Maysie Ardin is soaking up the summer before her junior year of college, shopping, hanging by the pool and shopping some more. But when her black belt in spending lands her in trouble with her parents, she is forced to take a second job at a local bar to dig herself out of a deep financial pit.
She thought she’d be miserable. But then Maysie didn’t count on Jordan Levitt, the hot, pierced and tattooed, drum playing bartender who also happens to be very interested in her. And the feelings are totally mutual.
It had the makings of the perfect romantic set up. Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Boy has girlfriend? Okay, maybe not.
But attraction is a hard thing to ignore and soon Jordan and Maysie find themselves in the middle of a gossip induced firestorm. Maysie has to learn whether she can set aside her fear of public disapproval in order to be with the one she wants. Or will she let the opinions of others dictate her life and her heart?
5 STARS out of 5
TITLE: Bad Rep
AUTHOR: A. Meredith Walters
GENRE: New Adult
One day, I’ll get you a ring on your finger. You just wait and see.
Aww. Seriously. One of the best New Adult novels I’ve read recently!
With all the sorority drama going on in this book, Bad Rep clearly has more issues than the movie Mean Girls.
Everything started with the $3500 credit card statement from a weekend trip to Virginia Beach:
My Visa was supposed to be used “in emergencies only.” My parents had given me a 5,000 dollar limit, stressing that I was NEVER to even think about using it. Unless I was broken down on the other side of a deserted highway with a serial killer hot on my tail.
In case you’re wondering, that would be Maysie Ardin, our female MC. She’s a people pleaser. Loves the sorority so much and can’t drop it like a bad habit even when things went downhill. Because of her immense credit, she needed another part-time job… fast.
Meet Jordan Levitt – Does bartending job at Barton’s. He’s a drummer from the Generation Rejects band. President of the Pi Sig house. Said to be the most popular guy at Rinard College.
And before I forgot, because Jordan himself forgot to tell our female MC here while he’s chasing her… he’s the boyfriend of Maysie’s sorority president, Olivia.
Now, things just got a little more interesting.
Honestly, I know nothing about the Greek system aside from the stuff I watched on TV. But the sorority/fraternity events going on here seemed pretty realistic and enjoyable.
This book was really well-written. And the best thing about this book is the consistent character development.
Other people might get really annoyed at how insecure Maysie could be… but then who wouldn’t be insecure when your boyfriend’s ex-gf is as gorgeous and as popular as Olivia Peer and the relationship you have was built on lies?
Anyway, I just loved how Maysie matured throughout the book! Thank God for her bestfriend and recently roomie, Riley. She supported Maysie through the good and the bad times!
My favorite part of the bad times? Why, she just slapped and yanked her hair. I know that was totally uncalled for but I’m pretty wistful here. Indeed, tough love coming from bestfriends can put someone out of one’s funk.
The other secondary characters in this book were amazing too!
Vivian and Gracie. Wow! They’re the ultimate sidekicks. They’re the best sorority sisters out there!
I even liked Eli, Maysie’s townie ex-hookup. I thought he was this great douchebag but then he redeemed himself by giving Maysie the most helpful advice throughout the book:
"Well, shit, Mays. Then you need to fight for him. Don’t give up on something like that. It doesn’t come along very often. And when you find it, you hold on tight. You lock that shit down with an iron fist and you never, ever let go. Even when life tries to take it from you, you smack life upside its head like a little bitch and you keep on fighting for it. You hear me?”
Oh btw, be sure to be on the lookout for the lunchroom scene. It’s my favorite part of the book. I actually re-read it a couple of times. Maysie finally put on her big girl panties! Way to go girl!
I would like to end this review with the song Jordan wrote for Maysie, just so I would always remember why I fell in love with this book in the first place. I have this thing for songs written for the female lead. I feel giddy everytime. It’s like they’re written for me. HAHA
What do I have to do to make you stay?
What should I say to make you mine?
When will you stop running, girl?
I’m watching for the sign.
You build me up and break me down
Over and over again
I crave your seductive destruction
Even as I long for your pain
But it wasn’t all bad was it?
Things weren’t always this way.
You filled the space in my empty heart,
Your eyes told me things your lips would never say.
So here I am, watching you run.
I wish you’d stop trying to leave.
How easy you forget
That you’re my reason to breathe.
Stop running, girl
It won’t always feel like this,
Stop running, girl
Stop running.
We could have our tomorrow
We could have our dreams,
My future is wrapped up in you,
Even as my heart bleeds.
Stop running, girl.
I’ve got nowhere to go.
I’ll wait until forever
I promise to take this slow.
How easily we tore each other down
It’s hard to take it all back
Feeding those fears and regrets,
I’m all alone in the black.
Stop running, girl.
It won’t always feel like this.
Stop running, girl.
Stop running, girl!
Stop running away!