Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas by Emily McKay

Falling in love with the best man wasn’t on the program.

Willa is happy to be the maid of honor in her dad’s upcoming wedding to uber-celeb Mia McCain. Not as happy about the best man being her soon-to-be stepbrother, the infuriating—and infuriatingly gorgeous—Finn McCain. Every time their paths cross, the attraction simmering between them grows a little harder to ignore. Willa knows all about guys like Finn—they only want what they can’t have. What’s between them isn’t real.

Finn has never felt anything more real than what’s developing between him and Willa. Sure, her dad warned him to steer clear, but it’s not just about forbidden temptation. He’s determined to prove to Willa he’s not going anywhere—and that happily-ever-after will always be worth the risk.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a wedding so crazy it’ll make you laugh, a stepbrother so hot he’ll make you swoon, and a heroine so real she’ll make you cry.

Book 6
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas most definitely cannot be read as a standalone. The Creative HeArts series features four couples written separately by four different authors, all intersecting in the same universe. Willa and Finn are couple #2 in the series, with the first book of theirs being book #2 (this is their conclusion, but also the 6th in the series). Complicated? Yes. So if you're picking this book up to read as a standalone, don't do it. Go back to the beginning.

As a big fan of the series, I've been patiently waiting for more of Willa and Finn's story. Finn has been a large focal point by all the authors in all their books – he's a heartthrob, but also a strong friend to have in your corner. The reader can feel how appreciated Finn is by the creators of the series. Willa was lying just beneath the surface of the other books, seen and often times discussed, but never a scene-stealer. The couple are the perfect balance for one another.

Truthfully, this book had me wanting to reread their first novel before this book, in order to get the full impact, as they are my favorite couple of the series. May do that soon. Enemies with a push-pull romance, mixed with the taboo of the impending doom of becoming step-siblings. Their relationship is the height of forbidden romance. Angsty deliciousness.

If you're reading this review, debating if you wish to buy a copy, you either didn't heed my warning to check out book one in the series, or you're a series veteran. Either way, I'm not going to spoil the plot points. If you're reading this series, by book six, you know all the major players and their stories.

In a nutshell, Emily McKay has a fluid writing style, with characters that exhibit the emotional maturity befitting their age group, with realistic reactions/actions. Dual-POV, we hear both sides. Finn is our brooding, tortured artist, struggling with a conflict of conscience. Willa is basically in denial, closing herself off because it's easier to think Finn a player. As a grown woman, I wanted to shake Willa a few times, give her a piece of my mind, and set her straight. Then I wanted to give Finn a hug and some advice on how to deal with a teenage girl. Both had realistic reactions to the situation they were placed in, which makes for yummy reading.

As a big fan of the author and series, the reason I couldn't hand out a perfect 5-star is two-fold: I wished the story was slightly longer, and I'm well-written novella's biggest fan. A few more pages to tie up loose threads to create solid character building. Also, the adult in me appreciated that this is a young adult novel, keeping it clean for the younger readers. However, the ex-teenager that I used to be, knows that teenagers are not saints. So my only complaint on the not-so-realistic front is the lack of hormonal responses from our kids. Nothing explicit, simply true-to-life. We have a pair of step-siblings in love, living in the same house, so the reader missed out on a lot of tension buildup without any payoff. There was an opportunity for a few heart-pounding moments, which would have been comical. But that's just what I felt was 'missing' from the story.

I look forward to book seven, as well as Emily McKay's next book.

Young Adult age-range: 14+

Also Available in the Creative HeArts Series

Book 1
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For reviews & more info, check out our Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru post.

Book 2
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For reviews & more info, check out our How Willa Got Her Groove Back post.

Book 3
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For reviews & more info, check out our Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance post.

Book 4
Buy Links

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B&N

For reviews & more info, check out our The Secret Life of a Dream Girl post.

Book 5
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our Falling for the Girl Next Door post.

Emily McKay is a life-long fan of books, pop-culture and anything geeky. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do baking cookies. She lives in central Texas with her husband, kids, two mildly-psychotic dogs, a three-legged cat and eleven chickens.

Connect with Emily

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas (Creative HeArts #6) by Emily McKay to read and review.

Falling for the Girl Next Door by Tera Lynn Childs

Sloane Whitaker never expected to like living in Texas, but after a few months in the Lone Star State, she has to admit she likes the food, the school, and the boy next door. What she doesn’t like is the fact that half her family is still back in New York. Convincing her dad to relocate to Texas requires making their upcoming visit as perfect as possible. The perfect dinner, the perfect daughter...with the perfect boyfriend.

But when her not-so-perfect boyfriend Tru Dorsey is suddenly not-so-available, Sloane has to find another dad-impressing guy to show off at dinner. Tru himself suggests enlisting the help of a fake boyfriend, but the reality of another guy with Sloane on his arm might be more than Tru can manage. Add in a mysterious blackmailer and a divided family, and Sloane and Tru’s relationship might not be able to handle the heat.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a bad boy next door, the good girl who snags his heart, and one epically disastrous ruse-gone-wrong. Join the fun at your own risk.

Book 5
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Not a standalone. This is book #2 of the Sloane and Tru trilogy (I believe these are trilogies), the first couple set within the Creative HeArts universe as #1 and #5 (this book) in the series. Creative HeArts is a series of 4 couples interconnecting, each receiving a trilogy of books. The books must be read in order.

While I've enjoyed the Creative HeArts series as a whole, Sloane and Tru's first book was my least favorite of the series. However, I believe this was written with more maturity and focus than its predecessor.

Sloane and Tru are a couple at the beginning of the book, as they had been at the end of the previous installment, only they have some unresolved issues to work through. Sloane wants her family to be together, feeling guilty as if it was her fault they were split between Texas and NYC. Readers knew there was more lurking beneath the surface, for everyone in the cast.

This is a slightly darker read in terms of content, focusing on Tru's acceptance of his addiction and why he sought the bottle. I appreciated and applaud the author on tackling this tough subject matter, hopefully helping a younger reader through a similar situation.

Many of my issues with the first installment were addressed, with more maturity shown for the subject matter (I felt it was flippantly handled previously). However, there was one thread, while it may play into another couple's book, that was out of place and distracting from the overall direction the author was going. While this thread was woven into the entire book, it seemed to fizzle out and basically be forgotten by the author. In my opinion, it felt forced, unnecessary, and distracting.

I was pleased with not only the character development, but the author's growth from one book to the next, and found Falling for the Girl Next Door to be a worthy addition to the Creative HeArts series.

I can't wait to see what else is in store for these couples.

Young adult age-range: 12+. Kissing. Addiction.

Also Available in the Creative HeArts Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our How Willa Got Her Groove Back post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance post.

Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N

For reviews & more info, check out our The Secret Life of a Dream Girl post.

Tera Lynn Childs is the RITA-award-winning young adult author of the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. series, the Forgive My Fins mermaid romance series, the kick-butt monster-hunting Sweet Venom trilogy, and the Darkly Fae series. She also writes the City Chicks sweet chick lit romance series and is co-writing the Hero Agenda series with Tracy Deebs. Tera lives nowhere in particular and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages.

Connect with Tera

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Falling for the Girl Next Door (Creative HeArts #5) by Tera Lynn Childs to read and review.

The Secret Life of a Dream Girl by Tracy Deebs

Hiding in plain sight is harder than it looks…

Dahlia Greene—aka international pop superstar Cherry—is undercover as a normal high school student. She just wants to experience what real life is like, so when she overhears hottie Keegan Matthews nervously talking about liking a girl, she sees the perfect opportunity to live a real life and play a little matchmaker. What was not part of the plan was falling for a guy she can never tell the truth.

Keegan Matthews has been secretly crushing on Dahlia ever since she started at his school. Sure, Dahlia thinks he’s crushing on some other girl—not realizing his Dream Girl is actually her—but he figures, play along with her tips to woo someone else, let her get to know him, and then make his move. But with so many secrets in the mix, their romance is doomed from the start…

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, references to drinking and drugs, and a kiss so steamy it’ll fog up your ereader.

Book 4
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Angsty, banterific stars.

Tracy Deebs is a new-to-me author.

The Creative HeArts series is like 4 trilogies wrapped up in one large series featuring the same cast of characters in/around a performing arts school.

Excuse me for not giving a coherent review, as I'm going to go full-out fangirl on your behind. Reading every page voraciously, because I wanted to know what would happen next, I was dreading reaching the final page, because I never wanted the book to end.

For both young adult and those young at heart, The Secret Life of a Dream Girl has a Hannah Montana vs Miley Cyrus meets Lindsay Lohan feel. Dahlia, aka international ex-Disney star Cherry, has emancipated herself from her controlling father who leaks false information to the press to create more controversy around the 17-year-old girl. The version the public sees is not the true person Dahlia is.

Keegan is an all-around good guy, who happens to have a crush on Dahlia, the girl who sticks to the shadows, watching but never participating. Chatting with his friend, Jacen, about his dream girl, Dahlia overhears and decides to put herself out there by making a new friend after a conversation she had with Finn.

Obviously Keegan takes his crush up on her quest to get him the girl of his dreams as a way to be closer to her.

Yes, this premise has been written in countless young adult novels, but there is a reason the trope stands the test of time. It's an irresistible angsty, guilty pleasure that had me clicking the pages at a rapid rate. Keegan and Dahlia had great chemistry, camaraderie, and a realistic non-insta connection.

Added onto top of the romance is the realistic view of how celebrities have no privacy and are taken advantage, as well as Keegan's father going through a life-threatening cancer.

This book is not a standalone, the 4th book in a series of trilogies. While it is open-ended, it was a satisfying end to the novel, and a promising start to the next. Each book I end, I want the next before I'm even finished, even knowing in the cycle of books, it will be a different couple. The disappointment quickly fades, since I then get hooked on the next couple and the next...

Be patient – these are not instant gratification novels.

Here – have a guide (guesstimate by yours truly)

Sloane & Tru = books 1, 5, 9
Willa & Finn = books 2, 6, 10
Mariley & Cabot = books 3, 7, 11
Dahlia & Keegan = books 4, 8, 12

Authors? Yoohoo? Can we please add Jacen & Himish to this lineup? Pretty please? Just one book, even? A novella? Short story?

Young adult age-range: 14+ due to adult language. Kissing.

Also Available in the Creative HeArts Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our How Willa Got Her Groove Back post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance post.

Award-winning author Tracy Deebs collects old vinyl, new books and bold lipsticks and has been known to forget where—and sometimes who—she is when immersed in a great novel. At six she wrote her first short story—something with a rainbow and a prince—and at seven she forayed into the wonderful world of girls lit with her first Judy Blume novel. And from the first page of that first book, Tracy knew she’d found her life-long love. Now a successful author with 41 published novels to her various names, she loves spending her days writing in her pajamas, drinking too much tea and exploring fun and funky new places in her current hometown of Austin, Texas.

Connect with Tracy

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Secret Life of a Dream Girl (Creative HeArts #4) by Tracy Deebs to read and review.

Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru by Tera Lynn Childs

When life gives you a blank canvas, make art.

Sloane Whitaker hates everything about moving to Texas. She hates leaving behind her friends and half her family in New York, starting over senior year at Austin’s NextGen Academy, and having to say she lives in Texas. Most of all, she hates that it’s all her fault. If she wants to earn her way back to the Big Apple, she has to prove she can still be the perfect daughter.

Which means no vandalism art, no trouble at school, and absolutely no Tru Dorsey, her serial screw-up neighbor, who loves nothing more than pushing her buttons.

But from the moment he vaults onto the roof outside her bedroom, there is something about him that makes her want to break every rule. Suddenly it’ s not the ten things she hates about Tru that are at the top of her list. It’s the ten reasons she doesn’t want to be without him.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains vandalism in the name of art, art in the name of love, and love for a boy too charming to ever hate.

Book 1
Buy Links

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4 Creative HeArts Stars.

Tera Lynn Childs is a new-to-me author.

I started the Creative HeArts series on book 2 for review, then book 3. In preparation for book 4, I finally backtracked to read book 1. Sorry for sounding confusing, I assumed book 2 was actually the first in the series when I signed up to review, not realizing there were three separate authors and three separate couples, essentially three separate series rolled into one school with the same characters. So far so good, as I've 4-starred book one, and 5-starred both book 2 & 3.

Ms. Childs' writing flowed fluidly and quickly, moving the story at a pace that was easy to follow along but wasn't bogged down in unnecessary detail.

Sloane's narrative was told in first person, while Tru's was in third person, which was slightly jarring but did make it distinguishable between the female and male leads.

Sloane had committed an egregious act, which we don't learn what truly happens until halfway through the novel. It wasn't truly a mystery of any kind, so I'm not sure why the author allowed the readers to stay in the dark, as it was the main focal point the entire plot was built upon. I liked Sloane, truly. I understood her as the quirky artist who felt powerless. I also simultaneously felt for her parents and felt them unfair.

Tru, the charming, bad boy who's actually a good boy, next door neighbor, which Sloane hates ten things about... but as a reader, Sloane nowhere in the body of the book ever states a single thing she hates about Tru, nonetheless ten things... I liked Tru too, just as much as Sloane did. Tru is a misunderstood kid by his parents, yet everyone at school sees him clearly, especially his teachers.

Obviously Sloane and Tru are reluctant love interests, and it was sweet and cute, and gave me the squees. There is a side mystery Sloane solves, that young adults will surely adore.

As the first in the series, it was a good start. But after reading book 2 & 3 first, which I felt were incredible, I wish I had started where I was supposed to, as the series would have built – evolved – instead of feeling just on the surface without much depth.

That was my issue: while I loved the author's voice, and Tru and Sloane, it felt like the story was missing something vital. I'm not sure if things were being left for a later book, but it felt unfinished plot-wise. It had everything it needed but never quite reached its potential – maybe explaining, to make it more realistic, (I don't know if this will be in a future book, but it was needed in book one – same with some resolution with Tru's father) that Sloane's parents split up instead of the waste of running two separate households while splitting up the siblings and the parents. That isn't realistic, doable, or anything an adult would have done. It would have been a family move, or Sloane moving with a relative. No mother leaves her husband and son to move across the country. Nope. That goes against the boundaries and structure Sloane was written to need. Unless, obviously, the parents split up, which is bad since Sloane is blaming herself, if that is the case, as Mom never says anything.

Not a judgment – advice. This didn't effect my overall rating, but I do need to point out, and I'm not being overly critical or condescending, the book could have used another round of edits. Simple mistakes mixed with bad habits of the author, or perhaps punctuation rules never learned or put into practice. Most notable was the lack of proper commas. Example: "Night Sloane." Night Tru." There wasn't a night and day version of our characters. They were speaking to one another in dialogue. Commas matter. I sound nitpicky, but this was habitual throughout the entire novel, 90% of the time never doing it properly. Once put into practice, this won't happen but during a rare error, and won't put as much pressure on the editor. So that is why I'm pointing it out, for the author's benefit and growth. Been there, done that. I understand. Practice makes perfect and the rules do matter.

Whether you're a young adult, or young at heart, I recommend both this novel and the Creative HeArts series to fans of the young adult genre, particularly those who enjoy the creative arts.

Young Adult age-range: 14+, mentions of alcohol consumption, domestic violence, criminal activity, and kissing.

Also Available in the Creative HeArts Series

Book 2
Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our How Willa Got Her Groove Back post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance post.

Tera Lynn Childs is the RITA-award-winning young adult author of the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. series, the Forgive My Fins mermaid romance series, the kick-butt monster-hunting Sweet Venom trilogy, and the Darkly Fae series. She also writes the City Chicks sweet chick lit romance series and is co-writing the Hero Agenda series with Tracy Deebs. Tera lives nowhere in particular and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages.

Connect with Tera

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


Brought to you by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru (Creative HeArts #1) by Tera Lynn Childs to read and review. Review copy was purchased by the blog.

Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance by Shellee Roberts

It’s all fun and games until you fall in love...

After Mariely Hinojosa and Cabot Wheeler both break up with their significant others at the same party, Mariely sees a way to get even with both of their exes. Everyone knows that the best way to get over a breakup is a hookup—a fake hookup, that is. Three weeks, all fun, no strings, and definitely no heartbreak at the end.

But somewhere between the sweet hand-holding and melt-your-mind kisses, their fake relationship starts to feel less like an act and more like the real thing...but Mariely’s a free-spirited girl from the other side of the tracks, and Cabot’s the hot trust-fund guy from the Hills.

They’d never work for real...

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a kickass heroine, a boy so hot he’ll make you shiver, and a falling-in-love story fit for the big screen. You’ll want to settle in and have the popcorn ready.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Angsty, banterific, slow-burn stars

I found the Creative HeArts series with book #2 for review, and have been hooked ever since. Shellee Roberts is a new-to-me author. Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance was the perfect addition to the Creative HeArts series.

Mariely and Cabot narrate this story, both broken-hearted and in the need of feeling power over something. I won't explain the details, as that is why you read a book and I don't wish to spoil it for anyone, but it's a classic fauxmance turned real romance with the classic type of villains and support systems from friends. While a fun trope, it didn't come off as cliché. (Adults, you have to remember this is young adult, written for young adults)

Opposites attract, traversing social classes.

Mariely is a scholarship student who loves thrift shops to showcase her rockabilly style. Since she's an actress, she's into classic movies and uses some of the greatest actresses and actors as cuss words. Her family works hard, but is close to being destitute. Even though she comes off as over-the-top, she's extremely serious and determined.

Cabot is the child of two divorced parents, both living in huge mansions, where going to the country club is an actual pastime. He's seen as the rich boy without any substance, but beneath the cover is a depth of personality.

Together, they have more in common than what's on the surface, and Mariely and Cabot discover this amongst their plan. During dates, they are awestruck at times, warming the reader. Their banter is electric. And not a single moment of it feels forced.

The book was a heartstring tugger, completely giving me the feels. I teared up a few times, laughed ten-times more, and smiled through the pages. Fast-paced, cute and heartwarming, I was rapidly turning the pages. Often times, I find myself looking down at the percentage read – this time I was so into the story, reading it in one-sitting, I never once looked, only finding out when I hit the last page.

The characters, the school, and the characters' talents are a continuing theme from book to book, giving a highlight of the past narrators and what young adult angsty-ness they are up to, whetting our appetite for more.

I recommend this novel for those who are young, and those who are young at heart.

As a grown woman, I find young adult novels as a palate cleanser to reset how desensitized I've become while reading. But there is something about the innocent buildup in this series that I haven't stumbled upon before. There is no instant love/lust, real friendships are forged, and you can 'feel' your heart beat along with the narrators’ as they experience their first taste of true, first love. It's a feeling that if it could be bottled, we'd all be billionaires, and it's why we read to recapture the sensation.

Recommended Young Adult Age Range: 13+

Also Available in the Creative HeArts Series

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our How Willa Got Her Groove Back post.

There are three things (besides her family) that Shellee loves more than Netflix: Dr. Pepper, OTPs, and book boyfriends (I’m looking at you, Gilbert Blythe).

Shellee has been told that her life goal as a writer should be to win prestigious awards that will grant her literary immortality, but as an OG shipper (Tad and Dixie—my first hardcore ship) all she really wants is to create two characters that people love so much they give them a cool mashup name.

Shellee spends her days living the dream with her family in Austin, Texas—and by living the dream she means waking up at the crack of dawn to go to work, chauffeur, walk dogs, do dishes, and fold laundry. At night she gets down to real business, basking in the warm, blue glow of her computer screen and bringing the stories in her head to life on the page...or watching shipper fan videos on YouTube till 2am. Tomorrow she’s definitely going to kick that procrastination problem to the curb.

Connect with Shellee

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance (Creative HeArts #3) by Shellee Roberts to read and review.

How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay

When your life feels like a bad movie, rewrite the script.

When Willa Schofer’s father comes home from a business trip with an über-famous new fiancée, Willa’s senior year blows up in paparazzi-fueled flames. Overnight, she has a new house, a new car, and a new soon-to-be stepbrother—the unbelievably hot, unbelievably arrogant, Finn McCain. Thank god he’s constantly pushing her buttons, or she might do something irresponsible. Like fall for the jerk.

Just when Willa’s decided to avoid him for, oh, ever, Finn lands in the center of her senior project team. Seriously—how hard is it to shake a guy? At least her work on the project snagged the attention of the (second) hottest guy in school. He might only be into her because of her famous stepmom, and he’s not quite as exciting as a certain annoying housemate, but at least she’s allowed to crush on the guy.

Because crushing on your annoying stepbrother? So not cool.

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains an unbelievably hot bad boy, an unbelievably famous actress, and all the drama that comes with adding both to your family. Oh, and a forbidden flirtation with a soon-to-be stepbrother.

Book 2
Buy Links

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Angsty Stars

How Willa Got Her Groove Back trapped me from page one with Willa's infectious narration. Page after page, I gorged myself until the very end when I realized the afternoon had waned to evening without coming up for air.

This Young Adult novel was everything I enjoy about the genre: the feels. I can't explain why YA novels always seem to evoke so many emotions in me. For both Willa and Finn, I was frustrated, angered, heartbroken, heartstring-tugged, and happy.

There was a definite growth in Willa as the book progressed. I can see where readers may find her a bit judgmental and snobbish, especially adult readers. But Willa's story perfectly portrayed the powerlessness of youth, where you're the passenger while your irresponsible parents are in the driver's seat, maybe driving you in a direction that is negative for all, without a thought or care for you or your opinions on your life.

Imagine everything you've ever known changing in a heartbeat, just because your father or mother has on lust-goggles and is being led around by a body part that shouldn't get a say in your life. I was frustrated, angered, and hurt for both Finn & Willa.

Should children get a say in their parents' love lives? NO. But they should be taken into consideration and treated with respect, instead of throwaway objects used as props and remembered when the parents need a 'family' experience & this isn't just something that happens in books, more like the majority of homes. Just thinking of how powerless this leaves the children gives me the shakes.

Willa finds out her absentee father is marrying a superstar actress, after he fails to tell her he's even dating anyone. Just shows up and drops it into her lap. There's a level of betrayal, as the man who was written to be her partner in crime is so love-fogged he notices nothing but his new fiancée. But as you read along, the reader realizes the father was built up in the daughter's mind, and not at all her partner and knight in shining armor. Willa's emotions are written across the pages, and the reader feels them with her. Several gut-wrenching moments, and a few time tears escaped my eyes.

The narrators are both Willa, and her soon-to-be stepbrother/love interest, Finn. But Willa has the most page time. They are polar opposites except in the way they love their respective parent, so this gives the reader a 360-degree view of the storyline.

This is in no way a standalone, but not a cliffhanger. The ending was definitive in respect to the storyline, but it left a major thirst for more. That addictive 'what's next?' sensation that has a reader one-clicking the next in the series, and that's a very good thing in my opinion.

I can't wait for book #2, and I can already guess it's going to be an angst-fest of epic proportions with the threads opened near the end of book #1. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Young Adult age range: 12+

Emily McKay is a life-long fan of books, pop-culture and anything geeky. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do baking cookies. She lives in central Texas with her husband, kids, two mildly-psychotic dogs, a three-legged cat and eleven chickens.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of How Willa Got Her Groove Back (Creative HeArts #2; Willa and Finn #1) by Emily McKay to read and review.