A new adult story about past regrets, moving forward and finding a new footing in life. I give this book 3 solid stars, i did enjoy it but not as much as i hoped. I don't know fully why but i did not connect with the main characters as much as i wanted to. That being said the story developed well and i think there is a lot of people who will fully enjoy this book. I like the themes a lot in this new adult story and i feel they would resonate well with new adult readers.

The Backup Plan is a perfect feel good read. It's sweet, romantic Cinderella story. It's the story that when you finish you have a huge smile plastered on your face. You have the warm fuzzies and a craving for more.

He's a broody, unhappy jock.
She's the nerdy help.
They are an unlikely pair to most but exactly what this fairytale like story needs.

Friends who used to be. Strangers in the now.

It's absolutely Hallmark without the cheesy overtones. This college romance is exactly the pick me up you want.

Book received in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon An Alpha

This was a wonderful new to me author and great read. I read this book in shorty period of time because I could not put this book down because Taylor and chases story is so wonderful. Jen McLauglin is now an author that I will have to look for new reads. I highly recommend this read.

Chase and Taylor grew up together and were even great friends, even though he was wealthy and she was the servants daughter. For some reason that he isn't aware of she just stopped being his friend. When she is thrust back in his life, at a time when he really needs it but doesn't want to admit it, sparks fly.
Chase is dealing with a lot of guilt, even though his best friend's death wasn't his fault. Unfortunately, everyone treats him horribly. He had closed off from everyone and tries to push her away. He wanted more than friendship when they were younger, and he doesn't want to let her in again.
Taylor is and was in love with Chase, but she is at college to do a job. She is honest with him right away, but keeps some of the truth from him. Even when he pushes her away and treats her horribly, she can't help wanting to help him, because she knows who he really is.
With other students, themselves, and at least one of their parents in the thick of their lives and decisions, can they find happiness? What happens when a conversation is overheard and breaks one of their hearts? Can they find a way to work together and find their way back together?
His dad did end up surprising me at one point and the way Chase out his dad in his place was great. I really liked all the main characters and the plot. I can't wait to read more.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

This is a young adult second chance romance featuring main characters who have grown up in the same house - Chase as the son of the owner and Taylor as the daughter of the couple who are employed to run the house as chef and butler. Despite the disparity in their circumstances, they had been inseparable until they were in their mid-teens.

Tragedy occurred whilst he was at college, with his room mate and best friend dying in a car accident in which Chase was seriously injured, ruining his footballing dreams. If that wasn't bad enough, his peers, former friends and team mates repeatedly accuse him of murdering his friend. Shunned, Chase has retreated into himself, keeping silent and not interacting with others. Taylor could never have attended such a prestigious college but Chase's father has paid her fees and living expenses, in exchange for which he wants her to help Chase by tutoring him and encouraging him to socialise again...... A recipe for disaster or romance?

This is a moving story with well developed characters and just the right amount of angst and drama. There are plenty of twists to keep the reader engaged and the plot pace and flow kept me turning the pages to discover what happened next. The secret manipulations and threats from the past and present need to be revealed for the couple to really move on and I loved the final face-off with his father, showing just how well both main characters have matured, developed and grown in every way. I enjoyed escaping into this story and will look out for more by this author in future.

I requested and received a copy of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This is my first Jen McLaughlin read and I have to say that I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the storyline. Chase is broken character. Because of a tragedy in his past he’s held in contempt by those who had been his friends and he’s no longer able to live his dream to play football. He’s alone, lonely, and bitter. He doesn’t want to move forward or to live his life to the fullest. Enter Taylor. She’s part of the plan to bring him back to the land of the living. They’ve known each other most of their lives and, because of that, she’s able to insert herself into his life. But, of course, there’s a catch…she’s also got some baggage. Her working-class family is employed by his very rich one. This adds a complication that proves to be an obstacle among all the others they face.

This is a story of ups and downs and of dealing with the pressures we all face from those around us…our parents’ expectations, our friends’ demands, and the beliefs of the world at large. These characters are battling their pasts and their presents, all the while trying to move forward. Their chemistry was good and I really enjoyed watching their budding romance. What I would have also loved was a bit more time…a few more pages…so that the book didn’t feel quite so rushed. It didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story but I’m a big lover of angst and could have used just a bit more here. I loved and hated the secondary characters just like the author wanted me to and I enjoyed the depth they added to the story.

Overall, this was a quick read. I enjoyed the characters, their interactions, and their romance. Although this storyline wasn’t necessarily unique, I believe it was well done. I can’t end this review without telling how much I loved the cover…but it also left me a bit cold that there wasn’t any focus on Chase wearing glasses in the book. It’s a very little thing but it would have made me very happy. Anyway, I don’t think this will be my last Jen McLaughlin book. I’m interested in seeing what else she’s written and getting to know more of her characters. If you’ve read some of her books let me know what you think!

3.5/5 I really liked this story. Chase and Taylor knew each other as children and are reunited as adults in college. Taylor is hired by Chase's father to help Chase out with studying and grades. Chase has always had a thing for Taylor and even his grumpy attitude can't keep the feelings from resurfacing. This is a very quick read and I liked the attraction between Chase and Taylor.

***Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

The Backup Plan, by Jen McLaughlin, was a really pleasant surprise! The story started out a tiny bit slow, but by the end everything came together beautifully. Chase is a former football player, sidelined by an injury during a car accident that also killed his best friend. He blames himself for his friend’s death and has all but given up on life. Enter Taylor, the girl he grew up with. She doesn’t try to hide the fact that she’s been given a free ride at Villanova in exchange for ensuring he excels at school too. Taylor has no idea that Chase has always had feelings for her, and if Chase has anything to say about it, she never will. His dad has set him on a collision course with the only person who has a shot at getting him to come back to life, but it could break his heart in the process.

The story was told in alternating points of view, which I thought worked really well. Taylor came on pretty strong at first, and it was a bit much. At least until we met Chase, that is. Taylor needed to be a bit headstrong because, when the story opened, Chase was a class-A jerk. I admired Taylor for being honest with Chase about being hired by his father. It showed she had good intentions.

I thought the pacing of this book was well done, as was the back and forth early in the book. McLaughlin made sure the reader understood Chase’s struggle and reasons for trying to keep Taylor at arm’s length, and the same goes for Taylor’s reasons to resist Chase. I also thought the use of Chase’s father in the plot was smart. It created genuine fear for Taylor rather than stirring up drama for the sake of drama. It also made it clear how manipulative his father was willing to be and that he’d use whomever he had to in order to get his way. If the reader is playing close attention, Amanda’s role it the plot becomes pretty obvious, at least to me it was.

One thing that bothered me was Chase’s nickname for Taylor. At the beginning of the story he called her “Mousey.” I was glad the nickname didn’t stick. I didn’t find it cute; I found it insulting. I also didn’t quite understand why everyone on campus referred to Chase as “freak.” He told the tale of a golden life—one half of the most popular couple, money, fame (he’s a former quarterback), friends, parties. Even if the majority of the student body thought he was guilty of killing Joey, the term freak didn’t really fit the situation in my opinion. Also, early in the book, Taylor was critical of Chase for following his father’s order to stay at Villanova after the accident in order to get his trust fund. I just found it hypocritical considering she was helping him for monetary gain as well. After their breakup, she was hurt by Chase’s accusations about her intentions, claiming he should have known her better. If she felt he should have been fighting for her, then she should have told him the truth about his father.

That said, the breakup scene was really well done. The reader could see both Taylor and Chase pulling back and shutting down, saying things they didn’t mean or allowing the other say something untrue without contradiction so they could protect themselves. In fact, the breakup and makeup were my favourite parts of the story, along with the end. Chase was asking himself questions that were really easy to relate to, ones that I think most people would ask after a breakup who were looking for healing and closure. Taylor did an amazing job lining up the reasons for her behaviour the day they broke up, and they actually made sense. It was like piecing together both sides of the breakup, and for once it didn’t feel like it was due to overreaction to create drama but characters genuinely hurt because some of their biggest fears had been triggered. And I dare you not to love the ‘get even’ scheme at the end! It really showcased Chase’s growth. His father’s reaction surprised me in a good way.

Overall this was a story I really enjoyed and I would recommend it to anyone who likes the New Adult genre, especially second chance romances.

When tragedy strikes his life, Chase thinks he has lost it all. Taylor comes back into his life and changes everything. This story was full of angst and emotion. I couldn't put this quick read down. I appreciated that Taylor was a strong female lead. No whining! The cover art is gorgeous. I will read more from this author. Thanks to Entangled Embrace for an ARC of this title via NetGalley.

One of the reasons I usually stay away from young adult stories is the amount of angst the characters go through. With some authors the entire book is filled with it and it can exhaust the reader. My life has enough in it already, thank you!

So when I realized that this book was going to follow the YA theme, I have to admit, I was dreading it a bit. But I was drawn to the theme so in I went. However, I was proven wrong. This author told a story without overloading us on the angst and drama. It was there but for some reason it balanced with the character development. It made sense and worked well with the overall plot.

The theme was familiar yet different. The author threw in many twists which fueled the interest and kept it true to life. Then when the romance heated up, I loved the deep understanding and connection these two had. Sexy scenes and true caring for and about each other actually got me misty-eyed a few times.

This a special story that is definitely worth your time. My first book by Jen McLaughlin, but not the last.

Another first for me this month. As a Jen McLaughlin premiere, I can't say I'm disappointed yet I'm having a hard time formulating thoughts on it. I definitely did not hate it, although I did not love it either. I liked this book, it had a lot of prospects but failed a little in the execution. I believe the book started off well, it just could have been developed in some aspects.

The Backup plan is without a doubt a fantastically well-written book that will grip you into the story right from the begging. I read this book in a day. It's a novel full of passion, intrigue, fervour and engaging characters, even though I had some problems with certain personality traits.

In my opinion, the pacing of this book was a little rushed and some issues between the characters were left unexplained and out in the open, for example, something that did not sit well with me was: How short the amount of time in which Chase changed his attitude towards Taylor was or The quickness in which they fell for each other or even The 360-turn that Chase's father displayed.

Another thing I regard as negative was how we had little to none insight on their past friendship, seeing as it was only mentioned briefly and when directly correlated to the topic in question in the present. Additionally, their friends Anna and Bryce only appeared in the story very shortly and you barely got to know them or their relationship with the main characters. Lastly, the situations focused on the car accident could have been expanded, it didn't feel as poignant as it could and should.

Nonetheless, this novel has a little bit of everything. It portrays many college student related issues, deals with self-discovery, friendships and romance. A perfect read for someone currently attending university.

The duelled point of view was a plus for me, it kept me engaged seeing both Chase and Taylor's perspectives of the situations, it added a lot of substance to the book, pulling you in and making you feel their emotions with them as if you were apart of their story. Overall, I liked the characters and I liked the plot, it just needed a few more compelling elements and improvement.

In conclusion, I recommend this book. It is a heartwarming, easy, fun and enjoyable read that will absolutely entertain you. The author's writing style is beautiful, simple and fluid, which is one of the best parts of this book for me. It has a few tropes, but it's a book worth reading.

Chase begins this book in a very low place. He is shunned at school and is quite the loner. He doesn't even talk to anyone around him, let alone show his feelings. Enter Taylor and her newfound plan to bring him back to life. Taylor is sort of honest with him, in that she lets him know his father is paying her tuition to help him improve both his grades and his life.

Chase felt guilt and remorse over the death of his best friend. Even though he was not responsible for his friend's actions, no one will listen to him at Villanova. He is deemed a "murderer" and people treat him poorly. Taylor does not take well to this treatment of him and begins to stand up for him. Chase sees this and begins to take heart. Both Chase and Taylor know that getting involved romantically will not end well for either of them so they both take steps back from each other.

Chase's father was beyond the pale. He used intimidation, blackmail and just plain bully tactics to get what he wanted out of his son. He used Taylor with no regard to the position he was placing her in. I did think Taylor was kind of a hypocrite in that she thought Chase should stand up to his father, but she had no issues taking the tuition money to further his father's agenda for Chase.

Their relationship was a slow burn. It was nice to see them each come out of their shells. While they were both reluctant to cross a romantic line, they each saw the other as more than a friend. I did think Taylor was ridiculous in making Chase go to functions where he was going to be openly leered at by his former teammates and then tell him to ignore them. I did appreciate all of his personal growth in this book.

Overall it was a good read. I would not mind reading more about this couple in the future.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

The Backup Plan is a boring new adult romance full of cliches and tropes. One of the things going for it is it’s acknowledgment of using those cliches and tropes.

The Blackup Plan is marketed as a second chance romance between two people who grew up together but were forced apart. However, I’d hardly call this a second chance romance since the reader is given little to no context regarding their friendship in the past. It’s briefly mentioned once or twice when directly related to what’s happening in the moment.

Cliches and tropes are used without pause throughout the entire novel. The most obvious being the asshole male love interest. Chase is introduced as a young man broken by his past actions. He’s closed off from everyone around him and has create an asshole persona as a defense mechanism. As with all alpha male characters like this, Chase does not discriminate with his rudeness until he realizes that he’s fallen in love. This type of character doesn’t function on many levels. It’s an overused and unhealthy trope to perpetuate yet here it is. Also, blatantly pointing out that it’s a trope does not excuse the characters’ words or actions.

Everything about The Backup Plan is unfinished and rushed. Chase’s transformation from asshole to nice guy happens within the first 20% of the novel and is never referred to again. Also, Chase’s past continues to affect him throughout the novel as he deals with his emotions and learns how to move on. Unfortunately, his past is only briefly mentioned a few times and is never fully explored. Instead, his past is used as a plot device and discarded when not needed.

Overall, The Backup Plan is a cliche filled new adult novel that offers nothing new to the genre.

DNF @ 14%, so I won't be rating this one.

This book is just like several other books I've read with nothing new to offer. There was just too much drama in the first two chapters for me, and I didn't care for either character.

Chase and Taylor's story is perfection. I loved this friends (and crushes) to lovers story so much! Just amazing!

3,5 stars

From the moment I read the blurb, I just knew that I had to have this book. I am absolutely in love with best friend and college romance!You never get wrong with this!This is a great romance full of passion and intensity!My main problem with this one is that some parts felt too rushed in my opinion and this make me not enjoying it as much as I wanted!

this is a first read for me by this author and wow what a good book.
I really enjoyed this new adult, college story about Taylor and Chase.
I devoured this in a fee days I enjoyed it so much
I volunteered to read a copy of this book

This is my first read by Jen McLaughlin and I am looking forward to one-clicking some other books from her.

Well-written, college romance that will have you hooked from the beginning.

Chase and Taylor grew up together but, were in 2 different leagues.

Chase Maxwell, the all-american football player who comes from money. He had everything until one day a tragic event happens that throws him into a downward spiral.

Taylor Selmer, the daughter of the cook and butler for a rich family. Given the opportunity to go to an amazing school all paid for on one condition that can ultimately break her heart. A deal with a business man that can rip her world apart.

Contracts can be the key to a broken heart but also, a forever love. Dive in and follow these two friends as the fight for what they want.

The romance was definitely there. These two were destined for each other and their relationship was good. They fought many obstacles to be together. The romance 💙 Go Chase and Taylor!