In a world of wealth and power, the rules of love and war are nothing as they seem.Nora Randolph never wanted a life of luxury. But when her mother falls in love with the heir to the British throne, their small-town lives are uprooted and every little girl’s fantasy becomes her reality. All too quickly, she learns the dangers of running in circles with the world’s elite, especially when she … when she attracts the attention of Winston Academy’s resident golden boy.
Asher Frederick has known nothing but favor and fortune. The son of London’s most influential family, his future has been written in stone since infancy. But a tragic childhood loss redirects his course, and revenge has been boiling in his blood for years. When innocent and unaware Nora lands in his path, it’s as if the universe hands him the ammunition to finally drag his enemy through the mud.
But as his plan for vengeance gets more twisted, so do his feelings for Nora. And as her immersion into the upper crust dives deeper, she struggles to keep the secret she’s been guarding for eighteen years.
Heavy lies the crown, and when the ultimate betrayal blindsides her, will either of them survive the consequences that come crashing down on their heads?
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I’ve not read anything quite like this book before. I’m not sure what I expected, after reading the blurb, but it wasn’t what I got! I think I was prepared for a book full of pompous, overbearing brats, and instead I got a new adult love story that tugged at my heartstrings!
Nora is an American girl, who’s mother fell in love with, and is marrying, royalty. Nora is the new girl in an upscale private school for privileged, upper crust British teens. She has her own insecurities that she is dealing with, added to the gossip and ridicule that accompanies new students. But she handles it all with grace, and proves that you can’t judge someone by where they come from!
Asher is THAT guy. Popular, hot, rich. He rules the school. But underneath that, there is a rage that simmers, and he has just the plan to exact his revenge. Or so he thinks! I really didn’t want to like him because of his crazy ideas and plans, not to mention his entitled outlook on life. It’s amazing what a great girl will do for a guy’s personality!
This is everything you want in a fairy tale. Young American girl, finds her prince charming, and lives happily ever after. But it just isn’t that simple. This story has all of that, plus a crazy bad guy, exotic trips, and so much more. As much as I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book, I discovered that it was a great story that I totally enjoyed! Definitely worth the read, and one I’d recommend for anyone.
Privileged is a standalone novel by the very talented Carrie Aarons. I have read most of her books and loved each and every one of them for different reasons. They all have a unique feel to them.
Privileged is about a two teenagers in their senior year of high school. A very high society high school in London where money and power are more important than friendship, family, and love. This was not where Nora thought she would ever be but fate stepped in and turned her world upside down. And the moment Asher saw her, he knew his would be too.
Nora is the new girl. The American. The daughter of a gold digger according to the press. Asher was waiting for her to show up at his school. She was exactly who he needed to get his revenge. What he didn’t expect was for it to be so hard. She wasn’t like the other girls. She was sassy, intelligent, and not materialistic like the girls he hung out with. He knew if he wasn’t such a cold-hearted arsehole he might even like her. But he is who is he and has to do what needs to be done.
Nora knew it was going to be hard fitting into this world. The rich and privileged. She didn’t want to be one of them but if she was going to survive the school year she had to try to understand them. And on her first day, she met Asher. An arrogant, hot, and most likely the biggest player in the game. She knew she should have stayed away but he is one charming brit. He seemed different when he was around her. She wanted to trust him. She wanted him to back down her walls. Will he be everything she wants or everything she despises?
This book surprised me. It really did. I do love a good teen drama. This one has the perfect amount. The characters are more mature. Nora and Asher both had to grow up faster than usual under different circumstances. Nora might be a little naive when it comes to her new world but she isn’t stupid. Asher’s life is different from the inside than to the outside world. It was great seeing them grow throughout the book.
Overall…it’s a book full of life changes, heat, heartbreak, and suspense. I throughly enjoyed every minute of it!
Quotes:
Stay here, beautiful, and let us corrupt you.
There is something so magnetizing about Asher; he has that perfect mix of English gentleman and British bad boy.
“I’m not God, princess. But I can make you feel better than him.”
******* AUDIOBOOK REVIEW *******
Leave it to Carrie Aarons to put her own delightful twist on the high school mean boy type of book. Man, did she ever kill this book! I adored it! While I loved Asher and Nora’s story, I wanted to whip Asher’s butt… not sure if I mean that kinky of not! But he sure deserved a butt whopping! Now, thankfully he was… misinformed, we’ll say. Nora though, Nora was fantastic! She was just so innocent and sweet! I love her desire for life and learning.
Aarons always seems to give me the perfect amount of angst and romance. Plus, oh my… the FUN banter they had! I was so into this book! Thankfully, with a small glimpse into Asher’s life and the way he eventually cared for Nora… he won me over but he was walking a tight rope there for a while! Aarons is at the top of her game… her writing and story-telling is on point and couldn’t be any more consuming!
These narrators were perfect for their characters. Lauren Sweet sounds just like I’d expect for Nora. She sounds so innocent and soft spoken. There are times where she seems strong and determined, I really prefer her strength and thought Miss Sweet portrayed all her difference. Asher’s narrator, Shaun Grindell, gave a fantastic performance. I haven’t listened to him previously but that British accent was perfect!! I really enjoyed how he spoke and performed. I’m crossing my fingers for Elite to release on audiobook.
2.75 stars. While this book has potential and was written fairly well, it missed the mark for me for many reasons.
1) It is listed as a high school read, but there is very little mention of high school at all, and the characters acted more like they were in middle school.
3) Nothing really happens in this book and there is a lot of story telling: “I’ve never done this…”, “I’ve never felts that…”, “I am not normal”, “I am so angry…” It felt forced to me.
2) The reasons for the revenge made little sense. The reasons for the main character to be vulnerable made no sense, and the “climax” was anti climatic. The intimate scenes were not even steamy, awkward even.
3) This is what bugged me the most and the main reason for my low star rating… I felt like this book was written buy a computer: checking boxes of what a book should have in it and trying to express human emotions when they have never been felt. The story was too stiff, too hard and I never connected to the characters.
Weirdly I kind of struggled getting into this, but as soon as I got around 16% into the book it got easier to get into. I felt really sorry for Nora at the start of the book when she was talking about missing her home in America and having to change schools and even worse than that into a posh school where the kids are like twice as mean. I really didn’t understand why Asher hated her so much at the start, just the way he spoke to her was very cruel, it took me a long time to actually like him, in the end, I can’t really explain why. I felt like he was being slightly fake.
I really didn’t understand why Asher hated her so much at the start, just the way he spoke to her was very cruel, it took me a long time to actually like him, in the end, I can’t really explain why. I felt like he was being slightly fake sometimes especially when he began to get closer to Nora I was like a little bit suspicious about him. In the end, I did warm up to him like right at the end when he does the thing for the thing. I am so trying to not tell spoilers!
I loved Nora’s relationship with her step-dad and her mum especially as he didn’t try to step into the dad role immediately he built a bond with her. I really liked that, especially as sometimes books can demonise the step parent so that was a really big positive thing for me.
I struggled to read this, I didn’t connect with any of the characters.
It reminded me of the movie Cruel Intention which I loved but I found this story lacked the same intensity.
I perked up when I read the words revenge but unfortunately, it was short lived.
* ARC PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW *
Privileged is the Cruel Intentions of books. Though the story isn’t the same, key elements…money, power, prestige….oh and manipulating jerks are all the same.
Privileged is ripe with tension, heady lust, and a defensive sassy girl ready to put “Richie Rich” in his place. Oh and the British accent..will have you lusty and fanning yourself.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood