When I was a kid, my best friend betrayed me in the worst way possible, ripping my family to shreds in the aftermath. She ruined my life in one fell swoop, and didn’t even have the heart to warn me.Now, nearly a decade later, I’m back in the town I grew up in, determined to make her pay.They say revenge is a dangerous game, but I’ve never been one to play it safe. There is nothing I’ll love more … nothing I’ll love more than to find her weakness and use it to destroy her. The lie she told all those years ago will be her undoing.
Savannah Montgomery may be queen of the rich and entitled, but she’s about to meet her match.
THE SINNER is a standalone and part of the Haven Grace Prep series. It contains angst, violence, and scenes that may be triggering for some readers. If you’re looking for a sweet love story, this may not be for you.
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Savannah lost her best friend Grayson. He left when she wasn’t home and he never said goodbye. She looked for him but couldn’t find him. When he does come back, he’s changed. He hates her, makes her life miserable and she just wants the old Grayson back.
Will she be able to get him back or is he too far gone being a bully? Will he be able to do what he sets out to do and break her? Will he change his mind?
I do love my bully books and this one checks all my boxes!
With a great plot and a slow pace, the story of Grayson and Savannah is tragic. They were best friends since they were 5 years old, fake-married when they were 10 years old, and wrenched away from each other soon after that.
Grayson and his family left town , his father was imprisoned for fraud and later killed in a raid. Ten years later, Gray is back in town, back in their posh private high school with revenge in his mind and the victim is Savannah.
After Gray left, Savannah’s life took a turn for the worst life imaginable. Her father turned into this monster, addicted to booze and drugs, and they had to move from their beautiful house into a derelict shack in the bad part of town. She’s still going to the same posh high school, thanks to the generosity of her dance teacher, who is also the mother of her current and only best friend Brady.
Savi keeps all other friends away from her existence so they don’t learn about her downturn in circumstances. This makes for a very lonely existence with only dance as her motivation and the goal for a scholarship in Juilliard, away from her father.
When Gray starts attending school, he’s at first hateful, vengeful, totally cruel. As the weeks pass, he starts to get conflicted because he really loved Savi and missed her. The author presents Savi and Gray like a couple who have loved each other deeply since childhood and their love surpasses absence and heartache.
There’s a long and protracted description of their days in school, the many ways that Gray humiliated Savi, how she responded, repeat and repeat. It got old after a while and I just wanted to know why the heck Gray hated her so much and to get over it already. They were both ten years old when they parted, what kind of nefarious deed could a little girl do that would ruin his life?
The plot was great but the pace was slow and it got especially slow midway through the story. I got tired soon with Gray’s pettiness, and saw no progress on the resolution of the story. Most of the forward action happens in the second part of the story when things got more dramatic, Savi took a more decisive participation and reunited with old friends. There were great emotional parts, a tad too much bullying, pace too slow, and not enough resolution of the problems.
It was a fantastic plot that sort of got stuck in the small details and didn’t move forward with the main purpose of the story. The final resolution was a little underwhelming and unexpected. I was not convinced with Gray’s issue with Savannah, it was a non issue for me, and didn’t justify the enmity. In the end, I loved how he eventually manned up and faced his issues.
I also had problems reconciling a Savannah that was so incisive at school, very snarky and assertive at school, with the submissive and downtrodden daughter at her home with her father. Eventually, she was shown as a kinder friend at school at more assertive at home and it balanced her personality for me. In the end, I would say that the first part of this book was a 3 star read and the second part was a 4 star.
Wow!!! What a read! My advice: be prepared to do nothing else until you have finished the last page! I literally finished the book within hours!
This is a friends to enemies to lovers tale! Savannah and Grayson were as close as two kids could be just realizing there may be something more when life tore them apart. As they were children who had adults in their lives that were in control, they weren’t sure what happened. Grayson felt like Savannah betrayed him in the worst way possible. She believes he abandoned her. Each endured pain that would break most people, but not these two!!!!
Years later, Grayson returns, and he is bent on revenge, making Savannah pay for what he thinks she did. Both have changed…yes, there is still a bit of the children they once were, but that is buried so deep inside of who they are now.
I liked both characters, although Grayson made it a bit harder to like him at first. He is cold and downright mean to Savannah. On the surface, she could appear to those that didn’t know her as cold and unfeeling. However, she is trying to survive. Every decision she makes and every secret she keeps is for that very survival. Grayson upends all of that. He runs hot and cold…he isn’t sure if he hates Savannah or loves her. At times, he is really cruel to her, and I hated him for it. I got angry at her for putting up with it. But, Grayson is so determined on revenge that he can’t see anything but that. These two are so evenly matched that one of them is going to break, and it was something else to see which one would do it first.
One thing I thought was unique about the book and characters was that most of them were not the stereotypical “mean” jocks and rich kids, with the exception of one character. You will know who she is not too far into the book! Most of them are supportive of Savannah, even though they aren’t quite sure how well they really know her.
There was mystery and suspense woven throughout the book which kept me interested. Clayton really did a great job of balancing the romance, the angst, and the mystery. Granted this was a somewhat dark read, but there were also glimmers of light throughout. It is a coming of age book not for the faint of heart, but I enjoyed every single moment of it.
I just wasn’t expecting this one, and I loved it, love the story, the turns and the chemistry between the characters, how each one of the characters gave something to the story, and that we can’t control what other think and also assume how they’re going to think, the chemistry between the main characters is perfect , this one I read it in one day, couldn’t put it down, I highly recommend is a bit different from the usual high school story style. Go grab a copy and thank me later for it.
What a terrific story!
Savannah and Grayson were the best-of-friends growing up, they lived next door to each other and at 8yr’s old they were inseparable. Then something happened, Savannah hadn’t a clue why Grayson moved away, and wouldn’t speak to Savannah again.
Then on their senior year at school, Grayson returned, Savannah doesn’t know what to make of him, he begins to bully her and generally make her life difficult. As he’s treating her terribly, unbeknown to Grayson, Savannah is also having a tough time at home and is hiding the fact that she now lives on the wrong side of the tracks.
Grayson has waited a long time to get his own back on Savannah, torturing her feels like a blessing, but those long forgotten warm feelings he had for her keep coming forward. And Savannah is a little confused with Grayson’s hot & cold interactions, he’d be friendly one moment and then tear her “heart out” mean the next.
Should she just forget him and move on? Can he forget the past and start fresh?
A very entertaining story. The characters were excellent and the storyline was very good, I was very intrigued as to how the plot was going to end!
A great read!
My God this is sooo good!!
I Absolutely love stories like this, Grayson and Savannah’s story took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, my heart was in my mouth for most of it.
I laughed, cried, my heart broke then healed again.
This is my first book my Kelsey Clayton and it definitely wont be my last.
Phenomenal
Wow! Wow! Wow! I’ve discovered another amazing author, love when that happens!! The title and cover hooked me but I went into this one totally blind so I’d be surprised as I read, and boy was I surprised! It was emotional, steamy and exciting. I couldn’t wait to see how it ended but at the same time I wished it never would.
She never knew where he went. One minute he was there, and the next he was simply gone.
He always knew where she was, but he never reached out again after what she did.
Now he’s back and more than ready to bring justice to her doorstep. Right the wrong doings and wreck havoc upon her perfect life.
I’m still addicted to the bully/enemies to lovers trope, so to me this is a dream read.
It more than ticks all the boxes that are needed to make your heart beat faster in excitement.
Sure, to a degree it follows the much loved quaterback and popular girl scenario, but it’s written in a way that it does still stand out from the crowd.
The characters are savvy and sassy especially Savannah. Her secrets played on my heartstrings, and I found myself needing and hoping for a knight to rescue her.
Whilst Grayson the good guy turned bad had me wanting to hug and kiss his broken pieces better. He’s quite the character!
I cheered in my head as Savannah dealt with her nemesis, and I swooned all over as Grayson gave in to his basic instincts.
When it was all over sadness descended. I wanted more, and that to me speaks volumes!
“keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”
I am seriously loving the bully/enemies to lovers genre! Kelsey Clayton is a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more from her. The Sinner is told from first person from dual POV.
I devoured this book from start to finish. It gave me some serious FOMO. It has all the drama and angst you would expect from high school students. It’s all very realistic in respect to how high schoolers would behave and such.
Savannah is Queen Bee at Haven Grace Prep. At least that’s what she wants people to think. She just wants to keep dancing, and keep her down and get this year over with already. Can’t say I blame her. Things aren’t always what they seem…
Grayson is the new kid in town. He’s starting quarterback for the football team. He is here for one thing, and thing only…revenge on his ex best friend. Be careful what you wish for…
This is book one is the series and I can’t wait to read about the next one!
Savannah and Grayson used to be best friends until something tore them apart. Now years later, Grayson’s back, only he’s not the same boy she knew and loved. Nope. He’s a new Grayson with vengeance on his mind and anger in his heart toward his former bestie.
But Savannah is no wimp. She’s strong and has a heart bigger than Grayson could ever imagine. As secrets come to light, these two will have to decide if they can survive the revelations and be together.
As high school bully romances go, this one is pretty great. It’s not Vicious, but’s it’s still great. I absolutely love Savannah. She’s such a sweetheart and she’s strong. I love that she never gave up on Grayson, but also didn’t cave to him. I had a really hard time with Grayson’s character, but once things started to come to light, I could understand why he was such a giant ass. I didn’t really come to like him until the end, but I do think the two were meant to be and I’m glad they got their happiness with each other.
Before I starting reading high school/college bully romances, I feared that I would either not like it or that I would get too hooked on the genre. Well, let’s say that the latter happened. Whenever I see a bully romance with a blurb I like, I have to add it to my TBR. With this book, since I only knew about it and didn’t read any reviews, I picked it out of feeling. Maybe because I’m obsessed with this genre lately, or maybe because I’m a sucker for revenge romances, I don’t know. But I’m patting my shoulder because I trusted my gut that this book would be good, and it was even better.
This is the first romance I read by Kelsey Clayton, and if her bully romances are like this one, I’ll surely read her Haven Grace Prep series, since I gathered that there will be a book about a different couple with the background characters that we meet in “The Sinner”.
The title is fitting because it can apply to both Grayson and Savannah. These two used to be best friends when they were little, but suddenly, Gray leaves town and Savi doesn’t know why he didn’t say goodbye and she can’t reach him.
The book starts when Savannah is 17, almost 18, and she’s starting senior year. You would think that she has forgotten about her best friend after ten years of separation, but of course she didn’t. So when he returns in town and treats her as if they were strangers, she is puzzled. What happened in these years they were apart that changed him?
We soon find out about the reason Grayson is cold to Savannah and what he plans to do now that he’s back: he vows to make her pay for what happened in the past. I understood what may have happened that caused his rage, but as we discover bits of the reason for Gray’s revenge, we also find out how strong Grayson and Savannah’s bond is and how hard is for both to be around each other. Savi is happy that her old friend is back and she wants to ask him a thousands of questions, but she is deeply hurt that he treats her as if she’s gum under his shoe. And Grayson is sort of happy to be back too, but at the same time he forces himself to be rude in order to execute his plan. But Savannah is fierce and feisty and a good person, so it’s not easy to hate her. Above all if she’s the most popular girl in school. Things will be clear at some point, and true feelings will win.
Savannah was a strong heroine who happened to have a disgusting father as her only parent. Despite all the difficulties she has to face everyday, she tries to follow her dream of becoming a professional dancer and she has a great reputation at Haven Grace Prep. The school and the dance studio are basically the only places where she can enjoy herself and forget about the harsh reality of her house. She manages to be tough despite what Grayson and other people may throw at her, and I appreciated that, because she didn’t have it easy as her childhood best friend thought. Life made Savannah strengthen up and count on herself to get what she wanted. She is also lucky to have a best friend like Brady, who helped her with her education because ultimately this is what will help her finally leave her difficult life behind.
Grayson was an anti-hero with a protective and possessive streak when it came to Savannah. He was loyal, but at times also very high school teen guy because he decided to do immature things to hurt Savannah. He is mad at her but that often translates in unreleased sexual tension when she’s around him. I understand why he despises her so much, and he was super hard on her on some occasions, I wanted to punch him.
Both Savannah and Grayson are sinners, but you need to read to find out why.
I really liked the story, even if it’s not unusual. I liked how the heroine was and she wasn’t annoying at all, she showed that even in the direst situations you can find the light and the strength to go on. Another thing that makes or breaks bully romances besides the hate to love relationship of the main couple, are the background characters. Savannah is a cheerleader and Grayson the QB of the football team, and their friends also heavily appear in the story and give their help to make the story more engaging and lively. It’s not easy to build a one-on-one relationship, but it’s also not easy creating supporting characters, especially if you plan on writing books about said supporting characters. So I’m happy this book had plenty of interesting background characters who will soon tell their own story. I can’t wait to read the next book because it will be about two characters that were a bit mysterious and unpredictable in this story.
4.5/5 Stars
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
This is a story that I really enjoyed from start to finish. It really surprised me in all the best ways.
The characters were great. The reader really gets a sense of their motivations and their lives. The characters were very relatable and were written very realistically. I loved how the author shows both good and bad traits in her characters to make them authentic. I was really sucked into these characters’ lives and breathed this story because of the characters. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and I can’t wait to get to know more of them in future books in this series.
The romance in this book was pretty hot. It had so many elements and tropes that I love. Childhood friends, bully romance, enemies-to-lovers, and I just at them all up. I was so addicted to Savannah and Grayson’s love story. They had this tangible and electric chemistry that can only be attained from having known someone so deeply. Their childhood friendship really played into the romance quite a bit.
I enjoyed the writing style and the author’s voice. The author has a very smooth way of telling the story. I liked the way that the story was presented. We get small flashbacks in time to when Savannah and Grayson were children during some pivotal moments. I liked that they were sprinkled into the story but they didn’t overwhelm it.
The plot was engaging and kept my interest. I liked the direction that the author took the story in. I wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen which enticed me to keep on reading.
Overall, this is such a mesmerizing love story that will be sure to put a smile on your face by the end. I couldn’t get enough of Savannah and Grayson. I can’t wait for the subsequent books in this series. This is my first time reading this author’s work but I am now smitten with her storytelling. Her writing style really suits the mature young adult genre. I can’t wait for more!
***4,5 “Rocky!!!” stars***
“She’s everything I shouldn’t want, and everything I can’t resist.”
When i read the blurb of this book, i knew that i needed it in my life.
I love these kind of books, but this story went beyond any expectation that i had.
I loved this story, i loved these characters and I’m craving for more…
This story went beyond the eye can see and i enjoyed wholeheartedly the whole ride…
Savannah and Grayson are memorable characters and i can assure that this book is a hidden gem that the fans of this genre should definitely give a shot!!!
“I’ve always meant to protect her, and instead, I caused her the most pain.”
Well, Savannah Montgomery is the queen of Haven Grace Prep school…
She is the captain of the cheerleading team and the most popular girl in the school, and her dream is to earn a place on Juilliard and to left this damn town behind…
Savannah is like the rest of the people on her private school… Wealthy, beautiful, arrogant…
Or isn’t she???
“Just one more year and I can get out of this gordforsaken place. The moment I graduate is the moment I ditch this lie of a life I’m living.”
Add to that the new quarterback, Grayson Hayworth…
A boy driven by revenge… Revenge toward a girl that he used to know and whom with lies destroyed his family…
After 8 years away, Grayson is back in town and he is determined to avenge the wrong that this said girl did in his family!!!!
Savannah Montgomery is about to pay….
“She doesn’t know what’s coming to her -which is exactly how I want it.”
Savannah and Grayson used to be the best friends…. They even had feelings for each other, even in that tender age that they were then…
And then both of their worlds had broken apart and they left alone to fight in their lives…
Now, Grayson is back, but he is not the same boy that Savannah loved for almost all her life and he is after her, and the only way to survive is to stay far away from him…
But what will happen when every time that they are close, their hearts are beating wildly???
“What happened to you?”
“You happened to me. There isn’t a single thing in my life that you haven’t ruined. Broken everything that ever meant anything to me. Now, I won’t stop until I break you.”
“She’s nothing but a liar -a traitor in the worst degree_ and I need to remember that.”
“One of us will end up hurt, and I have a feeling it won’t be him.”
Well, i loved both Savannah and Grayson…
They were pure fire together… They were just perfect for each other….
I love how tough Savannah were… I admired her courage in everything that life was throwing on her way… I loved how courageous she was and how she was dealing with Grayson’s devious ways…
As for Grayson??? This boy was wonderful!!!! Even when he was acting all cruel and tough, i knew that his heart was pure and with no hatred for Savannah…
He just felt obligated to the memory of his father, and being close to Savannah was so hard to complete his plan….
“I’m not afraid of you, Grayson.”
“Maybe not yet, but you will be.”
“I’m feeling things for her I shouldn’t. Hell, every part of me should hate her with a burning passion, and most of me does. But there is still part of me that wants to throw myself at her feet and give her everything she’s ever wanted. I need to get this shit under control before it ruins me -before she ruins me. Again.”
Well, this is one bully romance that it was more complicated than you could guess and i totally recommend it to the fans (or not) of this genre….
And honestly, i can not wait for the next books in the series…
The secondary characters in here were so beautiful and i would love to see them again… Especially Brady and Laney had stolen my heart!! They were so thoughtful and wonderful friends!!!
And wow!!!! Delaney with Knox???? I really want to see that!!!! Bring it on!!!!
“Tell me to stop, Sav… Tell me to leave. You have to.”
“Stay.”
***I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review***
I can’t express enough how much I absolutely loved these two characters. I wanted to hate Grayson but I just couldn’t. Once we find out all that’s behind his insatiable need for revenge we start to understand more of who he is and the hurt he has carried for years. He really is a sweet guy and I so desperately wanted these two to make it together and find the love they both deserved. They were young but their bond was so strong. Then there’s Sav. I adored her character. She was a super bitch when it came to some things at school but she had to be. It was all part of the web of secrets and lies. But she was amazing and strong and resilient. One of my favorite characters ever. She loved hard and my heart broke into a million pieces for her when we discover the extent of her secret. High school bully romances are one of my favorite genres and although sometimes lately the storylines seem repetitive, I usually don’t mind. I love them so much and always find myself going back for more. With this book the author gave us a unique storyline that set it apart from some others. I would highly recommend this book to lovers of bully romance and second chances. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Loved this book! It’s very well written with wonderful characters and a great story line. Savi and Gray take you on a heart-wrenching page-turner that will keep you guessing till the very end. It full of friendship, love, deceit, betrayal, secrets, heartbreak and more.
This is the first time I have read anything form this author, and I am sure glad I did. This was a great read, the characters are well written and have explosive chemistry, and the book kept me intrigued until the end. This is the first book in the Haven Grace Prep series, and the story of Grayson, and Savannah. When Grayson returns to the town he grew up in, he is looking to take out his revenge on Savannah, his childhood friend. When secrets are revealed, they can’t deny their attraction. This was emotional, intense, raw, gritty, dramatic, and steamy. I can’t wait to read more form this author.
This is the 1st book in the stand alone series. It is a bully romance. The story line may have triggers for some it has drama, conflict, violence and secrets.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Flawlessly Whole Together
A high school bully romance you NEED to read! Savi and Gray are a force and you will love them!! He’s a possessive alpha male with the need for revenge and she’s the girl that looks perfect on the outside, but endures her pain alone all while chasing her dream.
Savannah rules the school. Captain of the cheerleading squad, a talented dancer and gorgeous to boot. Everyone wants to be her or date her. She’s untouchable as long as her secret stays hidden. It’s only a few more months until she can get out of her town and head to Juilliard. Senior year should be smooth sailing.
Grayson is back. It’s been eight years since his family left. His whole world was turned upside down and ten year old Grayson left his best friend behind without any explanation. He wants revenge on the people that ruined his life, best friend included.
Grayson is about to make Savannah’s life a whole lot more difficult. He wants to make her pay. The problem is, he can’t forget the little girl who was his best friend.
Savannah never forgot about Gray, the boy that stole her heart. She tried to find him over the years but never could. Then he shows up at her high school and looks at her with nothing but hate and she has no idea why. There is a fine line between love and hate. The lines are going to be tested. Gray will have to decide what he wants more…love or revenge.
Sparks fly! Gray is going to torment Savannah any way he can. And he plays dirty! I was drawn in by the back and forth between Gray and Savi. Their connection was forged as children. They may have been separated by time and distance but their bond remained, even when Gray fought it. They shared an amazing chemistry that was sizzling in it’s intensity. These two were so HOT! There is nothing I love more than childhood friends that fall in love. The story was multi-layered as both Gray and Savi had their secrets. Things aren’t always what they seem. I admired Savi’s strength and resilience. Gray was a tortured hero who was pulled in two directions. He battled with what he felt was right and what he wanted. At times I wanted to punch him, but in the end his love for Savi made me fall hard. I love this trope and this bully romance is a MUST READ! I will be looking forward to book two.
This story was much more then I originally anticipated and I enjoyed every page of it. It’s rare that I genuinely like the female more then the male but in this instance I did. I adored Savannah and felt so bad for her because her life was all smoke and mirrors, from the outside it looked perfect but it was anything but. And Grayson I wanted to throat punch but you can’t help but be drawn in by his character and the pain he carried like a noose around his neck. I can’t wait to read more from this author
This is my first book by this author and I found it amazing. I sat down to read a couple of chapters and the thing I know it’s hours later and I had finished it. In fact I devoured it. The story pulls you in and the characters steal your heart.
Savannah and Grayson are the type of characters that you love to hate. They were childhood friends separated by a tragedy only to be brought back together with one hating the other. Oh yeah, it’s exciting, sexy and full of anger. I loved it! This is the start of a great series that you definitely need to check out.