This was cute with a lot of angst. I was very much reminded of the books I enjoyed when I was younger (high school middle school) especially with the online writing aspect. I honestly had a lot of fun with this book but felt that it was very angsty when it didn't need to be. The romance was cute but stereotypical, especially for white suburbia. I would definitely recommend this for people who are still in highschool because there were some heavy lines in this book. Overall this was a fun read but wouldn't really recommend it to anyone outside of high-school age.

I have read the first two books in this new series and they are adorable! The first book features a high school jock that secretly writes fantasy romance. The second book is an opposites attract trope and the third features fake dating and a YouTube star. The books are easy to read and have cute dialogue. The authors deal with some tough topics and have the content warnings listed at the beginning. I wish I would have had this series in high school. I would definitely recommend these to teens who like romance!

😍liked \\ 💗low steam
🤟sweet, easy reads, perfect for teens
📚Sweet Valley High
🎶ocean eyes by Billie Eillish
📺 Boy Meets World

Thanks to the authors for my ebook! I had no idea I would enjoy this book as much as I did, Maybe I am showing my age but I honestly no longer lean towards high school romance BUT boy! I was pleasantly surprised. It’s such a feel good storyline and will definitely make you fall for the MC’s Jace and Kenna!

Jace the football star of Twin River High and Mckenna the outcast, who would think two polar opposites would fit perfectly with each other like puzzle pieces ?Jace and McKenna characters are laid out quite maturely, they each have their own burdens to carry especially McKenna. The trauma of her past and her situations forcing herself to be an adult for her family makes her closed off and build pretty high walls or rather bubble around herself for safety, I loved how the cinnamon roll of the cinnamon rolls Jace crumbles the wall little by little

The book gave me the Mean Girls feel, which my stupid heart loves so much- If Janis from the movie ever had a storyline this would be it.Just like Janis, Kenna is adorable, blunt and brutally honest,I really enjoyed her character arc. The ending felt a little rushed and I would have loved to see more interaction between her mom and Kenna but overall it’s an enjoyable read and am excited to read the next books in the series!

I love books about HIgh School too much but I had never read one where the boy is an athlete and writes a novel, so when I read this synopsis I knew that I urgently needed this book for me. I didn't regret it.
The story of Jace and McKenna is sweet, fun, and still has many lessons about family and how people see romance writers.
Jace anonymously writes a book with romance, fantasy and adventure, his story has thousands of followers on the platform where he publishes it, the problem is that he panics that a colleague or his family will suddenly discover his secret then when he least expects the girl who inspired one of his villains to enter on the scene.

Jace and Mckenna navigate in very different circles and she doesn't want to be noticed by anyone else besides her friend Ernie, only that Jace's approach changes her point of view about the guy and she also ends up changing the way Jace see her. They two gradually get closer and become confidants in addition to beginning to feel a strong attraction for each other.

I loved McKenna and Ernie's friendship so much and the way the romance between McKenna and Jace is developed. What really bothered me was the quick resolution of the points of conflict, they could have been better resolved with more dialogue and apologies. I found everything very fast. Just because of that I didn't favorite it.
4/5 stars

This was another adorable story about opposites and romance and more. I loved every page and can not wait to read the rest of the series. For those who are old and loved Sweet Valley High and the Baby Sitters Club then this one is for you!

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher one exchange for an honest review.*

This book was okay. I didn't love it or hate it, but it could have been better. But the book description falsely says that McKenna agrees to help Jace "for a price"; she never manipulates or demands anything from him. The writing was pretty average, and the characterizations were decent. Chapters alternated between Jace and McKenna, each of them having a fairly distinct voice. I likely would have enjoyed this book more had it not been for the abundance of profanity. Honestly, I almost quit within the first few pages because of the f words. I lost count and tried to skip over them, but they were great in number, and that always drags a rating down for me.

There were a couple of things I did like about this book, though. Kudos to the author for writing two main characters who don't drink alcohol. It is a huge assumption in so many YA books (as well as movies and TV shows) that all teens drink, and the ones that don't are just weird. And while McKenna is considered to be an oddity at her school (she dresses in all black, has several piercings, and dyes her hair pink), Jace is very much part of the popular crowd. So I appreciated that they had each made that decision previously and stuck with it, without feeling any need to explain their reasoning beyond "I don't drink." Something else I liked was McKenna's friendship with Ernie--her best friend is a guy who is not gay and is not threatened by her relationship with Jace but actually encourages it. I'm trying to remember the last time I read a book with that kind of friendship between a guy and a girl, and I'm coming up blank. I also liked the way that McKenna and Jace listened to and supported each other as the book progressed.

So there were good points.

Note: Swearing, including lots and lots of f words. Innuendo.

Another high school drama book. I'm getting so giddy over it. I firmly believe no one should be ashamed or hide what they can do but i also know that high schoolers can be A-holes. I liked both main characters, I could kinda relate to the girl, the outsider. I really liked that McKenna had Jace's back without even thinking about it. If you like teen and high school drama with some romance then you'll love this book like I do.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t tend to read contemporary YA romance. I’m more a paranormal/historical romance fan. But the premise - popular jock guy has a secret that only invisible loner girl knows - intrigued me so I thought I’d try it out.

Jace has a secret - he’s a super popular, super successful online fantasy romance writer. McKenna has cultivated a goth-type persona and is standoffish with everyone so she doesn’t have to explain why her home life is so terrible. She inexplicably steps in to claim Jace’s romance-filled notebook as her own when his teammates discover it, and the rest is romance history.

This book is exactly why I read romance. Everything happens as it should, they get their happy ever after, and there’s even a grand gesture. Mix in a dash of teen angst, and it’s great! No sex (sorry, my smut loving friends) but it doesn’t detract from the whole teen romance feel. The characters do some stupid things, but it all feels like stuff I would’ve done when I was 17. I also loved how the authors had set it up so McKenna had crushed on Jace since forever, and they used to be friendly with each other before McKenna’s life was upended anyway, so it felt organic rather than instalove. This whole story was just so sweet from start to finish, and I was really hoping they’d sort themselves out and just go public!

This book is the first in a series and, not gonna lie, I’m low key devastated the second one isn’t on NetGalley because that teaser chapter has me hooked!

CW (provided by authors): elements of bipolar disorder, panic/anxiety, manic episodes.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and Jace is definitely swoon worthy.

I think I just have some difficulty with characters that get mad for the littliest things. It takes away part of my enjoyment of the book.
I have to admit though, the inclusion of mental illness is always important (although I cannot speak for the represention of bipolar disorder).

I do recommend it as a quick book to read if you want to find a book boyfriend

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishers for an advance copy of this book!

It's a YA romance novel, so I figured out pretty early on which characters were going to get together in the end. But that's not necessarily a bad thing; it just gives me the opportunity to focus on why and how they get there along the way. And this book sure delivered on all the fun parts in the middle.

I love how dimensional Jace and McKenna are as characters. The alternating POV really lends itself to recognizing everyone's flaws and personal narratives. They're both dealing with difficult family lives, in their own ways, and seeing that from both perspectives is a refreshing way to get to know the characters. There's no 'good guy,' but no 'bad guy' either - they're nuanced and complicated and real.

And the conflict(s)! The conflicts felt so authentic - family drama, trying to keep a reputation in high school, the mortifying ordeal of being known when all McKenna wants is to fade into the background. It was so exciting to watch them come around on each other and carve out spaces in their worlds. And then, when things went sideways, watching Jace and McKenna hurt when they'd been hurt, but always find their ways back to each other.

The ending felt a little too good to be true, but doesn't it usually in YA romance novels? Again, not a bad thing, it comes with the territory, and it was nice to escape for a little while into a world where it really CAN be as easy as just speaking up and letting everything work itself out.

3.5 ⭐️

TW: bipolar

i liked this book more than i expected i would, it was definitely an interesting read. i devoured it in a few hours!

jock writes fanfiction and ‘goth girl’ covers for him? it was different to anything i have read before. the romance aspect of the storyline was super cute, i was routing for them the whole book. the ending was a bit cringe but enjoyable.

DNF @10%

I can already tell that the writing style isn't for me and I found McKenna to be an annoying main character who kinda gave me "I'm not like other girls" vibes. Anyways, I'm DNFing this now because I can already tell that this book isn't for me and I don't think it would be fair for me to continue this book when it would probably get a low rating.

As always, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“I’ll be your sword, I’ll be your shield...”
...lyrics by Sister Hazel, sentiments that so reminded me of this story!

McKenna and Jace…so not a combination you ever saw coming...but sometimes the best ones are.

I adored how McKenna was so KICK BUTT. She shied away from the spotlight, and stuck to her circle of one friend, all thanks to unfortunate situations in her home life, and yes, I know that doesn’t sound kick butt worthy, but hang on. When she saw someone in trouble, someone in her direct path who wasn’t ever anything but nice to her, she stuck her neck out. She may not have saved them bodily, but she saved them from high school you-know-what because let’s face it, teens can be horrible to one another...okay, well HUMANS can be horrible to one another...and if you hit the bottom rung in the high school hierarchy, you better be prepared to duck your head or transfer schools. At least, it feels that way...so if someone reaches out a helping hand, or puts out a what’s-it-to-you attitude to fend that off for you, yeah...it changes the light you see them in. In this case, Jace isn’t seeing her for the first time, but rather beyond the outward changes to the girl he was friends with, the girl who gave him a valentine in the lower grades, the girl who has gorgeous eyes, a smile that dazzles when shared, and just really gets him. Yeah...he’s got it bad, but he can’t can he? They’re on different ends of the social status, and even her newfound, unintended rise to glory by claiming authorship of the KOS phenom can’t change that...or can it? Maybe if they’re willing to say it does, it can be true? Maybe, just maybe, if they become the authors of their own lives, it wouldn’t even matter?

Jace is a great kid too. Grant it, he has some pretty thick headed friends, and yes, we can be judged by the company we keep, but that's something McKenna finds out along their journey. Things aren't always as they seem, nor people as perceived. I loved the fact that he was the mind behind the pen..and why not? Why can't a guy pen stories like KOS? Why can't their be both action scenes and action scenes? They can be equally perceptive if the talent is there, so I say why not? There's no rule that says you have to act one way or another, so YOU BE YOU and I'LL BE ME.

I do believe I ran off with my own tangent there, but to put a point on it...I LIKED THIS STORY. The false impersonation was warranted, the get to know you phase believable, the way things all came tumbling down definitely realistic, and while the masses seemed quick to turn, I think it was the surrounding drama and the dramatic Say Anything moment that did them in. I mean how can you say no to a gesture THAT big? All in all, a great read for Young Adult fans with reminders that not everything is as it seems, try not to place labels on others, and always be true to your self.

What a refreshing spin on YA romance.
These characters are so well done. And I love how the authors portray them in a reverse stereotype than you would expect from them. This story deals with some tough issues but totally appropriate for teens (and adults.) And the girl power angle is what made my heart full. McKenna doesn't need a knight in shining armor to save her. She is strong and resilient and a good role model for other girls to read about. Jace is not your typical jock. He has non traditional aspirations and shows some self doubt about what way his future is going to look. And together, they were the perfect compliment.

Gutter Girl by Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount is the 1st book in the Twin River High series, and my first book by these authors. I found this book to be a sweet, fun, and delightful young adult contemporary romance. Jace Rovers is a popular football player who secretly writes an online romance. McKenna Storm avoids people at all costs, and dresses in black to remain unnoticed. When Jace's football friend grabs his book and starts reading the romance, McKenna steps up and claims it's her book. I love this genre, there is something so innocent about first loves. I love the quirky people and situations in this book, and watching the characters grow over. I found this book to be a quick read, and highly recommend it to all YA romance readers, young and old.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

McKenna Storm wants to avoid the attention and spotlight more than anything, and at Twin River High, she manages to do that - mostly - though she is known as the resident goth. But when she and star footballer Jace Rovers run into each other in the hall, and his notebook containing his hit fantasy romance is picked up by his fellow team mates, she takes the fall and now it's not just her classmates who want to know about her, but also the many thousands of fans of the book on Scribbles. Now Jace is desperate for her to pretend she is the author, at least a little while longer, and they need to spend time together in order to get their story straight. But, the crush McKenna had on Jace is coming back, and it seems as if he might be falling for her too.

Now I had no idea what this book would be like, going in, but I quite enjoyed Into the Penalty Box by these authors, and thought this would be a nice read. And it was. Both Jace and McKenna were extremely interesting characters, with well fleshed out back stories, and I was really invested in their romance. Yeah okay, it was a bit unbelievable at times, and the angsty moments were a little extreme, but all in all, I felt like this was an enjoyable contemporary read. I'm hoping that we see more of Jace and McKenna in the other books.

Being an older YA reader I tend not to read YA contemporary books as I find teenagers a little annoying.
But this was such a lovely story that I am glad I broke away from my usual tastes. Jace was an atypical jock who shattered stereotypes by being kind, considerate and, obviously, a romance writer.
McKenna was brilliant as the outcast high school student with more on her plate than anyone realized.
I love the slow burn of these two and the strangers to friend to relationship that happened. It also happened on quite a realistic way with false starts and miscommunication.
There were essences of 'PAPERBACK HERO' and '10 things I hate about you ' but at the same time it felt fresh and original.
The only thing that stopped it getting a full 5 stars was that things were a little too tidy at the end. McKenna's mums bipolar disorder wasn't adequately embellished and I would have loved to see Jack's conversation with his dad about his writing.
But it has made me reevaluate my prejudice toward YA contemporary and I might have to give the next book a go.

Gutter Girl is a young adult contemporary romance by Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount. It is the first book in the Twin river high series and I loved it! I have read these authors together and individually and I am big fans of both of them. They are charming romances that are a ton of fun. I loved the idea behind Gutter Girl, and I think this book will be perfect for fans of YA contemporaries and fans of wattpad and fictionpress. (I used to love reading stories on fictionpress and fanfiction.net! Anyone else?)

In Gutter Girl we meet out main character, Jace who is your typically popular football player. Except, he has a secret. A secret that I freakin' loved...he writes romance books on an online website called scribbles, which is kind of like wattpad. I love Jace so much because how can you not love a romance/fantasy writing football player?? He is so adorable. When another football player finds Jace's writing notebook, another student named McKenna steps up and claims it's hers. And so starts our blackmail. I really enjoyed the back and forth between McKenna and Jace. I found them to be such realistic teenagers. Both of them are so concerned with how others perceive them, and it showed even in their interactions with each other. But I loved every awkward moment of them.

I loved the plot and the characters in Gutter Girl. I want to applaud Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount for not only writing hilarious dialogue with super realistic characters, but for also giving the male lead an interesting passion. I loved seeing a teenage male romantic fantasy writer. Gutter Girl is an original premise with wonderful character development, a cute romance and fantastic writing. This book was a complete hit for me. I can't wait to see even more from this great author duo!

So I’ve read one other book by these authors, In the Penalty Box, and I really enjoyed it! So I was worried I wouldn’t have time to fit this one in when the blog tour was announced. Fortunately I was able to and so let me tell you how much I liked this one.

I liked the idea about how the popular football player was writing a romance story. But it was more than just a romance. It also was a fantasy, with swords and all the interesting storylines that can go with that. Scribbles was basically a site like Wattpad, and I loved how all the students were reading Jace’s story, and didn’t know it was him. I liked that it was more than just him being worried about how kids at school would treat him if they knew. That he had a father he was unsure how he would react.

McKenna had a home life that was really stressful for her, and it totally made sense how she had changed and withdrawn into herself. And it was easy to see why she also wanted to keep to herself and not let the people at school know what she dealt with at home. Especially when it was so obvious how easily they would tease other kids for just little things.

I really did enjoy the book and the story and all that went along with it. I loved Jace’s little sister, she was adorable! I wish that maybe we’d gotten a bit more with how his dad reacted to him with his writing, as well as maybe some more with McKenna’s mom. And some of the romantic, lovey-dovey, or even just the scenes where it showed their attraction to each other were a little awkward in a way for me. But maybe that’s just how it is for teenagers. But those bits made me put it at 4.5 stars as my blog rating.

However, I liked the tidbits and details we got for at least one of the characters in the next book, and I look forward to hopefully reading that too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this Arc in exchange for a honest review...

I love love loved this! I honestly found this very relatable and on topic of current readers.

It made me happy that instead of a soppy hopeless romantic teenage girl writing fantasy books where there is sex, passion and fluff, that it's a teenage boy who has a passion for writing it. I think it was important for the writer in the story to be a male because it shows people how writing love and fluff isn't just limited to women.

Mckenna covering and supporting Jace throughout this book was amazing, she knew that he had a lot to lose and that it was important to him, just like her acting and her mothers health was to her. Jace and Mckenna were really cute together and Jace is extremely precious. I loved how their relationship progressed throughout and how in the end they were both able to stand up for themselves and step out of the shadows and show people who they really were.