“You may be faking the relationship, but you’re not faking the orgasms.”Downsized, broke, and dumped, 38-year-old Marley sneaks home to her childhood bedroom in the town she couldn’t wait to escape twenty years ago. Not much has changed in Culpepper. The cool kids are still cool. Now they just own car dealerships and live in McMansions next door. Oh, and the whole town is still talking about that … whole town is still talking about that Homecoming she ruined her senior year.
Desperate for a new start, Marley accepts a temporary teaching position. Can the girl banned from all future Culpepper High Homecomings keep the losing-est girls soccer team in school history from killing each other and prevent carpal tunnel in a bunch of phone-clutching gym class students?
Maybe with the help of Jake Weston, high school bad boy turned sexy good guy. When the school rumor mill sends Marley to the principal’s office to sign an ethics contract, the tattooed track coach, dog dad, and teacher of the year becomes her new fake boyfriend and alibi—for a price. The Deal: He’ll teach her how to coach if she teaches him how to be in a relationship.
Who knew a fake boyfriend could deliver such real orgasms? But it’s all temporary. The guy. The job. The team. There’s too much history. Rock bottom can’t turn into a foundation for happily ever after. Can it?
Warning: Story also includes a meet-puke, a bouffanted nemesis, a yard swan and donkey basketball, a teenage-orchestrated makeover, and a fake relationship that gets a little too real between the sheets.
more
This book!! Oh my me!! I am beating myself up for never scoring a Lucy Score book till now!
Rock Bottom Girl is everything I love in a romance! You get smoking hot smexiness, you get a fabulous heroine and hero and above all you get laughs, genuine laugh out loud moments! In fact I laughed out loud so much that my husband (who in no way reads) wanted me to read some parts of this story out loud and he got a good chuckle too! That in itself is a stellar review!
This story of Marley and Jake is just uggghhh I can’t even come up with the right adjectives of how good this story is without it sounding trite and cliche!
Marley is my spirit animal! I empathize with her so much! Her high school experience is was brutal and honest. Her life after high school and this whole story proves that life does get better after high school. I loved reading her realization of her self worth and what she gave to her little part of the world. Her best friend Vicky is amazing and we all need a friend like her.
Jake, oh I so enjoyed this man! I admired Ms. Score’s portrayal of him. He didn’t fight his feelings, he didn’t downplay what he was feeling for Marley. He embraced it and was willing to fight for what he wanted. His family was amazing, from his fabulous uncles to his mom and cousin, his family is the true meaning of the word “family”.
Ms. Score you have found another stalker…I mean fan in me! This book is definitely in the running for my “Best Reads of 2019”. I am going to be adding all the other books in your library to my TBR list!
Jake and Marley’s journey included fun, steaminess, romance, tons of laughs, mild angst, and a good helping of self-worth issues. The high school bad boy turned sexy, tattooed teacher? YES, PLEASE! Where do I sign up? Jake is genuinely kind, insanely attractive, and connects with students in a way that I wish all teachers could. He is a bit of a slob but for some reason, I really enjoyed visualizing him living it up like a messy college kid with his dog.
Marley is down on her luck and living back at home with her parents until she can get a plan of action together. I feel like she was trapped in her own mind a good majority of the time. Her journey to find herself and her place in life was frustrating. Much like Luke Garrison in Pretend You’re Mine, Marley is in her own way. I was mentally yelling at her to overcome her issues already even though I struggle with some of the very same ones. Marley did a beautiful job throughout in the face of adversity and the personal growth that she experiences made my heart happy.
The characters have depth and are flawed, but even when the characters are frustrating Lucy’s stories perfection. Jake is the yin to Marley’s yang. They work beautifully together and Lucy did an outstanding job, per her usual.
The diversity of the secondary characters absolutely blew me away. Lucy excels at including characters from all walks of life in her writing. Honestly, it is often hard to choose who made the story better: the main characters or the secondary characters. Somehow she finds this perfect blend that keeps the story flowing. The soccer team and other students gave me so many high school feels. It was great stepping back into the days of teenage high school drama when the only thing you had to worry about was not making a fool of yourself or being noticed by the bullies.
5 likes
Truth be told, I have such a kinship with Marley that I knew immediately I’d love this book. We’re the same age, I too have had to “restart” elements of my life at a age much later than I ever intended, like so many of us my high school years were also less than stellar, and like Marley I’ve felt like a stranger in my own life- in this stasis just waiting for it to begin when I’ve already lived it halfway through. I think we’ve all felt a bit “rock bottom” at some point- and that solidarity filled my heart with empathy for her. Sure, at times she’s drowning in her own self-pity, but how could she not? Her entire life has been redirected, and she’s found herself in the very last place she ever wanted to be. Marley just wants to be happy- to find fulfillment, and the greatest irony is that she finds it in the very place that made her so unhappy to begin with.
Unlike Marley, I didn’t find my Jake (or at least not yet)- but dang is he dreamy. But also flawed- a bit full of himself, but also so incredibly charming. And, underneath his bachelor ways, he’s a kind and thoughtful and incredibly caring man. And his fond memories of Marley kick off a delightfully fun and sexy romance. And I loved that our hero is the one who is resolved to finally find his “one” while our heroine is the one who flounders a bit- who has to realize just how special the relationship she has already truly is- how perfect they are for each other.
Lucy never fails to delight- this is quirky, funny, and chock full of romantic chemistry, and as always, Lucy brings all the provincial charm of the small town romance. Really loved how our story also centers around two older characters, who find themselves back in high school in a totally new way. Back to where it all began. Sweet, sassy, and charming- everything I’ve come to love about Lucy Score!
***** AUDIOBOOK REVIEW *****
I’m so very happy that Rock Bottom Girl was my very first Lucy Score book. I just couldn’t believe how this book started out. I think I listened with my mouth agape for a while… if it wasn’t agape, it was probably hanging wide open while I was hooting with laughter. The antics of this crew was amazing. The way it felt so familiar to flounder through life and trying to hit our goals. Trying to make our family and friends proud… while wanting those nemesis to eat their words.
Marley has had a bit of a hard time and she’s seeking a job to get her back on her feet. She’s from a town where everyone remembers everything and her claim to fame is being stood up on her prom night by her now co-worker. Marley can’t ever seem to find her footing around Jack. She was bullied through high school but she never took it lying down. I was impressed by that. She always stood up for herself and even fights a bit dirty to take her opponent down. Now Jack, Jack was the heart throb that every female wanted. He seemed a bit more naïve than I expected.
This story caught me by surprise. It wasn’t just a romantic comedy. There were some parts where I found myself teary-eyed and cheering on the soccer team for coming together. Score covered a multitude of feelings here. The narration was just great. Natalie Duke really played Marley well. She was able to bring out her quirkiness without making it seem too much. Stephen Dexter has this smooth and lovely voice. He’s strong but comes off calm yet full of emotion. I loved them together.
My first Lucy Score book and I’m HOOKED! This was a great read! I couldn’t put it down. I think every woman can relate with one or more of these people in the story that they went to high school with and later in life realized that popularity & bullies weren’t all they were cracked up to be. There’s way more to life. I didn’t want the story to end. This would be a great movie! Kudos to Lucy! I’d love to meet you since I was born & raised just north of Harrisburg and know ALL the towns you mentioned in your book!
Rock Bottom Girl was the perfect small town, fake relationship romance that had me grinning from ear to ear as a 38 year old woman finally finds her worth.
I get SO EXCITED when I read a book from an author I’ve never read before and it becomes one of my all-time favorite books. WOW! I makes me feel like I hit the lottery because I just found a hidden gem and now I have a new author whose books I can now stalk.
So let’s start there with why I loved this book so much. It’s about a 38 year old woman. As I get up there in age myself, I find that I really love to read romance stories that are more in line with my age and life stage. This wasn’t a young twenty-something who’s yet to find herself nor was it a new adult romance dealing with a teen in high school.
This was the story about a woman who’s LIVED and feels like she’s been knocked down time and time again and is finally at rock bottom. At age 38 she feels like she should have more to show for her life than having lost yet another job and left yet another relationship only to move back in with her parents. She’s now back in the small town that she fled from after high school and “the incident.” AND she’s also taking a temporary job as a physical education teacher and coach of the girl’s soccer team at the very school she couldn’t get away from fast enough. It just so happens that her teenage crush is a teacher there too as is the girl who just to torment her as a teen.
“I’d screwed up or lost everything that had been important to me. On paper, I was a loser. But I didn’t feel that way in my heart. I had potential.”
I can tell you right now I would not have enjoyed this as much if this was a story that unfolded much like her time at high school did, being bullied by the same girl(s) and tripping over guys, etc. Sure, her ex-bully isn’t shy with the put down comments but there was so much more to this story than a re-imagined high school romance as adults (if that makes sense). It’s clear that Marley has some significant scars from her high school days that are continuing to influence her self esteem as an adult but we see her work through these with the help of her new “fake” boyfriend, her friends and even her soccer players.
I love how she’s an adult now and yet not totally put together. She swears, she takes petty revenge with pranks, sticks it to teenage bullies, gets drunk at parties and has the best sense of humor. She doesn’t back down and never gives up. She’s a character that I could really identify with which is actually kind of rare. I wasn’t bullied in high school but I could totally relate with her need to feel a sense of importance with what she was doing with her life. To want to matter. She’s just at a crossroads and doesn’t know how to make that happen or what it should look like.
“Technically, yes. I was an adult. Had been for many years. But I never felt like I’d actually achieved adulthood. Sure, I carried stamps in my purse. And I could cook food that didn’t come from boxes. And I understood the importance of eight hours of sleep. But did that make me an adult? I didn’t sit up straight in chairs. I still rocked out with the windows down to songs that reminded me of the community pool in the summer.”
Jake is the history teacher I wish I’d had and the life coach I need. He proposes a mutually beneficial fake relationship between them where she teaches him how to behave in a monogamous relationship and he helps Marley with teaching and coaching. Since she needs all the help that she can get, it was a done deal. The moment he knew he was going to marry her was just so silly but it was so perfect as it showed that he saw how awesome she was just being herself.
I love how he just says it like it is.
“You’re operating on the assumption that there’s a standard adulthood that we all subscribe to…We’re all just overgrown teenagers running around trying to be happy.”
Their fake relationship turned real was fun to watch unfold but there was so much more to this story that I loved. Marley’s parents were hilarious. Vickey was laugh out loud funny and the perfect friend and side kick. The texting between Marley and her mom and Marley and her teammates – had me in stitches! And if you get the bonus epilogue from Lucy Score, you’ll be bawling your eyes out.
I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it enough. A must read for all romance lovers for sure.
Check out this review and all my romance book reviews and romance book lists on my book blog, She Reads Romance Books: https://www.shereadsromancebooks.com/
A fun and entertaining read about a woman returning to the small town where she grew up. I loved this glimpse of American schools and soccer teams and the feuds and factions that exist within a community. This romance contains lots of laugh-out-loud moments, some steamy love scenes, and a happy-ever-after ending. I recommend this one.
One of my all-time favorite books! From beginning to end, I loved every minute. A heart-felt laugh out loud romp. It manages to be both inspiring and irreverent in the most endearing way. Lucy Score writes like your hilarious best friend telling you a crazy story. I dare you not to fall in love with this book.
A Great Funny read. I’m glad that I chose this book as My Kindle Owner’s Lending Library Choice in May.
38 and Rock Bottom? Marley Cicero was broke, single, unemployed and moved back to her parents home.. This sounded super gloomy and sad.. In the bigger picture, Rock Bottom Girl was a story of Marley to find her lost voice and passion. Jake Weston is a dreammmmm…My dream hot teacher.. aghh Marley is a lucky gal 😉
This small-town romance wasnt so small as it said… The town had spoken with the loudest voice! Full of gossip.. Vavucious High School.. Family who love you too much and can be annoying sometimes.. I love the overall feelings.. The story was so easy to read yet it was rich with characters… the highschool drama.. the rollback memories was hillarious, embarrasing and fun! OMG I cant stop laughing period.. Rock Bottom girl, you will always be memorable story. I will look back and think about all the hillarious jokes and the way Marley grow up to be a better version of herself.
This book should be require reading for all ages. If you’re going to start high school this book will prepare you or you have been through high school to show you you’re not alone. I can’t say enough good things about this book. To say it delivered all the feels isn’t enough. On every level this story touched me in some ways. I laughed, a lot. I teared up, felt all the swoons and all the rejections as if it were my own. It took me down my own memory lane. In fact, I think it took everyone down memory lane.
I don’t do spoilers cause I feel it’s unfair to the author but I feel safe in giving this part away. At one point Jake gives the class an assignment to create their own Declaration of Independence. I actually highlighted that paragraph because he was so cool, on point and inventive. It made me think of my favorite teacher, who was in fact my high school history teacher. She used similar techniques to keep us interested. I will never forget it. It made me love history.
Anyway, that’s what this story does. It invests you in these peoples lives. The characters are diverse, charming, diabolical, sweet, funny, quirky, tender, loving and on and on and on. There is literally someone for everyone you want to meet.
Marley can be every girl at one time or another. She’s insecure, feels bad about herself and certainly doesn’t see herself or anyone else clearly. Although, she thinks she does and she’s trying to be her best self. All the while shes’ growing but doesn’t know it.
Jake is every girl’s fantasy, except he’s a mess (literally). He has his baggage but has dealt in a different way to handle his life. He thinks he’s happy (and he is) but he’s discovering there’s more to life than the way he’s been living. One of my favorite parts of Jake is his ability to make everyone feel special. He just says things to Marley like calling her pretty girl. Every time I read it my heart melted. I could visualize the smile, his eyes and the sincerity even if it was just a flirt.
The secondary characters, which are every person you ever met in high school are as important to the story as the main characters. To watch them grow and evolve had me cheering and tearing up or howling with laughter. The bonus epilogue is worth the price of the whole book all by itself. Believe me you get way more than you will pay for this book.
I couldn’t book this book down yet I didn’t want it to end. You want to stay with these people. I want to go AmieJo’s party. The scene in the tree will have you laughing, crying and commiserating. Seriously there are too many favorite scenes I cold go on about. I’ll just say it is one of my favorite reads for 2019 and I know it will remain there. It’s a book I will definitely re-read over and over. Lucy, you are a talented genius. Thanks for the laughs, the tears and a trip down memory lane.
4
Spanish & English Opinion
Este libro fue una sorpresa. Me gustó la portada, me llamó la atención la descripción y desde la segunda hoja, me estaba riendo en voz alta.
Me gusta lo realista del personaje. Su situación, sus sentimientos, su edad. El libro describe situaciones muy graciosas pero lo principal es la difícil forma en la que convivimos y nos relacionamos las mujeres, y la forma en que a veces no nos tratamos bien o somos crueles. Pero también enseña la importancia de comunicarse, y de cómo la sororidad puede prevalecer.
El libro es divertido, educativo y original.
This book was a surprise. I liked the cover, the blurb seemed interesting and from the second page on I was laughing.
It’s a realistic story, with funny characters that experiment feelings and situations that at some point everyone has felt. And even if it’s full of humor, it also shows the way women can be towards other sisters. The importance of communication, the power of sorority and to always change perspective are the main things this book gave me.
It’s funny, interesting and original.
This was my first book from Lucy Score and it definitely wasn’t my last. I loved the characters- not just Marley and Jake, but the supporting cast, including the students. I loved that Marley was 38, in a low point of her life but still open to new experiences that allowed her to rise above her issues to achieve her HEA. And Jake, ah he was great. Once a playboy, now a loyal, sweet teacher who provides support to help Marley heal but also grows with her. The kids Marley coached (the pranks!) and the look back to high-school provided a feeling of nostalgia; it’s a great author that can use her words to trigger your own emotions of the past. This was a book full of heart and I hope future books bring us back so we can revisit these characters.
Rock Bottom Girl is a funny, emotional story of a woman who has misconceptions about how the world sees her. It’s a humorous but touching telling of how her eyes are finally opened.
4-4.5 stars
This was such a fun and hilarious romcom. The small town shenanigans and Marley’s overall bad luck had me laughing so hard. Sometimes it was a little over the top, but the emotions and feelings were so relatable. It definitely took me back to my time in high school and how a rumor or event could feel like the end of the world.
Things I loved:
– The families. Jake and Marley’s families (by blood and by choice) were so supportive and loyal. I loved how they had each other’s back and could laugh together and each other. Marley’s relationship with Zinnia was particularly relatable and the dynamic is one that any older/younger siblings will understand and commiserate with.
– Marley’s character arc. Yes, this is a romance, but to me, the heart of Rock Bottom Girl is a story about loving yourself. Being comfortable in your own skin and doing things because you want to, not because you think you should want them or to make someone else happy. I really appreciated the message that success and happiness can take many, many forms. There were a few bumps along the way in Marley’s journey and sometimes I felt frustrated by her actions, but I was always rooting for her.
– Jake. He was sometimes rough around the edges, but he was such a softie inside. I really enjoyed the scenes with him and his students. He was so supportive of Marley and I loved watching him slowly realize his feelings for her and how nervous and vulnerable that made him. I’m always a bit wary of the reformed manwhore hero, but Jake hooked me by being all in for Marley.
– The soccer team. Yes, it was predictable, but I loved it! That bond and connection really helped Marley recognize the impact she was making in their lives. Plus, Libby was awesome and the epilogue (and bonus epilogue) melted my heart.
– One thing that struck me while reading was that the author didn’t fall on some of the more cliche moments to add drama. For example, there wasn’t a love triangle between an old flame or a silly jealous misunderstanding due to a compromising situation. The only true drama was Marley finding her way.
Things that were just ok:
– The past high school drama and Homecoming 1998 was a bit anticlimactic. I can understand how that could feel like a very big deal at the time though, especially in such a small town.
– The pacing felt a little slow. I loved seeing Marley grow and find her place, but some chapters seemed like they were just for laughs and it made the book feel a little too long.
– The drama at the end and Marley’s pity party. To me this felt a bit too drawn out and over the top. I liked that everyone pretty much called out her behavior though and I understand that she needed to get their in her own time.
– I wish there would have been more chapters from Jake’s POV. Yes, this is Marley’s story, but it would have been helpful to be inside Jake’s head a bit more.
This is my first book by Lucy Score, but I really can’t wait to dive into her backlist. If you’re looking for a fun, feel good romcom, look no further than Rock Bottom Girl.
I spent an amazing time reading this book. It was funny, steamy and heartwarming story. I loved it!
Moving back home with your parents at the tender age of 38 would make anyone feel like they hit Rock Bottom. Marley is super self-depreciating adding witty and entertaining humor to add some excitement to this story. I’ll be honest and say that this story was a little slow going at the beginning. I hope I did not act the way Marley did at 38 years old, she was a little too silly.
That being said, I did read the entire story, I was entertained, and kept interested. I seriously wanted to know what was going to happen in the lives of Marley, all the secondary characters, and of course Mr. swoony Jake. When their “relationship” started that is when things got real interesting. This was a good story. I liked it.
This was a great story that has the ability to let you slip into the character yourself. There was plenty of LOL moment and lots of heart tugging chapters. I could not put this book down.
Another great story from Lucy Score. This time up is Marley and Jake. Marley was the girl who couldn’t wait to hightail it out of town after graduation. Jake’s the guy every girl wants. Marley was single, broke and jobless so she moved back to Culpepper as a temporary fix until it wasn’t. Great cast of characters in this book.
Heat Stroke, donkey’s, old high school rivalries and a renewed high school crush. What’s not to like? I am in love with all things Lucy Score. Usually an avid reader of suspense, I kept hearing mention of Lucy Score (especially Whiskey Chaser) and thought I’d give her a read. Rock Bottom Girl instantly became a new favorite for me. I have never laughed so much while reading a book before, especially not out loud like I did through several scenes. The characters are so real. I love how they unexpectedly fall for each other. And Jake especially. We all have that one person from high school that we wonder “what is.” This is a story that will keep you reading all night long to find out what really happened in high school and will they finally get their happily ever after.