Watching You by Shannon Greenland was a wonderful young adult romantic suspense. Viola has worked hard to get a full ride scholarship to a prestigious private high school, by lying on her application. Academically she didn't lie, but she made up her family background. Viola develops feelings for Riel, the boy she took the scholarship from. On top that someone is watching/stalking Viola. I really enjoyed this book, and will be checking out other books by this author. I strongly recommended this book.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Panty Scorching-0
Storyline-4
Angst-1
Tissues-0
Overall Rating-4
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley

Viola has worked her whole academic career to land a senior year scholarship to the exclusive Ponce de Leon Academy in Florida. It’s her ticket to MIT and to getting her family out of assisted housing projects. She would do almost anything to get it, even if that means she has to lie. When she finds out she was chosen as the scholarship recipient and meets her mentor Riel things get off to a less than stellar start. Not only is Riel smart and gorgeous, he is also last year’s scholarship recipient and apparently had no idea he wasn’t this years too.

“This is not how I expected to start my year.”

Viola and Riel are sort of stuck together, you know the whole mentor thing and all that. The tension is pretty high from the get go, but the attraction these two have for each other is crazy intense. As Viola gets settled into academy she has to deal with your run of the mill mean girls, her sweet and quirky roommate, her growing attraction to Riel and oh yeah a crazy stalker.

“She had been warned. She didn’t listen. This is what she gets. For everything.”

Despite the rocky start these two had, Viola and Riel get closer and closer. This story has a little bit of a enemies to lovers vibe to it and I loved that. Both of them are really good people, who definitely have not had the easiest lives. And did I mention I love Riel? Well I do. Not only is he a hottie, he is just super genuine and cares about Viola. But it seems the more their relationship grows so does the intensity of the whole stalker situation. When a very real and scary situation happens with the stalker, Riel is there for her. But what happens when the lies Viola desperately tried to keep hidden about how she got her scholarship come out?

“Please. Stay.”

This was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed Viola and Riels story. I love how there were some great twists and turns in this book that I really just did not see coming. There was a lot more romance to this book then suspense and I definitely would have loved more from the whole stalker aspect, but overall it was a really good book. I am looking forward to checking out more from this author.

Viola was such a sympathetic character. She comes from a tough neighborhood, yet excels at school and has huge goals for herself. She wants to go to this exclusive private school and get into MIT so she can better herself and help her family. When the novel starts, we realize that even though she did get the scholarship that allowed her to get into private school, she may have not been quite as truthful as she should have to do it.

We meet her love interest Riel almost immediately. When Viola realizes that he was the previous scholarship recipient we know that their future relationship may have a big conflict to overcome. Before we even have to worry about that though, strange and scary things start to happen to Viola. Is it her past catching up to her? Or is this a new threat?

I thought the mystery was just as solid as the romance. I liked Riel a LOT. I wasn’t sure how they were going to overcome the whole I stole your scholarship plot line, but it definitely kept me reading. When it was apparent Viola had a stalker, I was totally surprised by who it was at the end. My only criticism was when the perspective changed at the beginning of each chapter to the stalker’s thoughts. It was cheesy and a little too dramatic? I think the book would’ve been just as good without those intro’s. ❤❤❤❤
I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review and I was honest!

Viola begins her senior of high school on a full scholarship to the prestigious Ponce de Leon Academy, where she meets Riel, the previous holder of the scholarship. Viola is consumed by guilt because she lied about her family background in her application. Things become even more complicated when she realizes she’s attracted to Riel. On top of that, she has the feeling that someone is watching her. Who is the driver of the dark SUV that seems to be following her? Suspects abound. Could the stalker be Viola’s ex-boyfriend Manny, her estranged father, one of her mother’s many boyfriends, friendly Mr. Hamns, the bald deckhand who’s always wearing sunglasses, Riel’s estranged father, Riel himself, fellow student Peter, or even her frenemy Abbie?

The story is told in the first person present tense by Viola and is interspersed with accounts by the “Stalker”, who has already killed one girl and is watching Viola’s every move. The short chapters and quick scene changes keep the story moving and heighten the suspense. There is also the added bonus of a budding romance between Viola and the oh-so-perfect Riel.

Hard to put down.

Warnings: violence, sexual references, coarse language, sex scenes, domestic abuse.

I'm almost always in the mood for a good thriller and that's what I was hoping Watching You would be. I was a little disappointed in the end result of the novel. It wasn't as scary or thrilling as I hoped it would be. The writing made it a bit hard to get into. I just didn't connect with the story like I wished I could.

This is my second Shannon Greenland/SE Green book and I think I pretty much agree with what I wrote in the review of Ultimate Sacrifice. I like this author’s stories. The plot and storyline is fantastic! I feel like I get pulled into the story. Plus, the story is great and different. However, for me, it’s missing finer details. I didn’t really feel a connection to Viola. I think there was so much that could have been done with her and it was skipped over. There were times that it felt like she was in fact her high school age, other times she seemed older, and even then, still there were times she seemed younger than her 18 years. It just didn’t feel consistent. Luckily, I used to be a teenage girl and I know my maturity level may bounce around a bit. I also don’t feel like this exactly takes on the suspense genre. It’s a stretch and I honestly wish it had more suspense in it. I definitely got the young adult romance out of this but, I wish there was some more suspense added in.

So after all that how did I rate Watching You 4 stars? Honestly, I still enjoyed the story. Sure, there were some things that bugged me, some things that didn’t seem to mesh together but the story itself was good. Ms. Greenland really captures what it’s like to be a young teenager falling in love/lust or however you want to classify those teenage feelings. I wish so much that the stalker storyline was more than an addition to a storyline. That is what kept me reading. I had to know who was watching whom. So in that respect, Ms. Greenland created a story that I couldn’t stop reading.

I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.

I enjoyed this book a lot.  The author has (for me at least) struck the right balance between the tension and the romantic element of the story.  

I felt that the number of potential suspects was a well utilised narrative tool, because as a reader I was never entirely convinced about the identity of the stalker.  You may guess who it is, you may not, but the unfolding of the tale keeps the reader on edge and constantly revisiting the list of potential suspects.

A well executed tale.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

"Watching You" by Shannon Greenland was a well-written page-turner of a read.
My first experience with this particular author and pleased to say it was a positive one.
Genre-wise I would place this in the Young Adult/New Adult category.
I'm undecided between the two as there is some mild content near the end the might lean this more towards the New Adult camp.
It's nothing hard-core and is really rather mild in nature but does stop this short of being a completely clean read.
What I did like about this particular content was how realistically it was portrayed rather refreshing and makes quite the change from the norm.
So moving on slightly; this was romantic suspense set in and around a prestigious boarding school. where our main girl Viola is attending on a scholarship that shes slightly fudged about on the application process to receive.
Here she runs into her new crush the gorgeous and Spanish Reil.
Almost instantly upon meeting Reil, she senses a deeper connection; but there are certain obstacles that seem to be standing in her way of a friendship the most important being the scholarship that Viola has acquired under less than honest circumstances.
There are so many parallels in her life that she can compare with Reil and this understanding and solidarity understandably brings her feeling much closer to her new friend.
So with her goals of school well underway Viola settles into her new academy life but it's not long before events for her start to take a rather sinister turn.
And with the added complication of mean girls and her well-hidden secrets becoming common knowledge.
Viola is not enjoying her senior year as much as she originally anticipated.
So I really did enjoy this a lot; Yes it was probably more romantic than overall suspenseful and was slightly predictable in some places.
But and here's the main kicker for me; I couldn't put this down and for the reason alone this deserves for me its whole five stars.
I actually started reading this at my bedtime with every intention of a couple of chapters and then getting some much-needed shut-eye.
Well, that was a complete wash-out; I ended up reading this all through the night and finished in one sitting, talk about bags under the eyes the next day.
And it was so worth it; "Watching you" in itself is not an overcomplicated story but it did deliver for me that thrilling excitement that I was actually looking for from this.
Managing quite easily to keep my attention throughout.
It has some great characters and so much to recommend itself making it a complete no-brainer in terms of would I recommend this.
And I think its safe to say I definitely would; this is one read that I am happy to give the green light to.
Thank You to the Author and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of "Watching You" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own

I'm always excited to pick up a Shannon Greenland novel and Watching You was no exception! In this romantic suspense, young Viola is striving to rise above an unfortunate background by attending a prestigious school. Ponce de Leon Academy is the first of many steps on Viola's path to MIT, but the secrets she harbors could end her dream before it really begins. Now, not only does she live in fear of Riel discovering her lies, but a dangerous stalker is looking to take her out.

Watching You is immediately intriguing because nothing is as it seems with both Viola and her peer mentor Riel. Though they start off on the wrong foot, over the course of the story they become great friends and that is one of the highlights that kept me reading into the night. I love Shannon's stories because they never fail to include intelligent, strong, young heroines who overcome adversity or personal challenges. Viola is definitely that and more!

The suspense of the novel follows Viola from one scene to the next. Someone with evil intentions is dogging her every move and readers themselves can feel the tension rising from the pages. The conclusion of the story is surprising, but makes total sense when you go back over the clues dropped. Even when we're thrown off the scent of the true stalker, Shannon leads the story back to the point where there's no denying who is coming after Viola and why.

Watching You is the story to dive into when you want a fun, dramatic YA read. If you loved Shadow of a Girl you'll definitely love this next read from Shannon Greenland!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Watching You by Shannon Greenland is an engaging Young Adult thriller packed with romance, revenge, and a mysterious stalker who is definitely beyond disturbed.

Viola is dead set on getting a top-notch education at Ponce de Leon Academy in Florida and then MIT. And if she has to fib a little bit on her scholarship application to get into the Academy, then so be it. I like the backgrounds that the author has created for both Viola and Reil. They are academically intelligent and resourceful, but they aren't rich or pampered like most of the students at the Academy. Viola and Reil scrimp and work and struggle to achieve their dreams. Viola comes from a dysfunctional family, and Reil is basically raising his 11 year-old sister, Mar. When Viola falls hard for Reil, she includes a spot in her heart for his sister. The dynamics between the three are touching and sweet, albeit a bit idyllic.

To offset that sweet romance, an all-around creeper is stalking Viola. If that isn't enough, Abbie, a rich girl with a chip on her shoulder, starts giving Viola jealousy-laden hell for spending so much time with Reil. It's quite the quandary because Abbie has connections (her rich daddy) and isn't above threatening Viola when she finds out she lied to get the Academy's scholarship. Viola just wants to get a good education and eventually a well-paying job to help her family, but she can't seem to stay out of the cross hairs of her enemies.

Ultimately, this story is about pursuing your dreams in the face of hardships, owning up to your missteps and lies, determining who your true friends are, and loving your family despite their shortcomings.

The pacing is super fast, as it should be for a thriller, and the mystery keeps getting mysterious until you are sucker-punched with a plot twist toward the end. It happens so suddenly, and then it's a speedy downhill ride to the finish. The Young Adult vibe is there, but a word of caution: While the relationship between Viola and Reil becomes sweet and romantic, a few titillating scenes may be a bit too steamy for the younger reader. Overall, this story is fun, with just enough mystery to keep you guessing and just enough action to keep you turning the page.

**4.5 Stars**
​Viola might have fibbed a little (or a lot, whatever) on her entrance essay for the scholarship, but the hard work and grades were all her. When she is awarded the scholarship for the prestigious high school in Florida she always wanted to attend, she jumps at the chance to leave her life in the Tennessee public housing and poverty behind and be the first person in her family to graduate from High School! But then she meets Riel, the boy who she basically stole the scholarship from- the boy who deserves it so much more. Now she has to work so much harder to prove herself, all the while she has a feeling she is being watched...​

​Yet again, Entangled Publishing likes to prove to me why they are one of my favorites! I can pick pretty much any title they offer and I know the book will be great and I will find it completely engaging. Seriously, I have discovered some of my all time favorite books and authors ​from their new releases, and Watching You was no different.

​I really enjoyed this romantic mystery/suspense! The characters were teens, but both the MC and her love interest were 18 and very mature (as in self sufficient adults) and the content in the story was pretty mature so I would say that this is a YA/NA crossover. I loved that there were tons of suspects and motivations that kept me guessing as to who was really guilty and the why. Shannon created such a fantastic, believable, flawed yet totally lovable main character in Viola, I just wanted her to get everything possible out of life (...even if she didn't fully deserve it, per se) but alas this was real life which does not come wrapped in a nice tidy little bow, but with disappointments mixed in with the happy. ​

Gawd, Riel (the rival/love interest) was just about perfect! Really, this guy was dreamy... If he weren't fictional, 18, and so great together with Viola...just saying. Sigh, the way he was with sister Mar- actually the way they both were with Mar was endearing (their future kids will be so lucky!). For two characters that at first seemed so disparate, they could not have been more compatible in personality, brains and passion. The sparks between him and Viola started on page one, be it sexual or hostile, and I could not put the book down. Between wanting more interactions between him and Viola, and the mystery and suspense the book built up sneakily on me, I seriously could not stop reading and staid up late to finish it when I should have been adulting aka sleeping.

This was the first book I have experienced from Shannon and I loved the suspense she created as well as the characters- I have now just added pretty much all her other books to my need-list to read. The ending gave me warm fuzzies because of just how perfect it was for the book and the people. I highly recommend this romantic suspense read for anyone who loves swoon worthy guys, tough yet sweet southern girls and an interesting stalker!

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance, complimentary copy of this book.
Come see me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

I don’t read a lot of thrillers but when Xpresso Tours posted this one I was immediately intrigued. I really enjoyed this book by Shannon Greenland. It is written in Viola’s POV and every once in a while the stalkers POV. I think this made it easy to follow and kept the reader guessing whom the stalker could be.

Viola’s life has never been easy. Her mom is a stripper and she has to take care of her younger siblings every day. Her dream has always been to go to MIT and when an opportunity presented itself she couldn’t risk losing it. What harm would come from a couple lies? I really enjoyed the suspense from this book wasn’t just about “who is the stalker” it also was “when is she going to get caught”. This extra suspense had me reading chapter after chapter. It was such a hard book to put down.

When Viola arrives at her new school she is determined to keep her lies and put the past behind her. She wants a fresh start where no one knows her name or her history. She needs to get through school, get into MIT and then she will figure out the rest of her life. That is until Riel shows up. He is her peer mentor and also her rival and their chemistry is present from the very beginning. However, they both are determined to keep secrets hidden. I don’t want to spoil anything but I love how their relationship develops. They are perfect for each other and as secrets come out and histories are revealed, they must figure out if their relationship is something they want to save.

The ending of this book is very thorough. Greenland wraps every question, loose end and potential future up into a nice bow. I’m still a little confused about who the stalker turned out to be but it was explained why they did what they did to Viola. I think if the side characters where more developed it would have made more sense. I’m not going to spoil who they were or what the motive was so you’re just going to have to read it yourself to find out.

Shannon Greenland's Watching You is a young adult, mystery novel featuring Viola Burnett. Viola is the recipient of a full ride scholarship to attend Ponce De Leon Academy in the Florida Keys. Being from Tennessee, Viola is the girl who lives in the projects, whose mother is a stripper, whose her father is in prison, and whose older sister is a crack addict. She is someone who is trying to rise above her past, her family, and being one of those girls who could never get out of a life that was apparently meant to be her fate. She wants badly to do what's right for her younger siblings while aiming for acceptance into MIT, even if it means twisting the truth a bit.

Yes, she is that smart, but she isn't infalible. She has made some mistakes that if they come to light, she could lose everything, including a surprising relationship with her mentor Rial Villanuevo, and his younger sister Mar who stole the show. If you need a reason to read this book, it is Mar's role in almost every aspect of the story. But, let's skip over that for now. Viola really begins to question her actions after realizing that the person she took the scholarship from, Rial, is a genuinely nice guy who works hard in everything he does, including taking care of his precocious younger sister who falls for Viola almost immediately.

Since this is a book that is set to the backdrop of a private academy with rich, spoiled, kids, you will definitely see your fair share of mean girls who just can't help but be vulgar, and intolerable, and annoying. This is a book that also features a stalker, and this character actually gets their own storyline. The stalker has chosen Viola for some reason that eludes me. Perhaps it was because of Viola's relationship with Rial. Perhaps it was because she isn't a rich spoiled brat who gets everything she wants and doesn't look down on others.

IMHO, Viola really should have uncovered who the stalker was way before trouble came raining down on her head and the ugliness raised its head. But, alas, this is fiction, and the author needed to play the story out to the final showdown while also putting in lots and lots of sexual situations. Fair is fair right? Could one call this a romantic suspense? Absolutely. Could one say that there is more romance than mystery or suspense? Absolutely. The best parts of this book were with Viola and Mar. I loved how quickly they connected as though they were friends, or sisters for all their lives.

Shannon Greenland has been around for a little while but this was my first book by her. What a great introduction to a talented writer! I am very happy that I was chosen to participate in the blog tour because I would never have picked up this book otherwise. 

I'm a sucker for books that take place in boarding schools. I'm not sure exactly why -perhaps it is the perfect combination of parent-less teenagers, perceived freedom & after school shenanigans. Watching You is an interesting blend between romance and thriller - and just enough of each to keep enthusiasts happy on both ends. I enjoy both genres so this was a pleasure. I loved Riel and thought he was a fantastic male lead. Handsome, Spanish accent, incredibly responsible and takes care of his little sister... who wouldn't fall in love with him? Viola is certainly troubled but I really admired her devotion to her future and her dedication to her family. 

The story had me guessing the entire time and I thought the ending was fantastic. Generally, I love to pick apart the weaknesses in the ends of thrillers and this one was no exception, but even with my nit-picking, Greenland did an excellent job setting up who the stalker was. Of course I found it a little too convenient how her obvious "decoy stalker" just happened to be in all the right places at all the right times.

This is a great summer beach read. It won't stay with you forever but it is pretty entertaining while it lasts.

I'm always on the lookout for a good thriller and so I was excited to start this after being thoroughly impressed with Greenland's Shadow of a Girl.

This one resulted in some mixed reactions for me though thanks to the expectations I had going into it and not getting exactly what I anticipated.

For one thing, I think the synopsis is slightly misleading. It makes it sound as if Viola is actively trying to resolve her stalker issue (with the help of Riel) and that is far from the case. Instead, we go through the motions of Viola's everyday life with the occasional interference from her stalker. The "mystery" gets a little lost in the romance (which was super cute and one of my favourite parts of the book) and Viola's own secrets; so again, not what I wanted or expected going into this.

I thought the stalker aspect was well done in terms of their mysterious identity. There are enough red herrings to keep you guessing so I enjoyed that unpredictable aspect. I also enjoyed the brief chapters we get from the stalker as well; it added to the atmosphere and raised the stakes.

Those looking for a contemporary romance with a dash of suspense (a la Sara Shepard) will enjoy this but those who want an outright thriller will want to look elsewhere.

This story holds suspense, romance, mystery and a thrilling plot in its pages!
Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Watching You by Shannon Greenland. Viola is attending Ponce de Leon Academy because she’s been awarded a scholarship, a scholarship that someone else was relying on since he’s been the recipient for the past three years. Now Riel is a senior with no way to pay for school. Viola is grateful for the chance to attend the academy with its connection to MIT, where she’s dreamed of going as long as she can remember. She comes from a not-so-good background and she wants to change things and make everything better for her family. The story is told from Viola’s point of view with a creepy stalker speaking every so often. The pace picks up and the background is set, while the characters grow more interesting and intriguing. At first, Viola comes across as whiny, but the more I got to know her, the more I liked her and could understand her reasoning. I appreciate Viola’s perseverance and Riel’s strength and his dedication to his younger sister. The underlying message of how hard work and goals are important in becoming successful reminds readers that work ethic is a wonderful thing. This story holds suspense, romance, mystery and a thrilling plot in its pages, 4 stars!

This author got me again for the second time with this one. Viola takes you on this one with her and her new journey. In her journey though she has still some hidden things that are a formula for danger. The intrigue will slowly inch up with your nose to the pages. The other one that will grab your attention is Riel whom she is mixed with. As the levels rise within the story you are driven to see where this goes. Romance is strong but good from start to finish.

Emotion, hopes, and dreams mix with increasing tension to create a thrilling ride,

Viola can't believe that she's finally achieved her goal of gaining entrance as well as a scholarship to her dream school. Although her past and family are anything but many consider ideal, she now has a chance at a bright future as well as the possibility of bringing her mother and younger twin sisters out of a less than pleasant life. But this sudden golden chance starts to tarnish. Not only does she meet Riel, a hot, super nice guy who she 'took' the scholarship from but discovers that hiding the lies she told to get the scholarship might not stay hidden. Jealousy, prejudice and an ever lurking chill as if someone is following her bring darker shadows than she suspected.

This is one of those reads which grabs at the beginning and digs in its claws the deeper the tale goes. Viola is exactly the kind of heroine to cheer for. She carries tons of baggage but refuses to let it block her future. Determination drips from her character even though she still is a little hesitant and unsure of herself. She holds secrets, but her lies are easy forgiven since she has a heart of gold. The hero slides right into place with her, carrying all the tension, desire, confusion and appeal a hero should. Mix in colorful friends and possible enemies, and the personality plate is full.

The scene of a rich school has its moments of cliche but it works out well. Viola's life and the moments she experiences come across clear and believable. Florida takes on its sunny shine and leaves beach dreams. The interactions, concerns and decisions the characters make are understandable. The author does a great job of building the relationships in many directions and bringing them to a personal level. This makes it easy to fall into the characters and get lost in their worlds. As the tension builds, it's no problem to fear for them and cheer them on. Especially Mar adds a nice touch.

A careful web is woven to make it difficult to see who the real 'bad guy' is. Clues are dropped here and there, some more clear cut than others. For the most part, it keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The last scenes hold enough tension to make the breath catch, and the ending rounds everything off nicely and makes sure to tighten most loose ends.

This is a great read for fans of high school drama, diverse reads, heroines from difficult backgrounds, romance, and, of course, reads which keep the danger increasing until the very end.

I dont usually like thrillers. But this book entwined romance and a thriller and I really enjoyed it! I was hooked by the first page!!! I loved the relationship between Riel and Viola! I like when there are sub characters who you really like and Mar and Gillian didn't disappoint! I loved the twist and turns of this thriller and I didn't see the motive for the stalker coming. I was totally shocked!!!! I also really liked the authors writing style. I loved that it switched POV and even had the stalker POV I thought that was really unique. I thought overall the story flowed really well! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes some thriller with their romance books!!!!

This book was not a bad book at all but the whole "thriller" part was really not there for me. I don't think the stalker or the stalking was enough to promote the book based on that. I was more interested in Riel and Viola's blooming love story than wondering who was stalking her, even though it was a pretty easy guess and I was disappointed I was right. The writing and the story (minus the stalking) was good. I think the way it was presented in the beginning was great and but the inconsistency of it made me lose interest in her being followed.