Gutter Girl by Kelly Anne Blount and Lynn Rush is a great book. Quick read with interesting characters and a great premise. I enjoyed reading about McKenna and Jace! They have a connection and chemistry. I liked the idea of Jace being the fantasy romance writer and McKenna stepping in and pretending the to be the writer to help him out. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.
3/5 stars.

I was really excited for this book based on the description, but it was super hard to get into...and honestly I had to rush read it because I just wanted it to be over. 3 stars is generous...but the concept of it is great and unique in terms of YA...but I just...I did not like it. The main character functions within two emotions and doesn't process her reactions, but blames her behavior on her mother being bipolar. The other main character, our secret writer, spends the entire book being too scared to come clean about his writing until the very end...even though the girl HATES all the attention she's getting...the very girl he "loves" - like, the concept? awesome. delivery? eh. That's my truthful review for this ARC.

Gutter Girl by Kelly Anne Blount & Lynn Rush a five-star read that will bowl you over. This is the first story in the Twin River High series, and I am so excited for more. This is such a great story, its suitable for all ages, so I will be ordering a copy of this for my god daughter as I know she will just adore this story, its sweet, its romantic but most of all its real. This story unfolds in such a lovely manner, the plot develops as you read. I am simply enamoured with this story and even found myself wanting to take swipes at friends with my imaginary sword.

The plot is unique and different. The best part is the novel within a novel. The plot of the novel mentioned in the book is an extra treat for the readers. The plot of Gutter Girl is exactly what was promised in the synopsis: cheesy, adorable, and quick.

The characters are likeable, and what I really appreciate is that they aren’t perfect. They have their fears, their own issues. I also love Lily, Jace’s little sister. However, I wished to see more of her.

McKenna is strong and bold. Also, she has a great sense of sarcasm. She doesn’t give a damn to what people think about her.

Now coming to what I didn’t like or what could be improved!

The writing is not deep enough to fully explore Jace and McKenna’s issues. There was more telling, and less showing.
There is a mention of Anna Todd in the book as a superstar writer, and I found that really unnecessary and kind of irritating also, as I don’t like her works at all.
At the start when we meet the characters, a lot of names of students and their personalities were thrown at me, which I felt a little too much to handle at the same time.

I liked the twist that the football player writes fantasy romance stories. Which is why I needed to read it.

McKenna was the ‘goth’ classmate that helped him keep his secret. Jace and McKenna had an interesting and at times unbelievable relationship. I just think the story fizzled at the middle part of the book. The ending was good and wrapped up the story nicely. Overall, if you like a sweet, YA romance book, you will enjoy this.

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for my honest review.

First off, thank you to Entangled Teen, Netgalley and these amazing authors for an ARC of this lovely book. I was so thrilled to get an advanced copy of Gutter Girl as I am a huge fan of the writing team of Blount/Rush. Having read Penalty box at the start of the year I couldn't wait to see what these ladies had in store next.

I had high hopes for the Twin River High Series going into this book and it lived up to all my expectations and excitement for it! McKenna (a quirky loaner) and Jace (a heart throb of a jock) seem to be as different as two people can be, but their romance is so incredibly sweet to read. I loved how they complimented each other in so many ways as they began their relationship and that through the bumps in their new love, they were able to find common ground and forgiveness. I was all in for it and it made my heart so happy.

McKenna alone might be one of my favorite characters out there in the YA world. She is hard working, tough, sweet, artistic, loving and a dedicated daughter (to just name a few things). Something I appreciated in Penalty Box and something I appreciated in this book too, is how Blount/Rush do not shy away from real or hard topics. McKenna's mom deals with bipolar disorder in this book and to see how McKenna navigates this as a kid is so incredibly admirable and felt so real Loved her dedication to her mom but also her dedication to herself and finding a better life as well. It was all so commendable.

Lastly, Jace. Jace is calm and cool and hot, but what makes him an amazing character is that he is a secret fantasy romance writer! What a twist to the classic "jock" character in any YA book. That was one of the main reasons I was so excited to read this book and it was absolutely amazing! I loved how Jace struggled with owning that role as a writer as an all star athlete. Again, it felt so real and very similar to how a real high school student might handle a situation of that.

I so look forward to the rest of this series and seeing where Blount/Rush take the rest of the characters at Twin Rivers High!

TW: Bipolar episodes

This was such a cute and for the most part fluffy read!

Gutter Girl is the story of McKenna and Jace. They’ve gone to school together since kinder but haven’t really run with the same crowd. Kenna had a crush on Jace in the third grade but nothing ever came of it and since the sixth grade her life has taken a 180.

Kenna’s mother has bipolar disorder and is on and off her medication. Her episodes led to Kenna’s dad taking off and abandoning them, leaving Kenna to take care of her mother and the house. She doesn’t want anyone to know about her mother’s mental state because she thinks it will be used to hurt her. So she tries to be as invisible as she can be at school (tho dressing all black with hot pink hair doesn’t seem to accomplish that goal imo)

Jace is the star running back for his school’s football team. He’s also has a secret talent for writing. He’s been posting a romantic fantasy on an online message board called Kingdom of Swords and it’s very popular but he fears outing himself as the author due to his jock status and the ridicule he’d receive from his so called friends and he also fears what his dad would think who is always on him about going to college for a business degree.

Jace and Kenna literally bump into each other in a hallway at school and from there the story takes off. Shenanigans ensue and Kenna ends up covering for Jace saying she wrote Kingdom of Swords. They grow closer together over their shared secret and even fall for each other. But both have a huge fears that could doom their relationship.

Gutter Girl was a fun and easy read. It was just what I needed after reading so many intense and lengthy fantasy books lately. I thought the MCs were believable in their high school actions (except maybe that halftime show, that was insane!). Their intimacy was real and not overly embellished. I liked them both and I really want to know what happens to them post graduation!

Definitely pick this up if you need a fluffy, sweet palate cleanser!

Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing for providing me with this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Disclaimer: I got this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the twist in this and the fact that the jock was the one writing fan fiction (not a spoiler because it’s part of the synopsis)! I would’ve loved to see Jace talking to his father instead of him just casually mentioning that his father disapproves of Jace playing football. Overall, it’s a fun read and there’s a fantasy element in it too! I think this is perfect for pre-teens!

Have you always just wanted to stay in the shadows? That is precisely what MCKenna and Jace wanted to do. McKenna kept everyone except for her best friend at length for years for fear of people finding out about her mom. She just needed to coast through a few more months of high school before she’d leave the town of Twin Rivers behind. Jace has a secret he’s hiding too. He’s the author of popular Scribbles story Kingdom of Swords. He’s definitely afraid for anyone to find out for fear of being made fun of my his football buddies. When Jace and McKenna accidentally swap notebooks in the hall she finds out his secret and saves him from the humiliation by claiming she’s the author. Now she’s thrust into the spotlight at her school gaining the attention of so many Kingdom of Swords fans. But how long can they really keep up the facade?

I absolutely adored this book from the characters who were super fun to get to know to the plot of this book! There were also several side characters that just added so much enjoyment to this story! Kelly and Lynn have crafted an compelling story from start
To finish that will have you eagerly flipping the pages until the very end. Look no further your next contemporary romance is here.

This book was so cute and even though it was a book set in current times, the cover and story in general feels like a 90's rom com. I loved it!

"I'm so freaked out that I can't even freak out right!" - from Gutter Girl

3 stars.

This is a cute high school story with an original plot line. The two main characters were decently hashed out and unique. The writing is a bit juvenile, but I'm sure that it would appeal to a number of younger readers. I really appreciated reading a YA story where the male best friend actually just stayed best friends with the female lead. There was no unrequited love, he had his own crush and small side story. There were a few positive mentions of consent as well that I think is important for the genre. The conflict was all really easily resolved, and sometimes cheesy, but it all together a fun fast read with a positive message.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a free temporary e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

McKenna is the emo kid at school who wears all black, even black fingernails, and who has dyed her hair pink. She's been odd since somewhere around the 6th grade and kids in her school call her "Goth Girl" when they talk about her. McKenna actually has a lot going on: a bipolar mom, a dad who left, and on top of school, she works long hours at the mall to help pay the bills at home.

Then there's Jace, the gorgeous high school football player. The one whose father believes should reach for a business-related career and not focus on sports. Or on his one lo:ve: creative writing. Jace is the creator of a popular fantasy romance book online, where he relases a new chapter each week (think WattPad).

They're not two people that you'd normally ship, but this whole story works. And I was loving it until the very end. I was wanting to hear more about Landon, as the only times they'd mentioned him, he sounded interesting, but it seems he will be in the NEXT book (a preview of which was included in the end of this book).

Thank you NetGalley, Kelly Anne Blount, Lynn Rush, and Entangled Publishing for the eARC

I really liked the idea behind this story but the writing style wasn't for me. I liked the the two main characters and found myself rooting for their romance throughout the book, and even found myself with a goofy grin on my face a few different times. The plot worked pretty well and I liked the main idea of the story, but it felt rushed especially towards the end. The main thing thing for my was the writing. It felt very juvenile and super corny at times. Some of the lines actually had me cringing. I know that we are getting the story from the perspective of two teenagers but the dialogue was just too young for me.

My rating is 2.5/5 stars but rounded up to 3 for NetGalley because I can't do a half star and because I liked idea of the story and still enjoyed the characters, even if it was a bit corny.

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I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this that much.
Upon reading the description of this book, I felt that I would not enjoy it so much because of the fact that Jace felt he needed to hide his secret just since he was a "jock". I felt a bit annoyed because your gender DOESN'T MATTER. ANYBODY can write romance novels. BUT I didn't know everything he was going through and so it didn't affect my enjoyment of the novel.

I thought that this book was really cool and McKenna... <3 I LOVED her so much.

It was also sad :(((

The characters and their development and history and backgrounds. It was just sooo good. The relationships between all the characters.

BUt BY FAR, THE BEST CHARACTER WAS E...

But I loved the characters, plot, and everything so much!!

I highly recommend this, it was so good, and I will definitely keep an eye out for the coming Twin River High series books.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the eARC for review!

When McKenna and Jace collide in the hallway and accidentally swap notebooks, McKenna discovers his biggest secret: He’s the author of Kingdom of Swords, one of the most popular fantasy romance stories on Scribble, a self-publishing platform. Fine. McKenna can keep a secret. Only when they go to switch their notebooks back and Jace’s jackass jock friends swipe his notebook out of his hands, she steps in and says it’s hers. And now everyone and their mother thinks SHE’S the Author. Now the two must work together to keep up the ruse or risk Jace being outed as the real author. And the more time they spend together, the closer they become. But Jace has one more secret: he based his book’s Big Bad on McKenna.

This is quite the original plot! When I read the blurb for Gutter Girl, I instantly knew I had to get my hands on it. And it’s exactly what it promises to be: cheesy, adorable, fluffy, and quick. We get some great examples of consent, both within the romance AND the friendships (everyone seems very aware of McKenna’s bubble and never crosses it without asking, which is lovely).

Still, despite the obviously more adult content - swearing, references to sex, mental illness, etc - I found the writing style a bit young. All very surface level. Even the moments when our characters were dealing with deeper themes, like McKenna’s mother’s illness and Jace’s school issues, didn’t feel like they had much introspection. It was all tell, no show. I wish we could have delved a little deeper into the very prevalent and emotional issues that both characters were dealing with, but it just never got there.

Look, not every relationship is going to start rocky. But the “Damn, [they’re] hot” count is off the charts. Before these two even really know each other, that’s all they say in their inner dialogue. Seriously, more than once a chapter, readers are reminded of just hot attractive these characters are. Which is fine, but it once again lends itself to be incredibly straightforward. Nothing is implied. And honestly, things DID feel a bit too easy. I would have loved to see some reluctant tension in their “friendship”, since the two are basically forced together because of their ruse. Even McKenna’s initial distrust of Jace felt flimsy, because every second sentence she’s remarking to herself how hot he is, how she used to have a crush on him in the third grade, how he makes her insides flutter. I feel the entire story could have been stronger with a deeper arc for them as a couple.

Even the stakes didn’t hit that deep. Jace keeps talking about his father’s disapproval of football, of his writing, but we never actually see that. The only times we see his dad are the two(?) times he asks Jace about his college applications. And, yes, we see his peers at school be assholes to McKenna - though most love her when they think she is the author of Kingdom of Swords - and obviously Jace is insecure about being a teen boy who write fantasy romance, but we’re never really SHOWN these stakes; again, they are told to us, and never feel that serious.

And did we need the Anna Todd shout out? Absolutely not. We really don’t need to pretend that After was any good, even if we are comparing Scribbles to Wattpad and Jace to Todd’s breakout success.

But let’s not forget the good. We have a strong female character who doesn’t give a rats ass what people think about her, who steps up for a classmate in trouble even though they haven’t spoken in years (even if it’s because of her 3rd grade crush). We have characters with clear boundaries and everyone always respects consent. We have a great brother/sister relationship with one of the cutest little sister characters. We have teenagers who know how to apologize when they are in the wrong (with the exception of a few asshole jocks).

In any case, this was still an enjoyable read! I always appreciate a dual POV book. I’m sure we’ll see a McKenna/Jace cameo in book 2!

Just reading the description of Gutter Girl I knew I had to read this book. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I liked the concept that Jace the high school football star wrote romance books. I also really enjoyed McKenna she was a character you can stand behind and root for. Great romance!

*Thank you very much to Entangled: Crush, Kelly Anne Blount , Lynn Rush, and Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC of "Gutter Girl" in exchange for an honest review. *

This was such an interesting plot of what if you were one the most popular athletes at your high school but you secretly wrote romance novels on a Wattpad like platform? And then your writings got discovered and the girl you've secretly based your antagonist off of claims credit for your work so you don't get outed as a romance writer? I thought that this worked really well as a I'm not a huge fan of switching povs but it worked good with this. I like the cover as well.

I really wanted to like this book because the premise seemed like something new and definitely up my street. But I barely got through finishing this book and I just found it painful.
I think my biggest issue was the writing. I didn't get on with it, which is definitely a personal preference. I found the writing dull and unimaginative and kind of something like I'd write back when I was thirteen. This combined with the highly predictable and eye-roll worthy plot just didn't make for a good book. I thought from reading the premise this would have some kind of unique spin but it didn't.
I found the characters fine, but unmemorable and the ending was also fine.

I just don't think this is the book for me.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jace Rovers is a football player by day and secret Fantasy Romance writer by night. McKenna Storm is just trying to make it through senior year, so she can leave this town & her home life behind. McKenna's plans to fly under the radar are shattered when she saves Jace's secret from being spilled. Now, the whole world thinks she's "WriteEmHard," Jace's undercover writing name on a Wattpad-esque writing platform.

I've always loved Entangled: Crush's books, and this one may be my favorite one. I really liked the plotline evolving Jace's secret writing and McKenna's secret love of acting. Watching these two get closer and develop a relationship was really cute!

Also, shout out to the authors for including content warnings! (there's depictions of bipolar disorder)

Overall, this was a cute & heartwarming tale of two individuals finding their inner strength. I can't wait for the next installments in this series!

Many thanks to Entangled: Crush & NetGalley for this eARC! I really enjoyed reading it! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this story line!! And I'd really like the read the fantasy novel Jace is writing! Sign up me up for an ARC of its release please!

I loved reading about McKenna's journey as she makes her way through high school. She is dealing with so much. Between work, school and her mom's mental health (TW), she even still takes on the stress of helping Jace to hide his secret. Their slow building desire for one another left me remembering my own high school days.

Check this out. It is a cute YA romance, dealing with regular everyday stresses and issues that you can relate to as a reader!


Thank you so much to NetGalley, Kelly Anne Blount & Lynn Rush and Entangled Publishing for the eARC and the opportunity to provide this honest review.