CRUEL INTENTIONS meets AFTERClinton Clarke has everything a high school boy could want. A motorcycle between his legs. Cheerleaders on each knee. A posse behind him students and teachers alike are done fussing with. He rules the school, and everyone in it.Except for one person. Rae Cleaver.He’s determined to make her life a living nightmare. Only because he can.He’s determined to have everyone in … he can.
He’s determined to have everyone in that school afraid of him.
He’s determined to prove he’s not the one to be messed with.
When he says jump, everyone in that school should ask him how high.
He’s determined to get under her skin.
The only issue? She’s about to wiggle her way under his.
PLAY WITH ME is a full-lenght novel, 90k words, and is the first book in a High School Bully Romance trilogy. WARNING: it ends with a cliffhanger.
PROMISE ME releases in September 2019.
STAY WITH ME releases in October 2019.
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Clint and Rae’s story is not easy, but what great love is?
Rae is the poor girl who is just trying to do the best she can, and Clint is the rich boy doing the same. They find part of themselves in each other when they can finally sit down and talk at the park.
It’s nice to see this book has Clint’s perspective in it just as much as Rae’s. We get to really see why Clint is the bully he has become which isn’t always clear in other bully books. Often times as a reader it is easy to forget that the tough bullies have reasons to be like they are even if we don’t always agree. As a heroine Rae has a great moral compass, and is willing to do everything she can to support those she cares about. She definitely doesn’t take things lying down.
I love how Clint and Rae go all in even when other’s are against them. It doesn’t matter what they have to face as long as it’s together. This book reads fast, and the character’s relationship also builds fast. The book ends on a major cliff hanger and I am excited to see what happens next!
What a story this is, we have the main character Rae who is is not like the rest of the school students as far as popularity and close. She lives at home with her mom and abusive boyfriends then she goes to school and deals with it all until one day when the school bad boy decides he’s going to pick on her even more. They get into a few different situations and eventually something happens and they connect on a different level which makes you enjoy the story as it progresses. To see how they go from enemies to lovers is wonderful there are still some issues going on at school and home between the two of them but in the end they are trying to make it work until a tragedy strikes and leaves us with a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read the next book and see what happens between the two main characters and hope for a happily ever after they both deserve it. If you are questioning this story I think you will be very happy reading it. I personally couldn’t stop reading to the last page. Rebel Hart did a wonderful job creating characters that are easy to relate to and like and also a storyline that is enjoyable to read.
3
Style: Bully Romance (High School)
Story: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Dark Level: 0/5
Sexual Level: OK- GOOD
Triggers: Yes
Violence: Yes
Male: Popular & Troubled
Series: book 1 of 4
Pages: 352
Audio: GOOD (m/f)
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
STORY
This one was ok. It’s one where it’s not bad, and it did not wow me 100%. The story started out interesting as it caught my interest. I felt that even though Clint and Rae had some scenes together, chapters 1-15 was really focused on them individually. Neither had the best up bringing, so it was nice seeing them connect with that. It took a while for their story together to affect me. Once they started connecting, I wasn’t really blown away as much. Their chemistry was up and down for me in regard to getting me excited. The book ended on a cliffhanger that I knew of, but I didn’t know it was 4 parts. I was curious about book 2 but feel I can not invest in all 4 books in the series with the same couple.
SEXUAL CHEMISTRY:
I wasn’t a fan of their sex scenes. I felt it could have been more. I remember thinking their first time, I thought, that’s it?
SECONDARY CHARACTERS
Clint’s friend Roy, that boy, gives TMI on his sex life. Rae’s friends Allison like her, but Micheal, towards the end when she needed him did not pass the vibe check, smh. I still like him, though.
OVERALL
Again, likable, but don’t believe I would continue the series.
TRIGGERS: child abuse, assault, drug addiction.
****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful.
First off I didn’t finish this book, not because it lacked anything at all. I didn’t finish it because bully romance is obviously not my genre. I can’t give this book a bad review though. If this is a genre you enjoy then this book will be perfect for you. The characters and plot were well developed and it’s written well. I do recommend it for all of you bully romance loving readers.
Play With Me
4 stars for Play With Me by Rebel Hart. This is book one in The Diamond in The Rough Series. This book pulled me in. It has everything a great book has. Clint is a jerk, bully, but he is more than that. Rae is a complete bada**. She can not wait to leave the town. Her and Clint have never got along but what happens when these two learn they have a lot in common. This is a great start to what I think is going to be a good series.
Genre- High School Bully Romance
Feels- 5/5
Heat-4/5
HEA-NO
Cliffhanger- Yes
Cover- 4/4
Hero-4/4
Heroine- 5/5
Overall-4
Clint and Rae’s story is epic!!!! Enemies to Lovers stories are always get and Clint is the schools bad boy and Rae is just a girl trying to get through the rest of her high schools days before she wants to get out her town. Clint is your typical rich boy while Rae is poor and lives with her mom and her mom’s abusive boyfriend. Clint gets a thrill from getting a raise out of everyone and realizes just how much he gets under Rae’s skin and he starts pushing her even farther. Until one day they actually talk to each other and they both realize there is more than meets the eye and they fall in bed together. Both of them didn’t think it would be anything more than that one time but then develop feelings for one another. I love Clint and Rae’s love story and can’t wait to read more of their story.
I don’t usually read high school kids type romance on the regular, but the cover and blurb was calling to me loudly. I unplugged myself from everything and really, really enjoyed reading this book. Rae has been bullied for awhile by none other than Clinton and his so called friends. She lives a life she has no control over, and she can’t wait to leave and be the opposite of her mom.
It was actually great to see how Clinton was changing the way he felt inside and him coming to terms with his feelings for Rae. To see this bad boy type persona just melt away for this one girl who he thought meant nothing but a blip or someone to walk all over, mean so much in his life. This is a cliffhanger, and I’m dyin to know what happens now!
3.5 Stars! Play with Me is the debut novel by new author Rebel Hart, and my first read by her. The high school bully plot is what caught my attention to the book.
Summary:
Rae Cleaver is used to being an outcast in her richly appointed high school. She really doesn’t care what people think. Sure, she’s poor, but she has her two best friends and a plan for the future. Too bad the school bully won’t leave her to be invisible. At first glance, Clinton Clarke has it all. Money, popularity, good looks, and the requisite bad boy image. But there’s more to Clint than meets the eye. He just can’t show the real him to anyone. Instead, he wants people to fear him, and know that he shouldn’t be messed with. At the top of his hit list is Rae. He’ll get under her skin and make sure she knows who rules the school. That’s his plan. Until one lonely night when they bump into each other. One deep conversation changes everything. What happens to Clint’s plan when Rae flips it around and she’s the one getting under his skin?
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This was a great start to the series and Rebel’s writing career. I enjoyed Play with Me. I liked the storyline and the characters, but found a few issues that bugged me as I read. Rae was a pretty good heroine. She had a strong backbone, didn’t care what others thought of her, and knew what she wanted in life and what she didn’t. I loved the scenes where she stood up for herself, and where she showed she could handle herself if need-be. I did feel she lost a bit of that bada$$ aura and confidence, though, towards the end. When first introduced to Clint, he’s the a$$hole bully with a reputation to protect. It’s very hard to see what lies beneath the image he projects. Clint has a more sensitive side and can be self-reflective. His home life is worse than Rae’s despite having money, and he finds release in fighting and bullying others. I did like the times when we saw deeper than the surface, but felt some of his actions were a little childish. As a couple, I liked the opposites-with-similarities attract theme, but the progression of their relationship happened a little too fast for me. I loved the banter and build-up of tension that made up most of the first half of the book. I think the build-up to them hooking up could have been more detailed, though. It seemed too easy for the poor girl to fall into bed with the rich boy who’s supposedly been making her life a misery for the past three years, and just beat up her bestie. The intimate scenes were well-written and had some steam, but felt like they came too early for where they should have been. I’m a fan of bully tropes, so the story kept me entertained with only a bit of lag in the last quarter or so. First in series books are responsible for the initial world building, so it can sometimes be tedious reading, but I didn’t feel Play with Me fell into that trap. The dialogue towards the end, though, was disappointing. It felt cheesy and ridiculous without even the witty banter to pick up the slack. There was also a drastic increase in the drama that seemed superfluous. I felt the sudden issue between Rae and Michael went a little over the top. This book also ends on a pretty good cliffy. I don’t make a habit of reading cliffhanger books, but I definitely can’t wait to see what happens next. I just hope that Promise Me will follow the mold of the first half of the book.
Rebel wrote such hearty and meaty characters with Clint and Rae. You develop such strong feelings for what they go through outside of school and each other. I started off hating Clint because he was the perfect bully while loving Rae because your heart goes out to her sweetness and innate goodness. You see how their “family” and background shape them into the people they are today. The background characters also cover all areas of emotions. There are some you love from the beginning while the others are at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. As we watch Clint and Rae struggle to be together, they both grow in maturity and depth. You think things are going to start going one way and then Rebel throws in a MAJOR WRENCH, which of course, leads to book 2 in this series. For a brand new author, I was amazed at how relatable the characters and story line was. She wrote such descriptive characters that you laugh and cry with them, you hate certain people while loving others. Rebel Hart has an amazing future ahead of her in writing if this book is any indication. I, for one, will be jumping up and down on the sidelines cheering her on!
Intense, and Emotional!
This is the first book in the Diamond In The Rough series, and the story of Clinton, and Rae. Rae is the girl from the wrong side on town, attending an elite school, making her a target for Clint, the school bad boy. Clint bullies Rae, but she isn’t gonna take it, and pushes back at her tormentor, not letting him get the best of her. But when something happens to bring them together, the spark fly, and the truth about how similar their home life are revealed. This book was a great read, these two characters have steamy chemistry, this book was emotional, intense, passionate, dramatic, and sexy. I can’t wait to read the next book, this book is a must read!
First day of their senior year at Riverbed high, and nothing has changed.
Shes still the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who stands out like a sore thumb.
Hes still the bad boy who likes to fight both with words and fists. She as always is his verbal victim.
Worlds apart, like night and day to the untrained eye, but in the moments of quiet and silence they arent so different.
The solace and safe haven of a bench on a night steaked with violence and pain and their worlds begin to change.
Two souls desperate for an ending, could they be given a new start instead. A do over?
Oh my gosh!!! With a tear in my eye and my heart in my mouth there are no more pages. Noooooooo!!!! dont leave me hanging!!!
What an amazing cliffhanger of an ending. So many possibilities, so many scenarios rushing through my mind right now.
This is ultimately a story of a bad boy and a good girl, the bully and his victim. The rich and the poor colliding with an explosion that demands your upmost attention.
Raelynn is quite the savvy, smart mouthed yet innocent in a way kind of girl. Shes quick witted and sharp, and not afraid to stand up for herself, even if it costs her dearly.
Clinton is verging on being out of control. His anger sparks at the least thing. Hes volatile and dangerous but entertaining and in demand to a degree too.
Two very different characters that fit together like the last two pieces of a jigsaw to complete the picture.
They shouldn’t work, but they do and I for one was captivated by their evolving relationship.
I couldnt get enough of their drama and angst, violence and passion. I cant wait to see what happens next!!!
This book has totally sucked me in! The plot was action filled and fast moving. The characters were so very well developed I felt like I knew them. I loved everything about this book! Rebel Hart has knocked it out of the park. I can not believe that cliffhanger. I NEED the rest of this story!
4.5 stars for the book that played with my heart. Clint and Rae’s story is everything I love in a bully/ enemies to lovers romance. The angst and delicious tension. I’m going backwards here but off the bat I’m going to say the ending damn near killed me. Be prepared for a brutal cliffhanger BUT, the wait for book two isn’t terrible.
Clint is the school bad boy. He’s also an obnoxious bully. Rae is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, attending Clint’s prestigious school, with a big bulls eye on her back. Both Rae and Clint have bad home situations, but neither are aware of each other’s situation. Then one night fate happens and they end up seeking solace in one another.
What I loved most about this story is how strong and determined Rae is right off the bat. She has a take no sh*t from anyone attitude and ALWAYS stands up for herself and her friends. I’ll be honest and say I was a little surprised at Rae and Clint’s chemistry. It almost seemed to come out of nowhere at the bench scene and then bam! Sparks were flying.
I liked the plot of the story and it flowed nicely. There was lots of character development on Clint’s part. He went from being the bully to releasing why he was the way he was AND doing everything he can to protect Rae. Overall I really enjoyed the book and I’m looking forward to reading book 2 in Rae and Clint’s story.
Ok. So at first I was extremely unsure about this book. The bullying was a bit childish and Clint was cocky and arrogant to the point of seeming desperate. BUT!!! When the bench scene happens with Clint and Rae my whole perspective of the book changes. I felt at first Rebel Hart was aiming for dark bully but was playing it a bit too safe. This book could have been 5 stars if not for that first part where Clint is the bully. The side characters who were bullies was written well though but if she would have just made Clint into the silent bad boy loner type this book would have been perfect. From the bench scene all the way til the end I loved though! You get to understand Clint’s character and even though I didn’t connect with him at first I did by the end. Rae though I loved throughout the whole book. She was brave, strong, smart and forgiving. I did think she gave in to Clint too quickly but it’s romance that happens lol. All in all the book was 4.5 stars. Could have easily been 5 if that beginning part was tweaked a bit. I definitely can’t wait for book 2!
Rebel Hart is a new to me author that I am so blessed to have been able to read her new release, Play With Me. Readers can expect a page turner with this story! I had to read the whole way through just to know what would happen- I certainly love books that have my undivided attention! Rebel made the story flow, with build ups, and each build up became more intense. The MC’s, Rae, and Clint, on the outside appeared to be such opposites, yet on the inside- they were like a magnet. A moth to a flame…and when together, the attraction lit fire. The book does contain a big cliffy, but please don’t let that stop you from reading the first book. It’s a definite must. It won’t be too long for the next one either, and even so, always give it a reread because for me, I may catch something that I missed the first time reading! No disappointment from me as a reader and reviewer. This book was well written, and kept me on my toes until the very end! What will happen next with Rae and Clint…!? I cannot wait to find out.
Holy crap this book was everything. I went in blind. It has all the feels. And can’t wait for more of there story.
Such a good book!
I was hooked from the start and couldn’t put it down!
At first i had this huge urge to punch Clinton in the face, but you can’t judge a book by it’s cover of course and I soon grew to like Clint. I also love how confident and sarcastic Rae is throughout the book. You can’t help but love her. The two of them together is some good steamy goodness.
That ending left me craving even more!
Highly Recommend and cannot wait for the next book.