I appreciate the conversation on "bad" and good kids". We see the whole bad boy and good boy in this story. While the bad boy gets judged for his past although he is working to be better every day. I think the way Regan grew as a teenager was very realistic. However, this story did drag out. At some parts, it seemed like it was nothing but filler. I wanted more than it. While the main characters did finally get together it was very underwhelming and not what I expected. It didn't give a cozy, chemistry, loving feeling. But maybe the author wasn't going for that

Was not able to read the entirety of the book and cannot give an accurate or overall rating/review . As a librarian for a big library system, we most likely have a copy of this item. I will look forward to reading it in future since I am sure I will.

DNF at 21%. I found myself bored and dreading finishing. There was nothing terrible about it, it just felt forced. I knew essentially exactly what was going to happen and I wasn’t excited to read along.

This story would be appropriate to recommend for high school aged students but not for curriculum purposes. The “bad boy” with a reputation based on his past and the good girl story line was entertaining and realistic. I felt like the story was longer than necessary and needed more excitement towards the middle / end in order to make it worth the length. There wasn’t something that made it necessary to keep reading. Overall I still enjoyed it I just felt it needed more.

Thsis book was just so good. I really loved the writing and characters. I will be recommending this book in an upcoming podcast episode.

This was a very cute YA romance! The redemption story arc for Guillermo felt very well realized. I did feel like some of the phrasing was a bit awkward at parts, and there were several characters. However, when I read the acknowledgements at the end, I realized this is part of a series (the 4th book, in fact), and so really I enjoyed that I was able to read the entire book without feeling like I had missed something because I didn't start at the beginning of the series. I will definitely be looking for Ms. Grandison's other books!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute book. A tad forgettable unfortuntately. I do think this book will do well. I see the audience for it.

I am not someone who reads YA books ever, but I was interested in the premise of this one. I feel like I let myself down by trying something out of my comfort zone here. I found that the conflict between Guillermo and Regan was executed well, but I just couldn’t connect with them or the plot.

But of course, this ya romance book is going to have opposite attract trope with a bit of enemies to lovers trope. Expect a lot of high drama with these characters. They are going to through a lot (just joking). Teenagers feel so much in their teen years that you know there is going to be drama.

Grandison does it again!! This book was so good and I could not put it down. The characters were so adorably cute and the story was just what I needed. I will forever read anything that Whitney writes!

It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting. It's got that polar opposites attract vibe, but it just wasn't what i think I had hoped for when I read the synopsis.

A sweet, coming -of-age story of two kids trying to find themselves.

The storyline is the makings of a classic teen romance. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. They're forbidden from seeing each other; so naturally they love spending time together. I adored this sweet, young adult story. The characters were lovable, their growth was admirable and the writing was perfect for teens.

It was nice to see characters dealing with the immense pressure a lot of teens face. I felt a lot of similar pressure to be "perfect" as Regan as a teen, so I definitely related to her. I probably would have enjoyed this more if I were closer to their age, but it was a sweet story nonetheless.

this was a lot of fun to read, I had an enjoyable experience really this book. The characters were so well done and I enjoyed the plot.

The minute I found out Grandison had a new book out, I new I had to climb on it. A romance with two polar opposites is what I live for. Guillermo has spent his life breaking rules with his exploding temper, but after the many consequences, he decides to settle down and correct it all. Meanwhile, Regan is the picture-perfect girl next door, with the famous football boyfriend, who has always done what is asked and portrays the image of the constant good girl. Regan knows Guillermo isn't good for her. Guillermo knows that going for Regan means going away again. So why can't they resist each other? Why are feelings being developed if they aren't good for each other? SUCH A GOOD READ!!

DNF around 50%

Just couldn’t get into the story. It felt like it was dragging on a lot that I couldn’t push myself to finish it. Maybe I’ll pick up again at a different time. Story felt like it wasn't going anywhere besides the obvious "girl breaks up with bad boyfriend for the good guy". Just not my read.

Guillermo Lozano’s family moved to a new neighbourhood in Akron, Ohio so he could have a fresh start while on probation. He has to do community service at a local community centre, and he has to stay away from girls. Regan London works at the community centre with her mom, who is Guillermo’s probation officer. Regan is under a lot of pressure to be perfect, with her father insisting she become an accountant and have the perfect relationship with a football star. Regan is officially off limits to Guillermo, because he isn’t allowed to have a girlfriend, especially not the daughter of his probation officer. Regan soon discovers that her life isn’t heading in the direction that she wants to go, and Guillermo may be exactly what she needs to change it.

This was a fun forbidden romance story. There were a few reasons Guillermo and Regan were forbidden from seeing each other. The incident that got Guillermo in trouble involved a girl, so he was supposed to stay away from all girls. Regan’s family had plans for her future with her football star boyfriend, so they didn’t want her being with anyone else. Their races weren’t part of the reason they weren’t allowed to be together. Guillermo was Mexican and Regan was Black, but their different races weren’t an issue. This was a love story with diverse characters, but their diversity didn’t cause any conflict.

There was a lot of discussion about consent in this story. Regan’s boyfriend was pressuring her to do things she didn’t want to do. Right away I noticed that she didn’t feel comfortable with the way he treated her. Guillermo was much more respectful, though some people couldn’t see past his history to realize that he was a respectful young man. Though Guillermo was the one with the criminal record, he was more respectful than the boy who was considered a rising star.

The Right Side of Reckless is a great young adult romance!

Thank you Inkyard Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Free ebook, review is my own.

This book just did not work for me... The main characters are so stereotyped and flat. I thought this was a contemporary romance from the plot but it was more just a daily review of boring people doing boring things and lashing out at the world in stereotypical ways, and not in good ways that are productive for the reader to learn or for the character to grow. It was a struggle to get through this.

The Right Side of Reckless is the very first young adult contemporary novel I've reviewed, and as I was reading it, it occurred to me I have no idea how to review YA contemporary! I've reviewed plenty of YA fantasy before, and there's a lot to talk about there in terms of world building and such, and I've reviewed adult romance novels, but I feel sketchy talking about young adult characters in the same way I would for an adult book.

Regardless of my complete ignorance of what to talk about in this review, I really did enjoy The Right Side of Reckless. I think it tackles questions that teenagers care about - like what to do when your parents have a specific vision for you and you aren't interested in that version of your life at all, or how do you come back from a big mistake? Regan and Guillermo are both dealing with things that all teenagers go through on some level - disappointing your parents or feeling like nobody knows who you are, really.

My biggest complaint is that though this book really does a good job of handling issues that teenagers will likely empathize with, the characters read as way older than they are. I've read adult romances with less mature characters than Regan and Guillermo. Especially Guillermo - his inner monologue is so self-aware I frequently forgot he was just a teenager. And I know that there are teenage boys that are very mature, but I would also say they're few and far between, and it wasn't super believable, especially when coupled with things like Guillermo referencing Dr. Phil internally when he was talking to a girl somebody was trying to set him up with.

Overall, The Right Side of Reckless is a cute but fairly deep young adult contemporary. I really like the characters and the growth that Regan and Guillermo display throughout the course of the book, and I appreciate how it took on serious issues without becoming too preachy.

Romance | 15-18
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I’m calling this a romance, but it’s also a contemporary, realistic, and multicultural YA novel. In essence, this is a bad boy meets good girl love story, with a lot of obstacles in the way. Guillermo is a juvenile delinquent on two years’ probation for assault; Regan is a goody two-shoes who does what her parents want. That includes dating the high school football star, volunteering to bolster her college applications, and studying accounting despite her dislike of the subject. Both kids’ parents make it clear any interest between the two is forbidden, for different reasons. I liked a lot about this book – both teens’ characters are appealing – complicated, and wanting to do the right thing but sometimes giving in to the moment. Guillermo starts out a bit obnoxious but quickly makes an effort to straighten himself out, both from his own lived experience and by hearing about others’ difficult lives, helping him see how lucky he really is. His transformation is almost too smooth, actually. I kept waiting for mistakes that didn’t really happen. Regan learns to unleash some spontaneity and wildness, and again, that goes pretty well. What I didn’t like at all was the level of sexism that lurks throughout the book – there is very much a girls do this and boys do that thread that runs throughout the story, from bad boyfriend behaviour and skank labelling to mothers acquiescing to fathers’ demands, and more. It just grated on me as a reader. Between that and the rather tepid pacing, it was disappointing overall, though I think it will have wide appeal with its intended audience. The story is set in Akron, OH, and the main characters are Black and Hispanic. My thanks to Inkyard Press for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54823480

I am loving all of the summer YA novels! This was a sweet and fun story. I loved Regan and Guillermo. This was just what I needed!