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Series: Sick Boys #1
Publication date: October 2nd, 2020
Pages: 412
Synopsis:
Rule No. 1: Don't piss off the Sick Boys
They're cruel. Reckless. Impossibly fucked up.
The Sick Boys feed on the order they create. They rule Eastpoint University just as their families have for decades. But their power doesn't stop there. The three of them are heirs to some of the largest fortunes in the world, and behind that kind of wealth lies an underworld of corruption.
On the surface, they're pretty princes and he is their King. But underneath it all, they're filled with blood, lies, and secrets. With all of their connections, they have the power to crush anyone who gets in their way. But just because they're as warped as I am doesn't mean I'm going to give them a free pass.
Because I, Avalon Manning, bow to no one, and I live to break the fucking rules.
***This is a Dark MF New Adult Enemies to Lovers Romance. ***
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Review:
With the prevalence of TikTok recommendations and the availability of such stellar reads on Kindle Unlimited, it is starting to become an issue as to how many series I am reading right now. That coupled with my completionist issue makes it so when I start a series, I must finish said series. Of course, that means that it is imperative that the first book in the series catches my attention from the start or I will not be able to enjoy the rest of the series even when having the compulsion to read them anyway. I had come across Lucy Smoke's TikTok account and saw some of her books recommended so I thought this was a good place to test the waters of a new author and series together.
Avalon Manning has lived a hard life. With a druggie stripper for a mother and has never met a fight she could resist. But when she is once again booted out of another high school she is presented with an opportunity to become a program student for a prestigious dual enrollment university. Unwilling to go back to her mother's trailer where she is faced with constantly fighting off the men her mother brings home, Avalon has no other choice. At this school there is a pecking order and she is at the bottom. She needs to toe the line in order to fly under the radar of the school's elite: The Sick Boys. Avalon has never been one to follow the rules and that fact has no escaped the Sick Boys. Especially not their leader, Dean Carter.
Dean Carter has been tasked by the higher ups to keep an eye on Avalon. He thinks all he needs to do is make sure she follows his demands and does what she is instructed to do. However, Avalon is not a follow the rules type of girl and fights him every step of the way, sometimes even with teeth and fists. The longer he watches her the more infatuated he becomes with her. Can he save her when she is put in a horrific situation and if he does, will she be the same when she comes out the other side?
I really liked the character development and the chemistry between the two characters. It had a way of causing my breath to stutter whenever they fought their attraction and sigh whenever they gave in ever so slightly. While when introduced to the three Sick Boys I did favor Abel, I did find Dean to be interesting. He really complimented Avalon's particular brand of badassery.
The underlying plot, besides the romance aspect, was only touched upon a bit in this book so I am hoping it is elaborated a bit more in the next few books. Avalon and Dean are definitely in one of my top favorite couples I have seen in books lately and their story was a delightful read.
