Great concept for a book but execution could have been better. Character and story development lacking. However, still enjoyed reading it. I liked the college setting and main romance.

I don’t know what it was that made me request this ARC. I’ve been leaning more towards the lighthearted this year because that’s just where I am mentally right now, but the cover grabbed me, and the description grabbed me, and then this amazing book grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

Wow. The characters are so well-written. The plot is unfortunately far too relatable. But Marchant took a horrible thing and wrapped it up with love, friendship, empowerment, and hope. It is a story that is serious and important but it is hopeful and it is broken up with moments of joy and love and healing. I loved this book so much. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad for providing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All the views and opinions expressed are purely my own and not affiliated with any brand.

This was a very poignant story which unfortunately still rings true and likely will for some time. The story line was gripping and Kate Marchant is able to write a story that has an important theme while also making it entertaining.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc of this book. I like the concept of the story and that it sheds more light on the struggles girl and women go through. I did not connect with the characters the way I would have loved to. A fairly enjoyable read, nonetheless.

Thanks NetGalley and Wattpad Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'm giving 3,5 ⭐ cause my deadline on the app expired, and I didn't have the chance to finish the book on time, as far as i read the characters the characters had me hooked from start to finish making me crave for more and more. The pp is really nice and I'm looking forward to read the rest of this book as soon as possible. 🤩🤩🤩

“Like all the great female journalists who’d sunk their teeth into a forbidden story about a wealthy and well-connected man behaving badly, we were being shot down. Reprimanded. Exiled.”

Entre el 3 y el 4.

Thanks to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Voy a ser sincera: no pensaba que me fuera a gustar tanto. Allá por agosto me puse a mirar lo que había en NetGalley y me encontré con esta premisa estilo enemies to lovers: chica que quiere exponer a un señor como violador/chico que tiene al señor en cuestión como pseudo-figura paterna. Según cómo se desarrollase podía ir muy bien o muy mal, y yo tenía que saber cuál de las dos. Teniendo en cuenta ciertas cosas que se publican, tenía bastantes papeletas para lo segundo, así que me llevé una sorpresa muy agradable. Es literatura juvenil (new adult??) de la buena (eso sí, para quien no le guste: narración en primera persona).

Marchant es capaz de transmitir emociones intensas de forma muy potente y me hizo llorar en el último capítulo. Escribe con soltura, sentido del humor y poniendo mucho de sí misma en la página. Laurel es bilingüe y habla español en varios momentos de la trama. “La gente bilingüe no habla así”, dicen las malas lenguas; mentira, sí que hablamos así, lo que pasa es que es difícil representarlo por escrito y que quede bien. Y ella lo hace tan bien que ya mientras leía supe que tenía una experiencia muy cercana con el bilingüismo.

También supe que tenía que tener una experiencia muy cercana con México y la comunidad latina, porque la identidad de Laurel como mexicana de segunda generación permea en cada página y no se siente tokenizante (aunque de eso sabrán más las latinas que yo) ni como una capa de diversidad puesta sobre un personaje escrito blanco para ganar diversity points. La identidad de Laurel como latina blanca es uno de los aspectos que más definen sus experiencias y, por tanto, algo en lo que la propia Laurel piensa mucho. De hecho, tengo un pequeño problema con la portada, porque si bien Laurel se describe a sí misma como “white” (o lo suficientemente white-passing para que su jefa racista no se dé cuenta de que es medio mexicana hasta que la oye hablar español), en la ilustración de la portada no lo parece. Como bien muestra Marchant en este libro, la experiencia de una latina blanca y la de una no blanca son muy diferentes, y creo que no está bien hacer pasar a una por la otra en la portada.

Laurel es una protagonista muy buena para esta historia. Es una chica de 20 años cualquiera, tenaz y decidida, con algunos momentos de fragilidad. Los secundarios destacan mucho menos, entre ellos el interés amoroso. Quizás sea solo cosa mía, pero no conseguí conectar con él tanto como con Laurel. Hay algunas ideas sueltas, como que deja un examen en blanco, que sus entrenadores lo tratan como si fuera tonto, etc. que no se llegan a explorar nunca. Y en parte me alegro: la historia tenía que centrarse en desenterrar la verdad sobre el entrenador y en cómo Bodie tiene que enfrentarse a que alguien a quien le tiene mucho cariño haya resultado ser una persona horrible. Incluir el resto de conflictos suyos habría distraído nuestra atención de lo principal, y creo que la autora lo sabía.

De todas formas no creo que esté muy bien resuelto el saber que alguien a quien queremos ha hecho cosas terribles. Son sentimientos complejos y la respuesta que les da Laurel en el libro me parece bastante simplista. No es tan fácil sacarse de encima el amor. También hubo algunos capítulos que me parecieron un poco fuera de lugar en la historia, que no aportaban mucho o que no tenían que ver con el tema central.

Diga lo que diga la sinopsis, la trama romántica es secundaria en este libro. Lo que hace avanzar todo el argumento (incluso el romance) es la investigación del reportaje y todo lo que acarrea. Laurel y sus compañeras del periódico son atacadas y desprestigiadas por todos los frentes en cuanto publican el primer artículo. Es absolutamente descorazonador, porque cosas como las que salen en el libro ocurren en la vida real todos los días. “Miente”, “lo dice para llamar la atención”, “está instrumentalizando el movimiento Me Too”, el respaldo institucional del patriarcado que encubre misóginos y agresores. Pero también la indignación de las víctimas y de la gente que las apoya, la movilización, la esperanza.

No sé, chicas, me gustó mucho. Espero que si lo traducen al español lo traduzcan bien.

P. D. Ojalá antes de que salga cambien las referencias a margaret thatcher y a kanye… un poco desafortunadas 🥴

I was able to read this for free thanks to Net Galley, although that does not affect my opinion of the actual book. There were definitely some errors within the writing, but that may be changed by the time this book is actually published. It took me awhile to really get into the story and it wasn’t necessarily anything memorable, which is why it’s receiving a 3/5 for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. Fast read and quite good. I saw a blurb about it and it looked interesting. Glad that I did read it. While it is set in a college setting (I’m way past that age) it was interesting to read. Laurel works at the school newspaper and gets a top of the head football coach no longer being sober and up to very bad things.

As happens with many stories things go awry fast. In getting people to believe what was being uncovered and seeing if people would go with the truth or protect the perpetrators.

So often you see powerful people being protected despite overwhelming evidence that those people have done wrong. This is instead seeing a different ending where the powerful do fall, yet you still see their supporters trying to justify what happened or that people who tell the truth are still lying.

Overall a good read and if you pay any attention to how the powerful get away with things, this book may give you a bit of solace seeing different choices made, especially when those who can make a difference actually take that responsibility on.

3.75/5 stars! I thought this Whistleblower premise was great and it really paid off in the story. Laurel and Bodie were a grumpy sunshine pairing that had enemies-to-lovers energy. What I appreciated the most was that the primary storyline was emphasized, which so many books fail at as they prioritize the love story element. The only part that was challenging for me was the different timelines within the story. It got confusing at times.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Firstly, thank you so much to Kate Marchant, Wattpad Books and Netgalley for giving me access to a free eARC in exchange for objective feedback prior to publication!

I'm glad stories like this exist, because we need them. The #metoo plot was great and multi-faceted, and I really liked the way it played out. Unfortunately, I couldn't fall in love with this one because of the romance and the characters since I never felt truly connected to the characters, even the main character. Additionally, I felt like the romance was lacking at times and didn't even need to be part of the book.

I hope people looking for books similar to Moxie and The Nowhere Girls check out this one!

OMG this book is AMAZING!! Kate knows what she;s doing! If you want a book that will make you love the characters and grab you from start to finish then this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad Books for allowing me to read this ARC early.

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story. I guess because I've seen juicier news about politicians that this football coach's drinking and subsequent actions didn't really seem all too exciting at the beginning of the book that it prevent me from really getting into it.

TW - Sexual Assault and Harassment

I read this book on Wattpad for the first time and well I did like it a lot. It was so good with its cliffhangers and jokes and who doesn’t love a college sports romance right?

I loved how the issues were dealt with in the book and all the conflicts just seemed a lot more realistic. I would have preferred a little bit more romance being completely honest. They had great banter but it was shown too less for my liking. One of the problems I had with the Wattpad original as well as the published version is the pacing. The plot seems to strech more than it should because in the start I loved it but slowly by the time I reached the end it felt like a drag.

Lauren and Bodie were well together ne if just a little more banger would be there I would’ve given this a 4 stars.

The Whistleblower is a fast reading story taking place at Garland University in Ca,, focused on a potential scandal involving the head coach of the school’s top ranked football team. Laurel Cates, a university student and writer for the school’s news site, tries to bring allegations to light but her efforts are immediately quashed by the university. The story then unfolds as she becomes part of a secret team tasked with investigating further. Complicating matters, Laurel has a crush on the quarterback, with whom she’s also partnered for a shared class project. The dynamic of Bodie as both a source and her crush leaves her conflicted throughout the investigation.
I enjoyed the spot-on references to collegiate life, parties, drinking and its consequences. I enjoyed the true friendships explored between Laurel, Hanna, and Andre, as well as the nature of more typical ones with her classmates. The relationships are all a step up from high school, angst ridden drama, but not quite complex adult relationships. Whistleblower protections are serious and important and although this is the title of the book, I didn’t think the story focused quite enough on that. Instead there was much description of the consequences of being a whistleblower for Laurel, Bodie, the Garland housewives. It took a lot of courage by the most influential character to step up and finally lend credibility to what had been uncovered, and at unknown cost to that person in the end. It goes to demonstrate, albeit fictitiouly, how empowered and untouchable those involved in multimillion dollar departments can be, especially in sports.
Laurel has the benefit of a loving family, a few good friends, and a few trusted workmates to carry her through but in real life the consequences can be much worse and longer lasting, I thought this book gave a good first look at what can be out there and how hard it is to find justice in these situations without whistleblowers, who often suffer as much as victims of the crimes being investigated.
Oh, and the will it or won’t it happen romance between Laurel and Bodie makes it that much more enjoyable!

Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

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

I have such a soft spot for high school love story about cliques and how opposite attracts. This time, its stubborn, snarky high school journalist versus dreamy, popular star quarterback, swoon.

Whistleblower

My request in NetGalley was approved by the publisher, so thank you Wattpad books!

My Rating: 3.5 / 5 🌟

Before we get started, I do want to point out that while the book does take place in a college setting and deal with heavy topics (tw for sexual assault, misogyny, bullying, rape, date rape), it very much feels like a YA Contemporary book, which is EXACTLY what the targeted audience is for this book.

I’m not saying it’s a bad thing but I just wanted to give y’all a heads up. And with that being said, I will be reviewing this from the perspective of a YA reader.

I’m fully aware that this was a Wattpad book and I was actually close to picking up the Wattpad version when I decided to request for an e-ARC instead, so I could at least add in to my Reading Goal if I got approved. 😂

Anyway, I did get approved, so here’s my review.

Y’ALL THIS BOOK WAS GOOD. I’m genuinely impressed. I love the characters in this one and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from the main character, Laurel’s point of view. She was pretty much a simple college journalist who wants to do the right thing. Her drive for the truth was always visible throughout the story, but her fears of the consequences of unpacking this scandal was also there, giving way for readers to really view her as not just a character, but a friend to root for.

The plot of the story has great potential, but with great potential comes a greater to pressure to deliver. And personally, I did Kate did a fantastic job with it. While this book does deals with with sensitive issues, Kate also did not take away the aspect of the story being set in college, adding comedic relief to the story occasionally with the other characters and Laurel’s attempt at surviving as a day-to-day college student.

And of course because I’m a sucker for a romance subplot, I got to give a shoutout to Kate for writing the sweetest college boy that is Bodie St. James. 🥺 Having him as the love interest in the book was obviously the way to go in order for the book to have its full impact. Having to see Bodie struggle on doing the right thing which will go against the person he looked up to, really added up to his involvement and development in the story.

Objectively, this was GREAT book. Great story, great characters and great execution of the promised premise. However, on a personal reader enjoyment level, this is just isn’t something I would personally go back to, thus my rating is the highest I can give to it.

All in all, I had a mostly fun time reading this book. A story about empowerment, stepping up to do what’s right and using your voice. And I would definitely recommend it YA readers.

I was immediately drawn into the setting at Garland, a fictional school, but really could be any university. Meet cute in an elevator? Say no more. I was hooked. The supporting characters really make this book!

Andre - boy bestie and all around good guy. Every girl needs an Andre
Hanna - girl bestie, and leading lady in her own right
Bodie - hottie QB with a conscious
Mehri - co-writer of the school newspaper & friend
Kyle - the asshole football player, everyone knows him in some way, shape or form unfortunately
Vaughn - head football coach and sleazeball

I loved the bold side of Laurel, the one that would tell a hot, star QB to eat shit because I was that girl too. This is a book about finding your voice, acknowledging your privilege and then actually using it for good.

“Nice people care about other people’s feelings. Good people care about what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s an important distinction”

Absolutely adored whistleblower!!! I remember when this was initially on wattpad and I loved it. It’s so good. Can’t wait to read more of this author’s books!!

4.8/5

What a powerful, intriguing story.

The message this book is sending out to readers is important…it’s a problem many people face, scared to speak out about rape, assault, etc, terrified that they won’t be heard, and many times their not heard, their voices are mere whispers in a room of millions.

This book is more than a hot quarterback and a writer falling in love! The romance is a sprinkle to the message this is sending,

It’s important to remember that bad people can be hidden in plain sight and that allegations should always be taken seriously, and not lightly, they should be looked into.

This is a story about a college journalist who has a strange feeling about the couch on the college's football team, she has this gut feeling she can’t shake, and the sprinkle of evidence she has makes her need more answers until everything is turned upside down and she realizes who the true people she needs to keep in her life are.

She decides to interview the quarterback (pretty sure that’s the title, idk sports) to see if he knows anything about the situation she’s looking into…and there it begins,…yummy is what I’d call the chemistry between them.

I loved this story, it was impactful, and painful to realize this stuff does happen, but it’s such an important read! More than a romance (again small amount of romance in it, just a couple of kisses, nothing explicit)

Really recommend it, and I feel like a proud mom to see this Wattpad book being published (I read this a while ago on their and had to reread it when I realized it was being turned into a paperback)

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, Wattpad Books for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review*

I read this book in 24 hours. No, no, I devoured this book in 24 hours. Yeah! Read this book. It's what you're imaging it would and so much more. I implore you. Read it!