Spending time with my nemesis never felt so good.Carson Brooks has been my enemy since the day he moved to Sweet Water and tried to drown me in a rogue wave.Not only are we enemies, but we’re not quiet about it either. We’re polar opposites. Where I’m a perfectionist and methodical in all things, he is carefree and the life of the party.While Carson tries to trip me in the halls on a regular … trip me in the halls on a regular basis, I’m busy glaring holes through his disgustingly thick skull.
Oh, and did I mention I’m best friends with his little brother? Talk about inconvenient.
But it’s our senior year and my life is unraveling. My parents are at each other’s throats, I have yet to hear back about early admissions at the college of my choice, and I have no date to the Snowflake Ball. So, when Carson whacks me in the face with a basketball during gym class, I snap. I go for his throat–literally.
Now Sweet Water’s principal is giving us a choice: face suspension or find a way to work together on the holiday Angel Project.
Great. As if living in a war zone weren’t enough, now I have to spend time with the enemy.
But as tensions rise and we begin spending time together, I realize there’s more to Carson Brooks than his cocky exterior. Maybe I like him more than I thought. Maybe a little too much.
Falling For My Nemesis is a STANDALONE novel in a collaborative series.
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Such a great YA Contemporary Romance! It was so fun reading Carson and Mia’s story. Those two had some serious chemistry! I can’t wait to read more of Tia Souder’s books!
My full review can be read here: bit.ly/2WirxQE
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Hate-to-love books are my jam, y’all. I want the tension, the banter, the mixed feelings…ALL OF IT! And Falling for My Nemesis DELIVERED. Plus, it was a Christmas read!
Carson was just…ugh, a dreamboat. Was he also an annoying, confusing pain-in-the-neck sometimes? Yes. But his sweet moments were just so incredibly swoony. And even though he constantly came across as an insensitive guy, he definitely had a gentle/caring side…he just didn’t always show that in the best way.
As for Mia, her need to keep it altogether/be as perfect as possible really hit home for me (seeing as I’m a type one) and her struggles were just really relatable.
It’s always interesting to see how the dynamic between a fun-loving/easygoing character and an uptight/responsible character is going to play out…and I loved how it happened for Mia and Carson.
Like most romance plots, there usually has to be some misunderstandings…and while a lot of people don’t enjoy when the main leads don’t communicate, I honestly enjoy it when it’s realistic/done right, which was the case with this book. Mia and Carson held back from each other because of their insecurities and doubts, their hesitancy was understandable. The ending, however, wasn’t my favorite. It really just felt rushed…and unresolved? There was an epilogue though, so that made me VERY happy!
As far as content goes: Although there wasn’t any language, I wouldn’t personally consider the book an “all clean read.” A possible “illicit affair” was mentioned. Voodoo dolls were mentioned. A flirty characters was described with having “ample cleavage” on display. “Stoners” and “crackheads” were mentioned. Streaking and skinny dipping were mentioned. Underage drinking happened at a party. A guy that Mia dated in the past was told that she was “secretly into girls.” The phrase “pimpin’ it” was used. A character cupped his crotch after being threatened by a: “you’ll be one ball short” comment.
The kisses and chemistry were UNBELIEVABLY good, and the angst between Mia and Carson drove my crazy in the best “hate-to-love” way possible.
Did I say that Carson was swoony? He was honestly just flat-out sexy. AND he also had the cutest vulnerable moments. Lastly…perfume. That’s all I’m going to say. PERFUME.
G-rated, YA, Christmas-themed, enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy
Mia Randalls only has a few more months of her senior year to survive while living in the battle zone of her home with parents who are on the verge of divorce. Her best friend, Ethan Brooks, who is a year younger than her, has been her loyal supporter and comforter ever since his family moved in next door years ago. But as much as she adores Ethan, she cannot stand his brother, Carson, who is Mia’s age.
Carson is the gorgeous, ripped captain of the school’s swim team, and he’s popular with everyone at school but Mia. He’s been the bane of her existence since soon after they met at age nine. Their homes share a private beach, and he callously laughed at her when she got terrifyingly knocked around by a big wave. In contrast, eight-year-old Ethan rushed to her aid, caring for her and comforting her that day. He’s been her BFF ever since, while Carson became her nemesis. All these years, up to the present moment, he has routinely teased and pranked her in juvenile ways, such as bumping into her, tripping her, or spilling drinks on her. And that cocky smirk of his drives her wild.
Mia has always done her best to ignore Carson, but his most recent prank proves to be her breaking point. He throws a basketball at her in gym class, and it smashes into her face. When she stares over at him through her rapidly swelling eye, the jerk is laughing at her, and she snaps. She stomps over to him and chokes him until the gym teacher tears her off of Carson and orders the two of them to the principal’s office.
The principal informs Mia and Carson that, technically, they both have assaulted each other, and that normally the penalty would be a two-week suspension. But to Mia’s relief, she offers them an alternative punishment. The two of them must work as a team to run the Angel Project, which provides food and presents to needy families at Christmastime. Feeling she has no choice in order to avoid a big, black mark on her school record that may harm her chances to get into her dream school, Mia concedes, and Carson agrees as well.
As the two of them begin spending time together, Mia is surprised to realize that there is more to Carson than an obnoxious prankster, and her attitude toward him slowly begins to change.
This G-rated, enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy is a fun, fast read. It is told entirely from Mia’s first-person point of view, so we don’t get to know Carson as well as we might have done if this were dual point of view. But it is true that the mystery of his motivation for continually aggravating Mia over the years is enhanced by us never getting inside his head.
Though this novel is part of a series of books all set at the same high school, it stands alone, and it is not necessary to read any of the other books to get the full benefit of this story. Like all the books in this series, this book has a satisfying conclusion with no cliffhanger.
This is a classic, no-cheating, HEA romance. There is no sex, no drinking, no drugs, and no foul language, making this story suitable for all ages.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
Mia and Carson have a sweet magnetism that is as flirty as it is antagonistic. When Carson pings Mia in the eye with a basketball, her throat-rushing response probably has more to do with the other stress factors in her life, than the stinging pain of a blooming black eye. When they are sentenced to work together on getting donations to provide Christmas presents to underprivileged families, they may find that there is more than meets the eye in the strained relationship between them.
Wow this was a beautifully written story. I wondered if Carson had a crush on Mia the whole time. Yes he did. I am just glad that Mia always put him in his place when he messed with her. Go Mia. Thank you again for the wonderful story. I really enjoyed it.
Mia is been best friend with Ethan since they met nine years ago but she’s can’t stand his brother Carson. He is always picking at her and she avoids him whenever she can. But after a fight at school they need to team together. Can they realise that there is something between them? Can Carson help Mia in a very difficult situation and show her his true feelings? A sweet love story.
Absolutely enjoyed every minute of this story! Great pacing, good characters, realistic plot. A really fun read. Will definitely be seeking more of this author’s work. Recommend it.
Oh my gosh! Carson Brooks is swoon worthy. Love story between Mia and Carson. A sweet beautiful read that will pull on your heartstrings.