short this book is, and 2) that this book started off as Alex and Bailey already being friends (instead of us getting to see how their “unexpected” relationship flourish from a bit of an angsty romance). I’m happy to say that despite this not being my first-choice of hate-love relationship, the romance is still pretty cute (and not too unenjoyable).
However, the short length of the book also made this book extremely forgettable. The book had absolutely nothing about it that would make me want to re-read it. It was pleasant, but that is…actually the perfect adjective to summary and describe my experience with this book. It was just pleasant. Nothing less, nothing more.
I also don’t like how much of the book’s conflict surrounds misunderstandings and wrongly accused drama. It’s extremely shallow, and with the book being so short, I think it would’ve been a great opportunity for the author to channel this length to write about coming of age, young love, and courage instead.
My rating:
3.7/5 Stars
ABOUT the author
When I was a kid, I loved to read and write, and I loved going to the library. It was in the children’s departments of the libraries I frequented that my dream of becoming a writer took hold. I’d find the place on the shelf where my name would fall, put my finger in that spot and say “that’s where it’ll go.”
After quite a few detours, my dream of having a book on that library shelf is finally coming true this May. My first young adult novel, The Sweetest Thing, published by Egmont USA will be released.
It’s a story that’s dear to me, about a girl who is passionate about creating art. Here’s a little synopsis:
Sheridan is happy making phenomenal cakes in her safe little world. All she needs is for her mother to come home and everything will be perfect. But when her super chef father gets his own reality TV show in New York City, Sheridan comes up with a desperate plan to find her mom and convince her dad to stay put.