Review by Booklist Review
Evie Riley ran away to boarding school for a fresh start after being betrayed by her sister, boyfriend, and best friend. Things go awry immediately, however, when she's accidentally placed in a boys' dorm. Although she's eventually given an accessible single room in said dorm, she despairs due to the rocky start of her new beginning. Enter Salem Grayson, the upstairs boy with whom she makes a pact: she'll teach him how to be good, to repair his parental relationships; he'll teach her how to be badass, to ensure she never gets her heart trampled upon like it was at home. Adler's latest young adult romance is as sparkling, swoony, and delightful as readers will have come to expect from her prior books. The chemistry between Evie and Salem, paired with banter that moves at the speed of light, is nothing short of delicious. The stakes are well-established, and Evie's journey is satisfying to watch. She starts out as a somewhat unreliable narrator who is unable to see herself clearly, and the moments when her facade drops and she embraces her real personality--quirks and charms alike--shine brightly. The characters openly talk about and destigmatize sexual activity. This work fits in nicely with all the best in young adult romance.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After her boyfriend cheats on her with her sister, high school sophomore Everett "Evie" Riley transfers to Camden Academy, a New Hampshire boarding school. Her plans for a fresh start are quickly scrambled when she's accidentally placed in an all-boys dorm--and is forced to stay. Hoping to shed her reputation as a "good girl," she makes a deal with her stoner, slacker dorm neighbor, Salem: she'll help him become an upstanding citizen to satisfy his parents if he teaches her how to be cool. While Evie begins to heal via new, supportive friendships--particularly with Salem's sister Sabrina--her relationship with Salem develops from reluctant allies to friends to something more. Though Evie's breezy, often sardonic narration belies her initial self-dubbed reputation as a doormat, it ferries the story along with humor and raw emotion, especially as she struggles with what she sees as her inability to be bad. Salem's mixture of sarcasm and genuine kindness is endearing, and the pair's bickering-but-caring dynamic, orchestrated by Adler (Going Bicoastal), is the star of the show. The main cast reads as white; Salem and Sabrina are Jewish. Ages 13--up. Agent: Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A teenage girl navigates the complexities of boarding school life and first love after unexpectedly finding herself living in a boys' dormitory. Everett "Evie" Riley is hoping for a fresh start when she transfers to boarding school to escape her cheating ex-boyfriend and her wild-child sister, with whom he hooked up. But when she arrives at Camden and is assigned to a boys' dormitory by mistake, the beginning of her school year seems anything but auspicious. When she meets Salem Grayson, her dorm mate and a fellow transfer student who's burdened by his reputation as a slacker, things start to look up after all. They forge a pact: Evie will help Salem shed his bad-boy persona if he teaches her how to let loose and embrace spontaneity. As the two navigate a semester filled with new friendships, family drama, challenging classes, and the ups and downs of dorm life, they must grapple with not only their own identities but also the changing nature of their relationship. Whip-smart dialogue and fluid pacing make this an engaging read that culminates in a wholly satisfying ending. Evie's and Salem's development from adversaries to friends to more is well fleshed out, authentically portraying teenage relationships. Readers will especially appreciate the nuanced characterizations of the leads, who present white; Salem is Jewish. A beautiful tale of love, friendship, forgiveness, and self-acceptance.(Romance. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
