Bad Romeo

Title: Bad Romeo (The Starcrossed Series #1)
Author: Leisa Rayven
Genre: Adult Contemporary
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10
Release Date: December 23rd

I was given an ARC of this novel by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time. 

Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks."

What is it about incredibly hot assholes that makes me love them? I like to think that it's because under their stupid exterior, inside they're really just a pile of mushy feelings and it's cute.

Either way, Ethan Holt has it all. But, weirdly, while he certainly plucked at my heartstrings, he didn't make them sing. Maybe it's because I was always wary, knowing that it would all go to shit eventually. Despite that, young Ethan and Cassie were too cute for words.
I would have loved to see more of both of them in the present; we spent so much time with them in the past, I wanted to know what play he went to do in Europe, and more about why he left. I have no doubt that we'll find out in #2 though, so I'm not too mad.

All in all, Bad Romeo has everything a good romance novel needs: a cheekily hot guy, a feisty girl, sparks that are unwanted but stubborn to leave and a great plot. Rayven keeps us interested throughout the entire novel by subtly hinting that something big is going to happen, and giving us glimpses at what it might be. I was so curious, this book was through in one sitting. My kindle told me it'd take me 6 hours to read it; I'm pretty sure it was actually closer to 4, because I just could not put it down.

For any of you who noticed the similarities between Bad Romeo and Famous in Love (the covers kind of are similar, and the premise does bring Famous in Love to mind), worry not. This is a very much adult novel to the strictly YA of Serle's novel. Also, while Famous in Love is about a love triangle, Bad Romeo is really just about Cassie and Ethan trying to sort out their crap and find out if love is enough. That said, if you liked Serle's novel, definitely give Bad Romeo a try!
Definitely recommended. Christmas, especially with family, can be a stressful time and this is an excellent book to have lying about for when you need to step away from the stress and lose yourself in fiction.