After I finished reading The Right Side of Reckless, I went back and reread the synopsis because I was under the impression that this was a YA contemporary romance. That's exactly what the synopsis' leads one to believe, however that's not what I just read.

RANT TIME:
Regan has no backbone, she lets her parents dictate her future, and her boyfriend was the worst. They had only been together a year, but he was constantly pressuring her for sex. Regan is in a committed relationship with her boyfriend until the 75% mark of the book when she finds out he cheated on him and then kisses Guillermo right after that ugh. HOW IS THAT A ROMANCE STORY?!? Regan and Guillermo aren't even friends have the book. The characters all just felt flat, and I'll be honest I almost DNFd more than once, but I'm trying to not do that with arcs anymore. Then we have Guillermo is our "bad guy" who for his first two strikes was really just a kid with crap luck. Yes he had anger issues, but he obviously learned from his mistake and had a good head on his shoulder. However, his ability to dish out lengthy Dr.Phil type advice would have been more believable if he was at college age, not high school. I felt the author was trying too hard with his preachy speeches of wisdom.
RANT OVER

There are some silver linings to this not as advertised YA novel. It has a fantastically diverse cast and some really great side characters. Most of the time, I enjoy Guillermo , especially when he was with his new group of friends. The novel also focused on some really important subjects. Such as not letting yourself be pressured into sex, standing up for yourself, respect, consent, and learning from your mistakes.

In the end, I was just really disappointed in this book. The plot had such potential, but I just don't think this author executed it well. I don't think I'll be reading any more by her and note for future me to not be fooled by a cute cover and perfect synopsis.

Are you like me, always falling for the bad boy? Then you will adore 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.

Guillermo is one gorgeous seventeen-year-old out of juvie and on probation, who’s been told by his probation officer, therapist, and dad not to mess up again or else, and no girls.

Sixteen-year-old Regan keeps rules. It’s kinda been expected of her, with her dad being an ex-cop and her parent’s sky-high expectations. She’s also dating her school’s star football player, but she’s tired of him not respecting her boundaries.

While Regan is volunteering at Briar Park Community Center, she meets Guillermo but realizes he is in the “respect program” for probationers. He is off-limits. Guillermo instantly takes to Regan, but Regan is “taken,” and like everyone keeps reminding him - no more girls.

I loved this YA story with a forbidden love feel to it, and a bad boy trying to stay out of trouble. I especially enjoyed how making the right choices was a big part of these teen’s lives. @wheadee does a great job of portraying how quickly we label and judge people by past mistakes or rumors.

A fun, poignant diverse romance, with dogs to sweeten it too!!

Thank you to @harpercollins @inkyardpress and @harlequinbooks for an invitation to this tour and a digital copy.

If you're looking for a bad boy romance with a true bad boy, alpha type guy, this one isn't gonna do it. Guillermo has made some mistakes, but he's really not the bad kid people think he is. This boy genuinely wants to do better and he's making a real effort. As a mother, I absolutely loved this kid as he worked through his issues and tried to prove himself.
Then we have Regan, and ordinarily, I wouldn't care for a character with so much indecision about who and what she wants, but this case is a bit different. Regan is a teenager, so indecision is kind of part and parcel of that. The romance is a bit of a love triangle as Guillermo and Regan figure things out about each other, and Regan decides what she wants to do about her boyfriend, Troy. I worried at first about where this love triangle would go - as in whether or not there would be cheating, but the author steered clear of that.
I'll admit that I don't read a lot of young adult/teen romance. Mostly because some are so riddled with all the teenage angst, and as a mom, I see enough of that at home. That's not to say there's no angst here - we have a presumed bad boy and good girl, so a rule-breaker and a rule follower. These two are complete opposites and they're attracted to each other. There pretty much had to be some angst, but Grandison does an excellent job of keeping it to a minimum. And I greatly appreciated the lack of drama just for drama's sake.
The story started out a little bit slow, but there was just something about these characters that drew me in. The story is one of growth and healing as well as romance, and I tip my hat to the author for the accuracy of these characters. They act like teenagers - full of doubt while trying to get a foothold on becoming an adult, learning to face their mistakes and stand up for what they want. Even Regan's indecision about Troy felt real to me. I'm not usually a fan of indecision taking such a big part of a romance, but when her age is factored in, it's not a surprise.
To sum it up, The Right Side of Reckless is a well written, engaging teen/young adult romance. It's not over the top with angst, and it makes for an easy weekend read.

I was really excited for The Right Side of Reckless, but unfortunately simply could not get into the story! It felt like it dragged on and on. That being said, I do appreciate the message of how people judge you based on your past, even if you want to do better and how hard that judgment makes it. I also didn't really connect with the writing style, but others might!

The classic story of a bad boy and a good girl falling for each other. What's different is that Guillermo isn't the classic "bad boy" as his intentions are never truly to be bad, it's just that he'd fallen with the wrong crew and got his heart broken. Reagan is the perfect daughter dating the perfect athlete, with the perfect family, but looks are deceiving. The character development of the main characters was written very well and I liked the place we left them by the end of the story. I couldn't help but think that everyone was really hard on Guillermo in the beginning, in particular Reagan's mother and there were some things that I found questionable in her behavior in regards to her position. Also, I think the story might have dragged out a little too much in the beginning but overall the flow went pretty well. Really great YA story about redemption and living your life with things and people that fulfill you.

This rating was a struggle for me. I landed on the four due to one consideration more than anything else: representation. I really think that, in spite of the things that I personally thought were lacking, this book needs to be out there. Not only does it feature almost exclusively POC, it also addresses questions of identity, issues of consent/respect, decision-making, righting our personal wrongs, and just owning who we are. It’s a powerful message that I think my students want and need to hear. Besides, I really like Guillermo. And Ravvi. And Jenaya. 💜

This is the well-known story of bad guy meets a good girl and they are attracted to each other. Guillermo has just gotten out of juvie and is on probation, complete with community service. He is doing this service at the place where Regan’s mom is a manager. Regan never makes bad choices and Guillermo’s life seems to be one bad choice after another. I enjoyed the characterization and thought that it was well done. The plot, however, just did not do it for me. I knew from the beginning what was going to happen, so I didn’t mind not having surprises as I read. What I did mind is that the story seemed to drag at times. Regan couldn’t make up her mind about breaking up with her current boyfriend in order to follow her attraction to Guillermo. And Guillermo was almost timid in approaching her since he was avoiding trouble at all costs. I thought the storyline worked, but the slow pace made it hard for me to really get into the story and enjoy it as I had expected I would. This is light romance, targeted to a young adult audience.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

"Don't deny yourself a better shot because you messed up in the past."-Jenaya

"There's always time to start likin' who you are and bein' yourself."-Regan

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Whitney D. Grandison for the opportunity to not only read The Right Side of Reckless in exchange for an honest review, but to be a part of the Blog Tour as well.\

Guillermo is on pronation and it's because he almost killed his friend over a girl. When he moves, he gets a chance a making new friends and starting a new life, despite his past. Part of his sentence involves volunteer hours at a local community center. It turns out the manager--and her attractive daughter--live right across the street from Guillermo. He finds an instant attraction to Regan, but he must avoid girls at all costs, lest he go to jail for good, should there be another incident. Especially when the girl happens to be dating the top football star of the school.

Regan is dating Troy, the top-notch football player and a relationship that began with her father somewhat pushing her into it, as he adores football. He also believes Regan will be a great accountant. It's the perfect future: become the accountant and wife of a famous football player. the problem? She is not fond of accounting whatsoever, and Troy isn't exactly the best boyfriend, even though she does love him. The pressure to have sex before Regan is ready and the pressure to be an accountant by her father are two things that push her to eventually find her own voice and speak up for herself, as well as finding her own interests and passions. Regan also works at her mom's community center, and there's just something about Guillermo that Regan can't help feeling her heart flutter over.

Also there are dogs. :)

The romance between Regan and Guillermo takes quite a while to fully establish, but the little moments they get and how they get them are well-executed. This is a heart-pounding page-turner of a romance novel, even though it is kind of a generic story that has been done before. The writing style is excellent and has me invested with the characters and the development as they grow to learn who they are as people. The diversity of characters in this novel is a great highlight, and the topics explored are many that teens face, making this a great relatable book for a young adult audience. This book is excellent and has me wanting to read Grandison's first novel, A Love Hate Thing.

This was a super lovable read about two teenagers with their own baggage learning how to grow. Such an amazing read. I loved all the characters and the romance was so endearing. I found myself relating to these characters on more than one occasion and I am so glad I got to read this! Definitely looking forward to more from this author!

This book was everything I needed. I actually read this one while I was in the mountains and something about reading a book like this on a vacation just really sets the mood. I found both MC's very endearing and the writing to flow nicely.

Good girl falls for the bad boy?
Well, not really a bad boy, and ex-con trying to turn his life around and not repeat the same mistakes, and a good girl who’s too anxious to be anything but “perfect” and needs someone to show her that standing up for herself isn’t the worst thing she can do.
I definitely enjoyed this title more than A Love Hate Thing.
While dealing with some more realistic situations, the characters were much more fun and better written!
I’d give it a solid 3.75/5⭐️
✨Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review✨

Wow! This one surprised me as this is my first novel by Whitney D. Grandison. The main characters (teenagers) were rich with emotion and internal struggles. Guillermo Lozano is your typical bad boy, wrong side of the tracks, and on probation. Reagan London is the perfect pleaser and always doing what others expect of her. Guillermo and Reagan are dual characters alternating the point of view in the story. I found this story relatable to the struggles many teens experience.
"The Right Side of Reckless" found Reagan, an African American checking off her parent's ideal wish list: up-and-coming football star boyfriend, taking classes that her parents picked, and not being true to herself. Guillermo, Mexican American was a troubled teen with a past that he was trying to outlive. That was when fate stepped in and had these two cross paths. Reagan's parents forbid her to interact with Guillermo since he is completing his required probation terms at Reagan's mother's community center. The same center where Reagan works ad spends her time studying. Would Reagan be able to help Guillermo with his rehabilitation from convicted juvenile to a good guy?
Guillermo is a good kid, just was in the wrong environment and mindset. He was easily persuaded by his former friends to rebel and that leads to multiple arrests until finally a serious incident that found him in juvenile prison. His family constantly rescued him and forgave him, but his time was different they had sacrificed everything for Guillermo's last chance at redemption.
Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an eARC of The Right Side of Reckless. I truly enjoyed reading the book and appreciate the chance to give my opinions. The supporting characters really shined and I hope to see their stories in the future. It did give me a little John Hughes vibe - I am a big 80's and 90's fan. Thank you.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of The Right Side of Reckless!

The Right Side of Reckless is a classic love story between a "bad" boy and a "good" girl. Bad boy Guillermo has recently been released from juvie, and he has been given a fresh start in a new neighborhood at a new school. Good girl Regan has the perfect life - football star boyfriend and a fast pass to a great career in accounting. Guillermo and Regan meet and start to fall for each other, and Regan finds herself reassessing what she wants in life.

I generally love this kind of story, and I especially loved Guillermo's character. He has a great personality and he is working so hard to find the right path. Regan, on the other hand, I found kind of annoying. She spends most of the book agonizing about breaking up with her boyfriend and getting out of accounting classes, and she comes across as kind of whiny. I think it would have helped to shave at least 50 pages off the book and streamline the story a bit more. Guillermo and Regan work well together, and I would have liked to see more of their interactions instead of focusing on Regan's relationship with Troy.

Overall, a fun read, but not amazing. If you're looking for just a fun YA romance, this could be a good choice for you!

This is a sweet story about opposites attracting. Both Guillermo and Regan are trying to change their lives but they are coming at it from different places. He's make some mistakes (nothing too big) and he's doing community service. She's always been the compliant good girl but even she has started to realize that her boyfriend Troy is not a good guy. This wanders a bit as the two of them build their relationship but that's how life works, isn't it? These are good characters you will root for. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I wasn't the audience for this (I'm far past YA) but I enjoyed it and expect others will as well.

Title: The Right Side of Reckless
Author: Whitney D. Grandison
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

They were supposed to ignore each other and respect that fine line between them…

Guillermo Lozano is getting a fresh start. New town, new school, and no more reckless behavior. He’s done his time, and now he needs to right his wrongs. But when his work at the local community center throws him into the path of the one girl who is off-limits, friendship sparks…and maybe more.

Regan London needs a fresh perspective. The pressure to stay in her “perfect” relationship and be the good girl all the time has worn her down. But when the walls start to cave in and she finds unexpected understanding from the boy her parents warned about, she can’t ignore her feelings anymore.

The disapproval is instant. Being together might just get Guillermo sent away. But when it comes to the heart, sometimes you have to break the rules and be a little bit reckless…

I enjoyed this read! Guillermo was a great character: flawed and really struggling to overcome his past and change. I liked Regan, but she put up with way too much from Troy and her dad. I’m glad the author didn’t totally villainize Troy and gave him a moment of clarity and realization which kind of redeemed him a tiny bit. I liked the mix of cultures and personalities in this too, it made for an intriguing, engrossing read.

Whitney D. Grandison is from Ohio. The Right Side of Reckless is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 7/6.)

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I wanted to love this so much more. The premise is a running YA troupe and filled with clichés, but it doesn’t get old, per say. However, I think having two narrators was a huge detriment to this book.

I love Regan. She is dynamic, flawed, and genuine. You can really connect to her and what she’s feeling. I feel like her character shines a real light on the importance of consent and the pressures faced when dating. I thought her growth was admirable and seeing a character blossom is always welcome. It was also cool that she wasn’t a type either. She wasn’t really a nerd, she wasn’t popular, and she wasn’t a super talent. She was a normal teenager. I feel like that’s something that doesn’t happen often anymore.

I also felt like Guillermo’s story was interesting. His background was rough, but not a lost cause. You knew he would be able to pull through very quickly. He also brought in a lot of interesting characters along the way. As much as he is supposed to be the spotlight, he’s able to highlight a lot in others because he’s very observant.

However, with all of the great characters, there was a lot lacking. Pacing was an issue for me. I had a hard time figuring out how much time has passed because it’s so sporadic. Sometimes we’ll jump a few weeks ahead with little notice. Because of this, I felt as if both Regan and Guillermo’s big discoveries came way too easily and fast. It felt like there needed to be little struggles along the way, so when it all happens at the end it doesn’t feel like everything was concluded all at once.

The writing was also a bit inconsistent. While Regan read as authentic, I felt Guillermo fell in and out of sounding as if it was actually him. The language choice and descriptions sometimes didn’t fit with the character and it took me out of the story from time to time. I know his perspective was necessary for the plot to carry the way it did, but I’m not sure it’s as developed or genuine as it could be.

There were also several plot lines that I didn’t feel were necessary. Tanner… just why? It seems cruel and then pointless. Sofia? Total waste of time. It didn’t help set up the other big event at that party either. Tommy J was a terrible side character too. We get half way through the book and he’s barely around anymore. It felt forced.

Overall, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it as it was a cute read, but I also won’t go around recommending it. It was fine, but I wasn’t thrilled with it.

We will not be posting a review for this book. Had to DNF reading it and we don’t post DNF reviews on the blog.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this eARC!

I really enjoy this trope in romance (bad boy meets nice girl), and I thought the story was such an enjoyable read. I found myself rooting for the couple the entire way through the novel. Even though Guillermo and Regan seem to be total opposite, I was drawn into the ways in which they unknowingly had things in common, and this kept me turning the pages. Yes, there were times when the book was a little slow, but I felt like this gave the reader time to breath, and I appreciated it when we did slow down the pace just a tad.

There was just something about the blurb of The Right Side Of Reckless that caught my attention immediately, and as I don't seem to read nearly enough YA books in recent years I couldn't resist getting an ARC. I had really high hopes for this story, thinking that it might turn out to be a new favorite, so imagine my surprise when I ended up having mixed thoughts instead... I'll try to explain my contradictory feelings briefly below.

Part of me still finds it hard to put the finger on why exactly this story didn't work as well for me. I still love the premise of The Right Side Of Reckless with the power of opposites attract and second chances. I think this is part of the reason I did keep reading, as the story had an interesting message. I liked the Mexican influences and diversity in general, which I can always appreciate... And I loved just how big of a role dogs played in the plot.

BUT. And here comes what didn't work for me: I really did feel that the story was overlong and dragged in certain parts. It took me a lot longer than expected to finish The Right Side Of Reckless, and I started to struggle to stay invested in the story... Especially as certain details of the plot were repeated a lot. I can't say that I appreciated the whole cheating and love triangle angle either, which both really put a damper on things for me. I understand the need to make things 'more complicated', but I would have enjoyed this story so much better if it had just been the opposites attract theme with Regan and Guillermo... And especially Regan could get really annoying as she continued to let everyone walk all over her.

In short, there were things I liked and things that didn't work for me in The Right Side Of Reckless, and I do still like the premise of this story. It might just have been the wrong time for me to read this book though, as most people do seem to love Regan and Guillermo's story.

This was just ok, there is a toxic relationship that takes forever to conclude and overbearing parents which was the main conflicts of the book. I do enjoy a dual POV so that was a plus but it was probably the only plus.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in return for an honest review.