Review: VERY BAD THINGS (Briarcrest Academy) by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Synopsis
Born into a life of privilege and secrets, Nora Blakely has everything any nineteen-year-old girl could desire. She’s an accomplished pianist, a Texas beauty queen, and on her way to Princeton after high school. She’s perfect…
Leaving behind her million-dollar mansion and Jimmy Choos, she becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.
Then she meets her soulmate. But he doesn’t want her.
When it comes to girls, twenty-five-year-old Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love. His gym and his brother are all he cares about…until he meets Nora. He resists the pull of their attraction, hung up on their six year age difference.
As they struggle to stay away from each other, secrets will be revealed, tempers will flare, and hearts will be broken.
Welcome to Briarcrest Academy…where sometimes, the best things in life are Very Bad Things.
Abby’s Review 4.5 Stars
There is something so clever and original about the way Ilsa Madden-Mills has created Nora. Nora a former National Spelling Bee winner, beauty pageant winner, straight A student, class president, ex fat camp participant, rich girl, on the exterior seems like its all anyone could want. Then as she stands in front of her school….The big F off!
She changes and the pressure from her secrets has the good girl giving up on her image. This was so captivating! You knew her secrets were dark and it is so intense. You root for her even though you see her hitting the self destruct button.
Nora and Leo’s eyes connect at a moment that perhaps Nora would not have wanted anyone to witness. There is a fierce connection there.
Leo is older than Nora so there is an internal fight with his feelings. Leo is sexy and sweet. There is a stubborn quality but you understand it.
This is a story that will draw you in completely. I really, really enjoyed it. My small criticism that kept this from being a complete 5 star was that the Finn story was rushed a little at the end. Otherwise this had so much to offer.
Copy provided for honest review
Ilsa Madden-Mills is a loving wife and mother, a loyal friend, and a teacher. When all that is done, she writes. Obsessively.
She spends her days with two small kids, a neurotic cat, and her Viking husband. She collects magnets and rarely cooks except to bake her own pretzels.
When she’s not typing away at a story, you can find her drinking too much Diet Coke, jamming out to Pink, or checking on her carefully maintained chocolate stash.
She loves to hear from from fans and fellow authors. Drop her a line on the contact page.
Website:
http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com/
Author social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/authorilsamaddenmills
Twitter: @ilsamaddenmills