I received an ARC thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a blast. I haven't read YA contemporary romance in a while, but I blew through this book so quickly. In the absolute best way, this book read like fan fiction. From prank wars to fake dating to boarding school drama, this book really had it all. I especially loved the Midwest setting for the famed Weston and Winfield schools as someone born and raised in Indiana. So often boarding school drama takes place on either coast, and while I enjoy them nevertheless, it was so refreshing to have a story set in familiar territory.

The romance plot between Doe and Wells, our two fake-lovebirds, was a treat to read, and I loved every scene they were in. I do wish we had seen more of them, honestly, but what we did get was fun, devious, and heartwarming. At first, I really did think something was going on between Three and Doe, and while I expect I was supposed to, I was left a little confused on just how the rivalry between Three and Doe started and why it was so important.

Most of my own hangups about the merger that threatens the future of all-girls Weston were actually addressed within the narrative, and most of my complaints about Doe's character were similarly anticipated, which was a breath of fresh air. I can have a hard time with single-minded characters like Doe, especially when the story itself seems blind to their pitfalls, but I have to hand it to Markum, I was really impressed with how she handled both.

At times, I do think the story stretched too far. While I loved how much content Markum covered, there were a few places she spread herself a bit too thin. I wish there had been some more development of the side characters (ie Doe's friends and some of the other Wellborns), who I found intriguing but not often present. I also was not the hugest fan of Doe's big secret reveal, which felt much more hyped than what it turned out to be, and which quickly it became irrelevant. Because so much is being juggled in this book, the world itself can feel a little shallow.

Overall this book was fun, fast paced, and original, and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, engaging romp of a story. Doe's entire life is Weston, her Weston girls, and the rivalry they have with neighboring boarding school Winfield. Things seems dire after it's announced that Weston and Winfield will soon merge... and when Doe spies an opportunity to annoy Winfield ringleader Three and take down the enemy from the inside by fake dating his enigmatic cousin Wells? Of course she jumps at the chance. But as most often do, this one lie soon spirals into many, and Doe finds herself the villain of her own story. Just what lengths is Doe willing to go to in order to win the prank war and stop the looming merger between the two feuding schools?

Doe is an incredibly compelling, complex character. At the start of the book, I thought I knew exactly the type of character she was: headstrong, clever, and kind. As the story goes along, you realize that while Doe is indeed all of these things, she is also self-centered and can't see past her own goals. She causes a lot of hurt to various people during the book—including her best friends—but I love that she does. I couldn't help but think that if this were any other book, it might be written from the pro-merger and not-as-popular Virginia's POV, or even sweet and anxious Gemma's. But it is Doe who tells this story, and it is also Doe who sinks to her lowest and ultimately comes out of it realizing what's really important. You don't often see this type of character in fiction, but I absolutely love coming across them. Doe never sacrifices what she believes in—she just realizes the way she views those things needs to change.

At the end of the day, this is the perfect title for readers who love fake dating, school plots, excellent character development, and realistic depictions of complex friendships.

As a note: this book does include descriptions of sexual harassment and grooming, so if these are at all uncomfortable topics with you, please take care when reading.

This may end badly by Samantha Markum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date is 4/12/2022💕
This was a great YA contemporary romance. Two boarding schools are in a prank war when Doe decides to really get under her rival Three’s skin by fake dating his cousin Wells. This had some great lessons on friendship and trusting your parents. The romance was very cute and playful. There were moments when I was laughing out loud and smiling like crazy. Doe is a strong female character. Wells is such a wonderful character as well. He is so supportive and just an all around great fake boyfriend and friend. Sex is discussed but does not actually happen. This will be a great book for teens struggling with relationships with their friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, and parents. Highly recommend. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished This May End Badly, and it was completely adorable! I was worried that I am aging out of contemporary YA, but this book had me laughing out loud. A long time rivalry between an all-girls boarding academy and the all-boys one across the way brings out all the pranks. Doe and her friends are mortal enemies to the Winfield Academy boys, especially their leader, Three. When Doe hears the schools are planning a merge, she buckles down to do everything she can to prevent it, and to get into Three's head any way she can... Even if that means fake dating his cousin.

The pranks in this book were so wonderful and creative. I loved how the book covered serious topics and how they banded together to come to solutions. ❤❤

Thanks for the ARC @netgalley and @stmartinspress. This book releases April 12, 2022!

Beautiful writing and character interactions. I'd compare the writing style to that of Casey McQuiston, which is nothing but a compliment. It's definitely a worthy read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Interesting and a good read. I recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. This book is set at an all girls boarding school across the street from an all boys boarding school. The schools are rivals, and the main charater, Doe (short for Dorothy), is a ringleader in playing pranks on the boys' school. There's also a teen romance involved for Doe, which I enjoyed. However, one of the side stories - a teacher who is preying on vulnerable young female students - bothered me. It comes out that while there have been numerous complaints against this teacher over the years, no action has ever taken place. I find that appalling. Additionally, the students try to "handle" the teacher themselves, something I don't think we should be promoting with young adults.

A fun fast paced romcom with characters that you root to end up together! A perfect beach read that will have readers smiling throughout!!

4.5 stars!

Really enjoyed the ride, following prank mastermind Doe and her clever friends in their feud against 'the boys' of the nearby rival elite boarding school. They've all set out to prove to both administrations that Weston girls and Winfield boys are seriously against their schools merging, with some rather creative methods. Elite boarding schools with rich histories and traditions was the perfect setting for unsupervised shenanigans.

I loved the slow burn, enemies-to-lovers after fake-dating between Doe and Wells, and all the ways this affected Doe's group of friends and Wells' complicated family life. These characters are all well-developed and have realistic and relatable reactions to things. I also really appreciated that both Doe and Wells' parents were loving and supportive, despite some dysfunction between cousins and other relatives.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC version of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great lighthearted funny read with surprising depth. I went into this expecting a romcom about a girl growing up, school rivalry, falling in love. It had all that, but it also explored relationships—friends, enemies, love interests—as well as examined the idea that change can be necessary and good, that what works for someone won’t work best for all, and using your voice and platform for good. Doe was hilarious and relatable, and her relationship with her friends was such a treasure. I really enjoyed this one.

I really wanted to love this one. I really thought I was going to love this one. Seriously, it had enemies-to-lovers and pranks, two things I absolutely love in books. But somehow, this missed the mark completely.

I think my main problem with this was the romance. It was enemies-to-lovers, yes, but it failed completely. Wells and Doe had no chemistry. Like at all. I was hoping that Three and Doe would get together the entire book. They had so much more chemistry, and their romance would've been so much more fun to read.

Other than that, I'm really not sure why I was so unimpressed by this one. The plot was fine, the characters were fine, but the romance sucked. Some people loved it, but it wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Samantha Markum for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I loved every minute of this YA novel! What's. not to love?
~Two schools fighting over a rivalry that has been around for generations
~Multiple school pranks
~Two people working towards one goal (fake dating to get under someone's skin
~A close-knit friendship between a group of girls
~An unwanted/suspected romance
It had me laugh out loud, holding my breath in suspense This novel had two main characters, Doe and Wells, who separately, were intriguing, fun, and dynamic. But together, they bring out the best of each other. This is a book I will read over and over again just t enjoy the chemistry between the characters and amazing writing.

The one thing that I didn't like in this story was the PE teacher and how the students felt so uncomfortable around him. It made for an interesting side story, but the fact that this was happening for so many years and no one said anything, or the ones that did, it got pushed under the rug.

I rate this book a 5/5!

I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I greatly enjoyed this novel from start to finish. It touches on so many important concepts, such as bullying, LGBTQ relationships, and sexual harassment. Doe is a strong, independent young lady and her conviction knows no bounds. She will risk everything if she believes it to be the right thing to do. Although her decisions are questionable at times, her morality and sense of right and wrong are pretty on point. I think the author explores so much about being a teenager in today's society, and for a debut, she does it expertly. I was, however, a little disappointed in all the f-bombs. I appreciate that this is how people talk, but it makes it more difficult to recommend this novel to a younger audience for that reason.

*Actual rating is a 4.5*

I love any book that gives my stomach butterflies and this definitely did. Plus, I love a faking dating trope. The story follows a pranking war between an all girls school and an all boys school that has been going on for generations. But it specifically focuses on Doe and vengeance over Three. But things begin to unfold when the decision is made to merge the two schools together. Doe doesn't want this to happen and she enlists Wells as her fake boyfriend to piss Three off and to stir up trouble. But the deeper Doe goes in with her lies and deceit the more difficult for her it is to get out of her lies.

While this had lighthearted elements there also were difficult topics addresses in the book and I appreciate how Markum addresses those topics.

Overall, I couldn't put this down. It was a funny, warm, heartfelt book that kept me interested from the first to last page. There were so many good twists and turns too!
Samantha Markum really nailed this particular genre and trope. I will definitely plan on purchasing this book once it releases next year. Like I said, who doesn't love a good fake dating trope especially when it is done well.

Thank you to Samantha Markum and Netgalley for giving me permission to read this!

This is a well written book that I 100% enjoyed reading. There was a whirlwind of hate, love and learning that drew me in from the start and kept me reading until the end. Miss Markus did a beautiful job at showing character development in all of the characters while also making them fun and relatable. This was the perfect book to draw me out of my reading slump.

This is an absolute must-read if you like fake dating. The rivalry and ‘games’ played between characters really adds a level of questioning what’s really going on and what’s going to happen next. The story as a whole is just funny while bringing up serious subjects while still being light-hearted about it. Honestly very good read and highly recommend.

Look, after the YA market over-saturated the fake dating trope, to the point where I couldn't tell if Wattpad or B&N had more titles in that category, I was convinced I'd never want to pick up something with this trope ever again. Well, hats of to Samantha Markum, because I ATE. THIS. BOOK. UP.

What I loved especially about the fake dating trope between Doe and Wells is that it wasn't the main focal point to the book. It was tied in to the rest of the story, to the enemies pranking war, and a way to get under the skin of Three. Markum incorporated so many tropes that I've had issues with in the past... and completely restored my faith in them. The fake dating, rival boarding schools, an insane amount of genius pranks, and a female empowerment moment that gave me the same rush Avengers: Endgame did. (Y'all know which scene I'm talking about ;) )

The story starts off with this intense pranking war and a rivalry between an all girls and all boys school that has been going on for generations. Doe and Three, in particular, have a vengeance to one up each other that puts most other YA enemies to shame. With her group of tight-knit friends, they work on upping their pranking status each time the boys fire back. All that comes crashing down, however, when it's announced that the two schools will merge into one. Doe makes it her personal mission to ensure this doesn't happen, and enlists Wells' help as a fake boyfriend to piss Three off in the process. But as schemes begin getting the best of her, Doe finds herself a little too deep in a sea of deceit and lies that quickly catches up to her.

I tore through this book within half a day. I straight up could not put it down, even with eating or doing my massive load of laundry. It was funny, heartfelt, and a great reminder of how terrifying growing up can be. While going through these pages, I had moments of flashbacks to my own senior year of high school, where nothing felt certain and everything seemed out of reach. For readers that are more of age with the confines of this book, I think it will be a refreshing gesture of reassurance that you DON'T need to have it all figured out when your diploma is handed to you.

This May End Badly is a book I will be camped outside B&N to grab the moment it's released. (I already put an alert in my calendar for it). I look forward to seeing more of Samantha Markum's work, she's converted me back into a YA fiend. I feel even the review I've given didn't hold enough enthusiastic raving to give this justice. But Markum has proven that when the cliché tropes are done, and done well, the YA genre really reigns supreme.

I want nothing more than the ability to go back and read this book again for the first time. I loved every single thing about This May End Badly. The characters were well written, the friendships and romance were fun and exciting, and the issues the students faced were compelling and relevant. This was been my favorite YA read in a long time. I cannot recommend it enough, and I can’t wait to see what Samantha Markum writes next!

*a high 4.5

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an early copy of this book to review!!

I had so much fun reading this story! It's been too long since I've read a romance that gave me butterflies like this did, and kept me up at night because I had to know what came next. I could not put this down! It played in my head like a movie and for whatever reason, it gave me Parent Trap vibes. I couldn't stop thinking about Hallie and Annie pranking each other at camp in the beginning of the film!

I love Does as a main character; she definitely deserves it. She care so deeply and I love that about her. I love how much she cares for her friends and for what she believes in. You can literally see her development from the start of the book all the way to the end. Her doubts are nothing I haven't felt in my own life and I appreciated being able to relate to her.

If I wasn't sure how I felt about fake dating trope, I'm so sure now. Samantha Markum did it so well. I fell incredibly hard for their relationship and kept smacking the table, desk, pillow in front of me because I just wanted them to confess their real feelings so bad. Wells is absolutely adorable and so one of my new book boyfriends!!

I knocked off 1/2 a star mostly because of the end. It felt like "they all got what they wanted and lived happily ever after." That's not bad AT ALL, and of course I wasn't looking for a bad ending. It just felt abrupt. I think I just needed a little more something.

I can't end without acknowledging the subtle nods toward the University of Michigan. This school is very close to me in more ways than one and I love the way Markum brought it into the story.

I absolutely cannot wait to own my very own physical copy in April 2022!!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This May End Badly was so much fun to dive into. I think I might just be a sucker for all kinds of chaos when it comes to rivalries. Plus, a school one where they are right across the street from each other sounds like a lot of fun. Or maybe it's just me?

After meeting the mastermind of almost all the great pranks, it didn't take me long to actually like Doe. The girl had so many secrets throughout the book that I just kept waiting for them to come out to play. Which, yes, they did in a very chaotic way but I was glad that everything was out in the open. It just sucks that all the drama unfolded into her group of friends.

Besides her, I also really liked getting to know Wells. Yeah, he was from the all boys school but together they just made me smile. He definitely helped her out of her revenge shell and I just think they were becoming true friends. Even though they were fake dating and that actually never ends up being fake.

Other than that, I hate the creepy ass teacher and I was so proud of everyone standing up. It honestly went on for way too long and I'm still suspicious of the girls headmaster. Ugh. Then there's the way this book freaking ended and I'm just dying. I can definitely see the rivalry between two schools going on forever and ever.

May their college days never be boring.