𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑
𝙾𝚊𝚔𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚎 #𝟷
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ:🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️

🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆
⏳ 13𝗛 03𝗠
🎙️𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗻 & 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲

🌸High School Bully Romance
❤️‍🩹Bad Boy x Good Girl
🌸Instant Attraction
❤️‍🩹Virgin Heroine/Player Hero
🌸Secret Society

So I gave this book another chance, I DNF’d the book and thought I could get through it via audio. NOPE. Drew has no redeemable quality, being abused is not an excuse for what he did. And to be honest, the abuse he got from his father is not even that serious to warrant his behavior (this is fiction, I will not downplay any abuse in real life). I don't know if he's trying to convince Maybel or himself that she actually wanted all of this assault. He has the audacity to have a go at the guy who tried to drug Bel, when he's the one who has been assaulting her. And his POV keeps trying to convince me that Bel wanted it, but I don't buy it one bit. The way that the author writes Bel, she keeps refusing verbally, and I don't see enough sign that she actually wanted it? So all sexual encounters feel like grape to me, and it's so icky to listen to. Top it off with Drew's line that basically keeps calling her his whore, the amount of time he said her c*unt is just a warm hole is highly disturbing.

And I don't get how all of a sudden Maybel is supposed to have feelings for him and hurt cause he doesn't want more from her? That is so fucked up if she fell for him after all of the assault with not much real moment or kindness from Drew. Don't even get me started with all the twists that were dumped on me during the third act conflict, what a dumpster fire. If you think that will make me want to read the second book, NOPE. No more from this author.

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧
I have to say the audio was quite good, it's the only reason I was able to get through this book. Both narrators are new to me, and I think they did a good job portraying these characters.

⚠️𝗖𝗪/𝗧𝗪/𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀/𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿⚠️
- Noncon/Dubcon
- Grape
- Period Play
- Primal Play
- Use of Date Rape Drug
- And many, many other thing, please proceed with caution

✿ 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 audiobook 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 Dreamscape Media 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 ✿

The narration was wonderful!!

I love JL’s books they are always entertaining borderline addictive. This one was much the same drawing me in then leaving me jaw dropped scraping for the next! I do wish that there had been a touch more aftercare to balance the bully intensely but otherwise it was great!

4.25/5

This book gives similar vibes to The Ritual by Shantel Tessier or Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a predator/prey romance where the MMC will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Definitely check your trigger warnings before reading, but if you are a dark romance lover this will be a fast favorite.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I am far too wholesome for this one. My vampire smut has everyone consenting. The male in this book doesn't seem to like consent and also he is so crude.
That said his voice is lovely. I just would like to hear him narrating a book about wildlife. I pictured him as a man who specializes in some species of animal in some specific location.
Then he starts saying crude things and I am like "oh no!"
The woman's voice is also beautiful.
This was not my college experience at all.

Let me preface this review by stating that my opinions are based on the fact that NetGalley said "It is a complete standalone that contains a happily ever after." And if you've read this book, you know that nothing could be farther from the truth. This has one of the biggest cliffhangers I've read and is far from an HEA. When reviewing books via NetGalley, I always make a point to avoid the Goodreads for it. I don't want my opinions to be swayed and I want to be objective in my review. Had I looked at Goodreads, I would have immediately seen that "standalone" and "HEA" are wholly inaccurate and my reading experience may have been different.

My biggest frustrations with this book included the central relationship (primarily the MMC) and a variety of plot and world aspects that felt jarring to read.

Within the relationship, I was having trouble coming to terms with the balance of light and dark. The dark and controlling aspects were heavy. The MMC was continually saying that the FMC had no control in their relationship. If she didn't want him around, it didn't matter because he wanted it. There was minimal aftercare (besides one night of cuddling) and very little caretaking (throwing money at her doesn't count). I didn't feel that the light balanced this level of dark and therefore couldn't root for the relationship. Maybe this balance will be found in the entirety of the series, but having expected a standalone book I was just getting more and more frustrated.

There were a few world/character aspects that felt jarring to me to read. First, the sickness of both the mothers. We are never told what this sickness is, only that they are very sick. Second, the MMC's football career. It felt out of place and would randomly pop up. I feel that something like boxing or wresting would have been more true to his character. I just could not picture him being a quarterback and then he'd randomly mention it and I'd be surprised all over again. Third, there is no mention that the FMC also picks up shifts as an events server. Then the big final event of the book comes along and BOOM she's there working. Didn't see that coming, but not because it was a plot twist - it was because the only job that is mentioned is her tutoring.

I also assume that the two big "omg what" reveals at the end will be resolved through the next book. If the one isn't, then I am very disappointed that it wasn't listed as trigger warning because I wouldn't have read this if it was the case.

All of this being said, the audiobook production and narration was probably the only thing that kept me from DNFing. Had I been reading this with my eyes and not my ears, I would have put it down. The narrators were fantastic and perfectly portrayed the characters in my mind. Some of the sexual dialogue was pretty heavy-handed (lots of C strangling P) but the narrators both did such a good job with it that I was able to move past it easily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced listening copy of the audiobook. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I listened to this on audio and the narrators did a great job portraying Drew and Maybell. Ryan Stone especially did such a good job portraying Drew’s hard exterior that only shows signs of weakening for Maybell and Drew’s developing feelings for her.

Maybell enters the Hunt at a chance of $25k - she needs the money to pay for her mother’s expensive medical care. She met Drew before the hunt and to say he’s obsessed with her is putting it lightly. They develop a seemingly odd friendship/relationship but they really do compliment each other. This one had major twists and turns that kept me interested the whole time and I cannot wait for the next book!

Perfect if you like a spicy, secret society, college romance.

Wow wow wow! This is my first JL Beck book and I didnt really know what to expect, but from the synopsis and cover it felt a little dark to me and I WANTED TO LISTEN TO IT!

The Narrators were FABULOUS 🤌🏻👏🏻 and thank GOODNESS the next book comes out April 12 on kindle unlimited because i don’t think i can wait for the next audiobook!!

This story definitely takes you through All the angst and emotions and heartbreak and PLOT TWIST!!!!!

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗲𝘀:
💕Virgin FMC
💕Dark Romance
💕Parental issues
💕Rich vs Poor
💕Alpha Hole
💕Touch her and Die
💕Secret Society

‼️Triggers! There’s definitely some dark stuff in this book proceed with caution ⚠️

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

I’m obsessed. I typically don’t listen to bully romances but this was so good I’m glad I did.
Drew is so unhinged. I loved to hate him. He has a lot of potential to have a redemption. Drew and Bel had intense chemistry and I ate up their entire relationship. I can’t wait to see Bel’s growth in the next book, I hope she stands up for herself!

The ending had me SHOOK! I did not see that coming, and I cannot wait for the next book, I need to know what happens next. I can’t wait to learn more about the other boys especially Sebastian. He’s going to pop off and I’m here for it.

🖤 Dark college romance
🖤 Secret society
🖤 Bad boy x good girl
🖤 Bully romance
🖤 Dual POV
🖤 Touch her and 💀

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I would recommend checking trigger warnings before reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape media and the author for the arc.

I absolutely adored *The Wallflower* by J.L. Beck! This enemies-to-lovers romance set in a prestigious college setting, Oakmont, had me hooked from the very beginning. The chemistry between the fierce and independent Belle and the brooding Drew was palpable and kept me eagerly turning pages.

The author masterfully weaves a complex tale of unexpected love, simmering tension, and emotional depth that left me breathless. Belle's character is strong, relatable, and incredibly well-developed, while Drew's charm and complexity added layers to the story that I couldn't get enough of.

But what truly sets this book apart is the mind-blowing cliffhanger at the end. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Beck delivered a twist that left me reeling and desperate for more. I cannot wait to see where the story goes next!

Overall, *The Wallflower* is a five-star read that combines passion, drama, and suspense in a way that will captivate any lover of romance. J.L. Beck has created a captivating world filled with intrigue and heart, and I cannot recommend this book enough.

I was pulled into this new adult dark romance from the start. Drew, the MMC, is arrogant, forceful, and used to getting exactly what he wants. Maybel (Bel) the FMC is smart, quiet, and generally lives under the radar until she barrels right into Drew’s sight lines. He’s intrigued. She’s disgusted. Then comes the annual Hunt where anything goes in the woods.

It took me a minute to decide if Drew could be redeemable, but I was soon team Drew & Bel. Their backstories are intriguing and troubled, and I was on board to see how their story played out. The question of who is truly "bad' was intriguing to me. Is it the obvious "bad boy" who is undoubtably ruthless but never really crosses some hard lines? Or is it the smiling "good guy" who looks the part but might cross hard lines without a second thought?

Since this is Book One, The Wall Flower ended on a major cliffhanger! And I'm eagerly awaiting Book Two. The narrators, Renee Thorn and Ryan Stone, were very good. I especially liked Ryan Stone's interpretation of Drew who is dark and demanding.

I recommend this book for lovers of dark romance that are willing to hang in there while the most troubled characters grow and change. It will be worth it!

I am not much of a pure romantic genre girl and this proved it to me. I need some witty dark humor or some fantasy because the icks in this book were serving every few lines. This is not for me, but good for you if it is.
Drew is head of the college football team and a millionaire. Bella is a nerdy girl who is dealing with family drama and dwindling finances. They both participate in "The Hunt" and calamity ensues.
One last thing I will say, I know men behave like Drew and his friends, but I don't want to read about it. The idea that women are to be used and discarded is already such a reality in our world that I do not want to pick up a book that just talks about violations so normally.

It was the cover.
I was lured in by the cover when it was first revealed.
Then the blurb because who doesn’t like a good bully romance?
And the plot twists? Chef's kiss.

Each character in this book was intriguing in their own way. All of them have contrasting personalities and moral codes. Something that i loved about Bel is how she fought back against Drew. This is something you don't see as much in dark bully romance. The FMC usually gives in pretty quickly but not her. She held her ground for as long as possible. I think in part thats the reason why she had Drew wrapped around her finger. He looked and wanted now one but her.

The ending was brutal. The plot twists just kept on coming. It's honestly made me excited for book 2 and for Sebastian to get his own book (hopefully!!). He needs one, for sure.

✨️𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬+𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔✨️
- bully romance, college romance, dark and broody mmc, dark romance, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, forced proximity, morally grey, opposites attract, OM drama, plot twists, rich boy x poor girl, secret society, stalker mmc, touch her and 💀
- degradation, dubcon, hand necklaces, possessive mmc, praise, primal play, v!rgin h
- tw: mental health depictions, d0mestic abvse, sick parents (health), blackmail, etc.

Pheeww okay! I devoured the audiobook of The Wallflowers within a day. It was all things spice and suspense and I loved it!

The Wallflower was a fast pace, touch her and die, enemies to lovers, dark romance that started with the hunt which is a chase in the woods. Drew had his eyes set on Maybel after she witnessed an altercation in the library and was set on her being his.

Drew was a super captivating, dark, emotionless MMC. He desired Bel in more ways than one and wasn’t going to give up until he owned her. Drew existed in an elite secret society that his father controlled, while also controlling Drew’s life. The abuse that Drew deals with and keeps bottled up really makes you feel for him.

Maybel came from a poor family of just her single mother, who was sick from cancer. Maybel was willing to do anything to help her mother get experimental treatment, including tolerating Drew by tutoring him so she could afford to pay her mother’s medical bills.

The constant push and pull between Drew and Maybel was raw and captivating. The spice level in this book 🥵 was insane. I think any fan of authors similar to Rina Kent would love this book! It does end on a cliffhanger with a million plot twists all at once and I’m anxiously awaiting the next books release!

The audiobook version was really great! Having two narrators, a man and woman, each play the respected chapters was so helpful with keeping points of views interesting. I think the only way to elevate it more would be to completely have dual points of view so anytime Drew or another male character spoke no matter who’s chapter it was, Ryan Stone narrated, and same for the female parts for Renee Thorn. All and all, a solid audiobook and I would definitely recommend!

Special thank you to author J L Beck, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this early ALC and the opportunity to review!

Thank you NetGalley, the author, dreamscape media, and the publisher for his ARC of The Wallflower in exchange for my honest review.

Spice level is higher than my overall star rating, but let's be honest, I love it when I don't have to work for spice.

The book takes place on The Oakmount College campus and the vibe is secret society-esk. Enemies to lovers troupe comes in heavy and fast with the two main characters, Bel (THE WALLFLOWER) and Drew. Bel is a book nerd who is only there because she was given a scholarship and she is barely scraping by trying to focus on school while being the main caregiver of her sick mother. Drew is a billionaire, (well his daddy is), star football player, and a frat boy who is the president of the super elite secret society

Let the "Hunt" begin. This reminds me of two very popular dark romance other books I've read. It's a game where there is a money prize if you can make it to a certain designated place without getting caught by the men playing the game.

Bel needs the money to take care of her mom, so she finds herself at the hunt being chased by Drew.

Why do I give this book 3.5 stars? There was a lot of plot lines and it seemed a bit frantic trying to pull all the lines together. Which was unsuccessful, to say the least. The author did end leave us on a cliff hanger (SERIOUS BECK!?) I needed to know more!!

IMO this was an addictive read. I can say with confidence that I will finish this series. Even though the ending was confusing, I am invested in Bel and Drew.

Troupes
Secret Society
Dark Romance
Opposites Attract
Enemies to Lovers

"There's no escaping the beast now that you've awakened him, flower."

You have to understand what you're getting when you sit down to listen to The Wallflower.....you are getting a over the top man who claims to never be with the same girl twice that takes a fancy to an innocent nerdy bookworm. Along with this plot there is a "hunt" where guys literally hunt girls to have their way with them wherever they find them "in the wild" of the forest. It's consensual as there is some contract the girls all sign before they choose to participate. Apparently there's prize money if someone makes it through the forest and to the cabin where it's located. Let's just say it's a spicy story and some of the encounters aren't tame. So, read the trigger warnings before you jump in.

Maybell is the proverbial "wallflower" and Drew is the overbearing jock that finds himself becoming obsessed with her. Maybell is dealing with a lot of things - - her mother is sick, they don't have much money and she has to keep her grades up to keep her scholarship. Drew has a toxic relationship with his father, his mother is also sick and he has a lot of emotional baggage. Overall, I thought the general storyline was pretty good and I look forward to the next book since this one left us with a bit of a cliffhanger.

Since I listened to the audiobook, I should say that I felt the narration was done well and fit the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early listening copy of the audiobook.

This far from reinvented the wheel but I did enjoy it. I feel like the hero wanted to be Carter Mahoney so bad but just missed the mark. And I'd love to know who was telling the truth about Bel. Bel was not my favourite heroine but she's the best character in this book by a country mile. Audio was solid but I would have enjoyed oh so much more if it had been done duet style.

!This book ends on a cliff hanger! I really need to be better about reading blurbs or looking into books before I start them because I had no clue what I was getting into and was really upset when I saw I had 20 minutes left in the audio and there were too many loose ends for it to be that close to the end lol oops
This book totally could have been a solid 5 stars for me BUT some of the dialogue/internal monologue was really...cringe? Mainly with MMC. It just felt TOO over the top or awkward in some instances and gave me the ick. I'm definitely eager to start the second book though!

"Even villains need to be loved, Bel."

Absolutely incredible!! I had already read The Wallflower as an ARC so I jumped at the chance to listen to the ALC when I saw it. I devoured it and loved it all over again!! Renee Thorn and Ryan Stone were fantastic narrators, embodying everything about Drew and Maybel. Their thoughts and emotions, their strengths and weaknesses, their flaws and broken pieces, everything they had experienced together. My only criticism is that their voices weren't quite what I had envisioned from reading this the first time. Even though he captured Drew's darkness perfectly, Ryan sounded a little too mature for the role and I think he would be a better fit for a billionaire or dark mafia romance. And Renee sounded more confident and sure of herself, less innocent and naive than Maybel appeared to be. Regardless, I enjoyed their narration and I would love to listen to them more. I'm so excited for the release of The Wildflower and I'm counting the days until I can see Drew and Maybel find their way back together.

***** ORIGINAL ARC REVIEW *****

"Oh, this is only the beginning, little flower. You have no idea the things I could do to you. I could hurt you a little. Break you. Rip those petals off that lush little body you try so desperately to hide."

🖤 Dark Bully Romance
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Rich Boy/Poor Girl
🖤 OTT Possessive/Obsessive MMC
🖤 Virgin FMC
🖤 Secret Society
🖤 Dubious Consent
🖤 Touch Her and Unalive
🖤 Cliffhanger

I am beyond words!! It started with the Hunt, an elite tradition, a chase in the woods, a twisted little game, turning into an absolutely wild ride! Drew set out to capture his wallflower, Maybel, who first appeared on his radar when she witnessed an altercation in the library. He chased her, claimed her, took control in the only way he could.

"Why keep running if you didn’t want me to chase you, little wallflower?”

Drew was so captivating, dark and deviant, unhinged and unapologetic in his actions. He desired Maybel, needed her, became totally obsessed in his quest to make her his. More than morally grey, he was a walking red flag, consumed by her and willing to do anything to own her. Absolutely anything!

Drew and Maybel existed in two different worlds with Drew under the control of his father, unable to make his own choices. Maybel cared about him even though she shouldn't have and could truly see him, the real person behind the mask, wanting him for him, not for what he could give her. I loved when cracks of light came through his darkness in how he protected her and in the love he had for his mother. But was he too damaged, too far gone to hope for anything more?

Maybel was Drew's weakness, raw vulnerability hiding beneath the surface as they both saw deep down to the flaws and broken pieces of each other. She was fierce and sassy, challenging him as she resisted him but that only intensified his obsession. The way he desired her, the way he needed her, pain mixing with pleasure, all of it took my breath away. They made each other feel so much, so deeply, a powerful connection tethering them together.

"He makes me feel more than I’ve ever felt, and somehow, I can’t make him see the destruction he’s causing, what he’s doing to me when I’m already so fragile. He can never build me back up in the way I need. He only knows how to destroy, and there’s only so much heartbreak I can take before I shatter."

The angst, the push and pull, the countless plot twists kept me enthralled in this absolute whirlwind of a story and I cannot wait to see what happens next after that mind-blowing cliffhanger. What was real, what was fake, who could be trusted? I know it’s not over for these two and I loved the crazy roller coaster of emotions they put me through. I was completely caught up in this story. It was so dark and twisted, playing out in ways I never could have imagined. My mind is still spinning in so many different directions with all the unexpected jaw-dropping moments and I'm holding my breath until their story continues.

*****

* Special thanks to author J.L. Beck and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Quotes subject to change at time of publication. Available April 16, 2024. *

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

Wow! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book and have never read any of J.L. Beck’s writing, but it was amazing! I loved this story! It was interesting, fast paced and enough pieces given to keep me reading and reading to find out more! The spicy scenes were sooo good! Loved it! So sad it ended with a cliffhanger and have already added the next book to my list when it releases on 4/26!

I don't even know where to begin. I had know idea what to expect. I have seen this author before and her books always looked good, my type of book. Beck took morally grey to a whole new level. I would hate Drew and them love him. I tend to fall for the overly powerful misunderstood MMCs. She wrote him perfectly. There were so many predictions that I had going through my head throughout the book but not one of them was how this book ended. I have thought about it for two days because I am shocked to say the least. Maybell's relationship with her mom really resonated with me. I adore their closeness. This book is dark and I was not sure at first but ended up loving this book.