My lessons learned: blurbs can be deceiving and to let go of my unjust prejudices against the YA genre.

To be honest, when I got approved for the ARC, I wasn't even sure any more why I'd requested it in the first place. While I'm gradually warming up to contemporary YA, I'm not usually big on hate-to-love romance, and the synopsis sounded so much like petty high school teen drama. The only reason I even started this book when I did was to get it over with.
Boy, was I ever wrong. Ingrid Paulson blew me out of the water with this one.

So there's Harper. Harper has a firm set of rules she lives and acts by, never straying from them even if that makes her a school pariah. That is, until Sterling Lane, the new boy at her boarding school starts pushing her buttons in a way no one ever has, and her twin brother Cole gets tangled up in trouble that might get him expelled. Convinced that it's not a coincidence that all the mess began at the exact same time that Sterling started hanging out with Cole, Harper starts her own investigations on the charming manipulator. He doesn't know what he's in for.
And thus starts a thrilling and hilarious battle of wills, pranks and emotions none of them would have ever expected.

If there's one thing I've learned since I started reading YA and NA novels, it's how hard it is to pull off the bad boy vs. good girl trope without getting lost in a sea of clichés. There's just too much that can go wrong, such a fine line between bad boy and insufferable, obnoxious douchebag, and between good girl and stuffy, boring weakling. I don't know how she did it, but Paulson walked that line with such an unexpected ease that I often felt like I should have, if not hated, then at least disliked the two protagonists, but for the love of me just couldn't.
Don't get me wrong, there were times when I was mentally begging Harper to punch the smug smirk out of Sterling's face, or when I just couldn't help but roll my eyes at her rule-abiding perfectionist ways. But the thing is, I still loved them for their personalities and their flaws. Both of them were absolutely amazing characters.

I might even go as far as to claim that Harper and Sterling are my new favorite romance couple. The banter, the tension, their strong wills and wits. I had so much fun reading this book, switching between aggravation, swooning and cracking up so many times I never knew what to expect next. I loved how they both influenced each other for the better without even noticing it.

Add to that the fact that this book didn't have the typical YA feeling to it, and I was a goner from the start.
The characters were mature (most of the time) and strong-willed, there were no bitchy co eds, no jealousies, nothing that felt contrived only to add more drama to the mix. What you'll get instead is a devilishly funny yet profound hate-to-love romance, a couple to ship, an unlikely but beautiful friendship, a well-construed mystery, a prank war, few but thus all the more lovable supporting characters and a touching twin sibling relationship.

I seriously can't wait to read more of this author's amazing writing.

Per her 537 rules, Harper Campbell keeps her life tidy—academically and socially. But the moment Sterling Lane transfers into her tiny boarding school, her twin brother gets swept up in Sterling’s pranks and schemes and nearly gets expelled. Harper knows it’s Sterling’s fault, and to protect her brother, she vows to take him down. As she exposes his endless school violations, he keeps striking back, framing her for his own infractions. Worst of all, he’s charmed the administration into thinking he’s harmless, and only Harper sees him for the troublemaker he absolutely is.

As she breaks rule after precious rule in her battle of wits against Sterling and tension between them hits a boiling point, she’s horrified to discover that perhaps the two of them aren’t so different. And maybe she doesn't entirely hate him after all. Teaming up with Sterling to save her brother might be the only way to keep from breaking the most important rule—protecting Cole.

What I really love about books like this is that at the end the hero has a story that shows he has redemptive qualities. I love Sterling and I might be in the minority, but I found him endearing. He reminded me of a friend I grew up with. That kid that always tugged your pigtails and yet picked relentlessly on you and then fell in love with Harper. Oh, Harper, you're a mess!! You need to throw your rules away girl!! Just let go of your 537 rules and let your hair down some. You probably have a rule that helps you pee. That's how rule focused you are. I know girls like this. When Harper starts to loosen up and give Sterling back some of what he's dishing out...I wanted to cheer. They are both a breath of fresh air. I found a couple editing issues but the truth is - it just didn't detract me enough to go...subtract a star - sure. I thought that the content was enough that it made up for it. The heat between these two was off the charts, but the sexual content was minimal. I thought it would be appropriate for 18 and over ages and maybe even 16. Well done and I would definitely read anything else by this author!!

I was given a copy of this ARC from the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review. All of the above comments are my express opinions and no one else's.

Adorable young adult romance! I love the enemies to lovers trope and this one was done perfectly.

*2.5 Stars*

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Harper has an insanely long list of rules to keep her life in order. She is the best in her classes at her boarding school, and she takes care of her brother with the rest of her time. One day, her brother's roommate leaves and is replaced by the terrible Sterling Lane, who has been kicked out of other boarding schools in the past. They immediately clash, hate each other, and start a competition of wills.

I could not get into this book. I didn't like any of the characters, but I especially did not like Harper. Even before Sterling did anything, Harper decided she hated him and set out to make his life miserable. Her rules were annoying, and most of them didn't even make sense. Sterling was not that bad of a character, and it turns out that he was trying to help people all along, but she made a snap decision and was hateful most of the book. Even when they were flirting, she obviously hated him and yelled at him every time they kissed! The plot line with her brother at least moved the story along somewhat, but it was not a realistic storyline.

Harper is a very complicated girl, who has adopted an astounding 537 rules in order to stay in control of her life. She arrives to classes 30 minutes early to secure her preferred seat, sets alarms to remind her when it is time to switch subject while studying. She is a case study in discipline. When Sterling Lane makes his appearance, it is immediately apparent, that he is the exact opposite of of Harper. What begins as an unlikely alliance, in an attempt to exonerate her twin brother and save him from expulsion, grows and changes both Harper and Sterling.

This was a cute enemies to lovers story. There were parts I loved, parts I liked and wish there were more of, and parts that left me meh. My final impression was good, though, due to the strong and delightful ending.

What I Liked
Harper was rather awesome. She was living by her own rules, and I can appreciate a girl who doesn't let the crowd steer her decisions. She had all these adorable quirks, like how she baked when she was stressed, and her rules, so many rules, which when I learned why she adopted them, sort of tugged at my heartstrings. Most of all, I loved how she grew and changed during the story, but didn't lose herself. Rather, she found a better version of herself.

Sterling was quite the alpha-hero. He constantly challenged any and all rules, but he eventually realized he was doing it for the wrong reasons. It was apparent, that Sterling had a heart of gold in there from many of his actions (his sister, Cole, his grandmother), but it was buried under all his errant ways. With Harper challenging him, he also changed for the better. He didn't lose all his bad boy swag, but he realized he wanted more for himself and was not going to sacrifice his needs and wants just to contrary. I also swooned at how he desired Harper's fire. He didn't want her to change, he liked her quills and all, and that is a great message to send to the young women out there.

The romance was so sweet. Both Harper and Sterling would let a little hint slip here and there. They had there hormonal moments, which sent Harper running. In the end, it was Sterling, who made the grand gesture. He knew he needed to, and I must admit, I wore a huge grin on my face that entire final chapter.

This message of acceptance was all over this story as far as I could see. Both Harper and Sterling were fighting for acceptance from their difficult fathers. In addition, Harper was never really embraced by her peers due to her rigid and quirky ways. What they found, was that they could not really earn that acceptance until they started to veer from their rules. But what drove this deviation from their rule system, was a sort of self acceptance. When they addressed their own needs and desires, thus, accepting themselves, others saw them differently. I can get on board with that message.

What I Wish There Was More Of
I really enjoyed seeing the changes in Harper. Seeing her make friends, and begin to really be part of it all without changing all her core beliefs. I enjoyed Harper's interactions with Kendall so much. Another example of characters bringing out the best in each other. Harper helped Kendall reach some realizations just as much as Kendall helped her. Most of all, Kendall accepted all parts of Harper. It was a very nice symbiotic relationship, and I would have enjoyed more of that. I also found the parts where the whole gang: Harper, Kendall, Parker, and Cole, were all involved quite fun. The banter, the pranks, the basic interactions were amusing.

What I Found Meh
I was not into the whole Cole plot. I found I had little interest in that storyline, although I believe it is the driving force for bringing Harper and Sterling together. I don't know. I would have liked to have more hijinks. It was not a terrible storyline, and I get why it was there, and it drove the story in a certain direction, but I just wasn't feeling it. Not bad, not good, just there.

Overall: A cute enemies to lovers story, filled with hijinks, fun, and a great message of acceptance.

“Why I Loathe Sterling Lane” was an interesting book about Harper and the new student, Sterling. Harper and her twin brother attend an elite boarding school, where Harper lives her life strictly by a set of 537 rules. She is determined to do well in school and to take care of her brother Cole (rule number 1). Sterling is new to their school and arrives there only because he’s been kicked out of all the other elite boarding schools. Sterling seems to be in a lot of Harper’s classes, and he quickly becomes her enemy with made up diseases and saying she would take notes for him. To make matters worse, he’s rooming with Cole, and seems to be a bad influence on him.

Cole has landed himself in some trouble- he has told his lacrosse team that they had enough money for some new equipment when they did not (and now it is purchased and he needs to get 5k fast). Harper is determined to help him- and to get rid of Sterling. In the process, she learns that she knows less about Cole than she thought and maybe Sterling isn’t as bad as she thought he was. They begin an escalating war of trying to get the other into trouble with some impressive antics. Harper eventually realizes that she needs Sterling’s help to follow rule 1 and help Cole.

The beginning of the book was really hard to read- I almost quit because Harper was really hard to like and we only get her perspective. She makes enemies really easily and gets really worked up over very small things. Later in the book, she begins to grow into a more realistic human. Her hatred of Sterling was a little tough to understand earlier in the book (she definitely overreacts), but as more happened, it started to feel more plausible. I really enjoyed the second half of the book! There’s something to be said for hate turned to romance, and the second half of the book does this pretty well.

Some of the side characters were really fun in this book, such as Kendall- Harper’s new roommate and stereotypical popular girl. She developed really nicely, and I loved the tidbits we had with her. Harper was pretty annoying at first but grew on me by the end- and Sterling was a pretty fun character. I’d actually like to see a sequel to this book, maybe with some of the side characters. The setting was interesting and would be fun to see what happens with some other romances (as well as what happens with Harper and Sterling). This book really grew on me over time- I’d give the second half 5 stars and the first half 3 stars, so I am averaging to 4. Overall, it was a pretty fun book and a good summery read!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I received a copy of this from Entangled Teen through netgalley.

I know I was supposed to loathe Sterling Lane, but I kind of loved him. Harper drove me crazy with her rules and how uptight she was. It made the first half of the book a bit tough for me, but I loved the second half. Once Harper lightened up a bit (and got a friend), she was much easier to like and the rest of the book was great. The banter and disagreements between Harper and Sterling really made the book for me.

I found this book quirky and enjoyable to read. I was able to read it quickly which was nice. I loved this story though.

I love a great battle of the wits romance. This book is a modern day Taming of the Shrew of sorts. The characters and their voices are wonderfully written. The competition between Harper and Sterling is so much fun to read. I love how Harper's protecting her twin brother Cole sweeps her into Sterling's hijinks and she's forced to step outside her carefully planned life to save her brother but she has to team up with Sterling - her archenemy to do so. It's one scheme after another - and the thing with the Mini Cooper - ingenious. I can't wait to share this book with my YA book club! Loved it!


As she breaks rule after precious rule in her battle of wits against Sterling and tension between them hits a boiling point, she’s horrified to discover that perhaps the two of them aren’t so different. And maybe she doesn't entirely hate him after all. Teaming up with Sterling to save her brother might be the only way to keep from breaking the most important rule—protecting Cole.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled for a copy of this e-arc.

I’m not sure where to start with my review Ha! This book was… Im gonna say strange but not in a bad way. It was…. different I guess.

Think the Hating Game for teens and 1st love.

I don’t think it is explained where the location is located? I know that the school was big on lacrosse….. I know there is a headmaster… and I know there are 537 Rules that Harper follows.

Harper was hilarious. It’s a deep rooted problem for truly honest people to be labelled as sarcastic. I know. I’m one of them. Although I am both deeply honest as well as sarcastic so I guess for me those labels fit.

I love slow burn- enemies to lovers book and this one filled both slots with a X.

I want to tell you guys that YA is a hard limit for me but because I’m truly honest YA has been my go to read since Fall 2016. There is something refreshing with reading about first love and those nerves and those butterflies that the general romance can give you but when everything is a cliche of another you don’t feel those flutters in the pit of your stomach really.

So if you liked the Hating Game and if you liked Carry On I would say you’re gonna enjoy this one.

Mare

I really did not like the main character in the beginning. She annoyed the crap out of me, just making really bad choices. Let me put it this way, it was like she was playing poker and everytime she got a decent hand she would say "Oh, there's no way you'll beat me!" and flash them her hand so they all end up folding and she gets nowhere. That's what this reminded me of. She does get better, she loosens up and I found her a lot more relatable after she stopped doing that.

I really loved Sterling. I especially loved his chemistry with Harper. A lot of the times chemistry in a love hate relationship can feel a bit forced, but here it seemed very natural.

I loved Kendall. She was this pretty popular rich girl, but she wasn't a complete stereotype. Typically, she would have been vapid and mean. While she was a tiny bit vapid, she did have a personality. With hopes and dreams and aspirations, so not very vapid.

I enjoyed the sibling relationship between Cole and Harper. I liked how they looked out for each other. Whenever I read a book with siblings that are boys and girls, I feel like it's almost always the boy who is constantly being over protective of the girl, that was flipped in this book. I enjoyed that.

Overall, I think this book was well written and completely enjoyable. I'm definitely going to be reading more of this authors works.

This is one of the oddest, most entertaining and weird books I’ve read in a long, long while. There’s the stilted speech of English boarding schools (the kids sound like uptight lawyers-in-training with sticks up their arses) and good ol’ teenage pranks wrapped up in the scheming of Cruel Intentions, the cold malice of mafia movies and the calculative manoeuvrings of some spy shows.

But you know what they say about hate being the other side of the coin of love. At least I think it is, because I couldn’t quite be sure by the time I finished the book when denial and doublespeak hadn’t quite let down yet. Written wholly in Harper’s POV, I couldn’t decide where she was the judgemental, self-righteous, rule-following shrew or whether Sterling was truly the devil’s spawn wrapped up in sheep clothing. And without Sterling’s POV, he never quite appeared more than a shady character whose personality way surpassed his rich-kid stereotype who sort of decided that he could be more serious about his future post-boarding school.

The book really begins with a ‘mortal enemies’ type of situation, where rule-follower (and breaker) Harper is determined to take down the rich, spoiled lazy kid whose schemes actually match hers for deviousness. Attraction only creeps in way, way later and their ‘relationship’ is barely formed when the book finally ends. I had a few good laughs though (the pranks *were* hilarious), despite my bewilderment at the tone, the setup and the characterisation and perhaps, the story's prominence simply lies in how much it differs from the typical NA/YA books that have sailed by as ships passing in the night.