I went into this book expecting a fun lighthearted romp and was pleasantly surprised to find quite a lot of depth.

I love how messy Doe was. People, especially teenagers, are incredibly messy and I feel like it’s rare for a writer to strike the right balance of a character being realistically flawed and still being someone you want to read about and root for but Samantha Markum did that incredibly well here with Doe. Doe was selfish and oblivious and stubborn and I loved her for it.

The highlight of this book was definitely the relationship. I went back to look at my bookmarks and highlighted passages when writing this review and almost all of my bookmarks were interactions between Doe and Wells.

I loved so many things about this: Doe’s father being bisexual, that Doe has anger issues and they aren’t demonized, the close knit friendship group between the girls. One thing I really loved was that Doe was called out on her privilege and she recognizes it. She’s so desperate to keep the school as it is because it’s always been such a safe haven for her but that doesn’t mean it always has been for everyone else. And a character rightfully calls her out for this privileged way of thinking.

I’ve seen a few people say that they felt the predatory teacher storyline was out of place but personally I disagree. The seeds of this teacher being predatory were planted early on in the novel and a full realization/expose happened as the book progressed.

When I was in high school an alumni started a Facebook page called “You Know You Go To [Name of School] When…” and one of the most popular posts on that page was one talking about how an assistant principal used to always demand to read girl’s shirts to make sure they were appropriate. We joked about it, and similar things, like it, because it was better than facing the scarier reality: that he might actually harm us or was already harming other girls. The predatory teacher storyline felt all too accurate in my experience and didn’t feel out of place at all to me.

I also saw some criticism of the girls not going to their parents about the predatory teacher and I’d like to gently remind everyone that these girls are in a boarding school almost all year round. The people they’re closest to are each other and many of them likely don’t spend very much time with their families. It’s natural for them to feel more comfortable sharing these experiences with their classmates rather than parental figures. Especially when it’s sadly all too likely that some parents would blame the girls and not the teacher.

There were just a few things that kept me from giving this five stars.

The first was that there was definitely some sexual tension between Doe and Three. Multiple people comment on it, including Doe’s friends and Wells, but nothing ever comes of it. I’m not sure if the author really planned for this to have a love triangle and then decided against it but it felt like an odd choice.

The second was Wells. While we got a lot of him and Doe’s relationship (which I loved!) I feel like we didn’t really get to know much about him. We know everything about Doe but by the end of the book I could still only tell you the same things I knew about Wells at the beginning of the novel: he’s pretty and he likes books. There is one instance where we get a little bit of insight into Wells (and Three’s) character and relationship but it’s mainly just one paragraph of vaguely info-dumpy exposition.

But overall this was a highly enjoyable read and one I can definitely see myself not only recommending but reading again, which is something I rarely do, so it’s quite the compliment! I’ll definitely be picking up the next thing Samantha Markum comes out with!

Fans of fake dating tropes will adore this one I certainly didi! A fun, witty, charming story that takes on serious topics such as bulling & sexual assault,
It also has it's light fun and laugh out loud moments.
There has been a long standing rivalry between the boys and girls boarding schools which will be merging as you can imagine this setup for a brilliant story that's excellently written.
Doe and Wells are both characters that are worth reading about.

Seriously, I’m gushing over how great this story is! The boarding school setting, prank wars, fake dating, and the witty banter! Yes and yes! Highly recommend. Doe & Wells 4 eva!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press and Wednesday Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

TW: SA and Predator teacher.
I didn't get the hype around this initially, but after reading this, I SEE IT!

Okay, please bare with me. I know this is in America, and they are seniors, but I got a less intense St. Trinian's! So if you've seen that film, you'll like this; add the accents in your mind, lol.

Doe, you are a mess. I love it, but damn she was a mess with decision making and not being a hypocrite a lot of the time. She was too dependent on the school rivalry and winning and keeping her safe space the EXCAT same she didn't take into account other feelings and used her friends. I saw how she got like that, and I liked her getting called out and having to grovel.

I saw the clue and the lead-up, and I wish it hadn't gone that route, but it was the path the writer chose. I know it was resolved at the end, but with everything we had in the story, it was a shock wave and held it in a pause from a cute fake dating book to a serious matter. But I get it as it tied the school together and got them to work together.

Overall I liked the book, and I mainly chose to remove that part from the book to enjoy it more fully.

SIDE NOTE, WHY DID I SEE THE PULL BETWEEN DOE AND THREE JUST AS MUCH! Couldn't there have been something there? I saw something, and I wanted that explore more!

I have very mixed feelings about this book. If I could I would rate this book at 3.5 stars instead of a flat 3. In the end, I did end up enjoying and the lessons that Doe learned were so valuable and good for most people to hear. On the other hand, the start was very slow for me and I had a hard to time feeling connected to Doe and some of her actions early on. All in all it was a good read but definitely not a book I will go back to read.

THIS MAY END BADLY is one of my new all-time favorite YA contemporary novels.

First, the romance and characters. I loved the strong characters in this story. Everyone felt so unique and well developed and it created for a story that was anything but plain. Doe's squad of friends were amazing characters, and I also loved the entire family behind Wells (well, not as people, but as developed characters). The author did amazing at making everyone distinct and to make the side characters feel real. One thing I hate in books is when the side characters only exist to be around the main character. However, that was not the case at all here! It felt truly authentic and real.

And the romance? AMAZING. The romance between Wells and Doe gave me butterflies throughout the entire novel. Their will they / won't they chemistry was off the pages. There was also a scene where Doe drew on his arm and I was almost in tears - it was so sweet and cute. I was cheering for them to get together the entire book!

This book has fantastic boarding school and small town vibes. If you're a fan of books being set at schools, then this is one you definitely don't want to miss out on!

The last thing that really impressed me with this novel was the pranks. I've read plenty of books before that featured a prank war, and sometimes I'm not sure how new or fresh that idea will be. However, Samantha Markum did an amazing job thinking of unique pranks to feature in this book. I was never able to guess their ideas and loved how original it felt!

Anyways, I loved this book a lot and am so excited to keep reading books by Samantha Markum in the future!

This May End Badly is such a fun young adult novel. There is a prank war, a fake relationship, strong friendships, and some major character growth along the way. I honestly devoured this book. It was absolutely hilarious and kept me on my toes as everything came together.

The prank war has been going on for years between two historic prep schools: Weston and Winfield. Weston is an all girls school; Winfield is an all boys school; and when it announced that the two schools will be merging the following year, it is not received very well. Especially in the case of the main character, Doe who feels that Weston is her safe haven. Determined to not let this happen, she tries to escalate the prank war to prove that the two will not work well together. These pranks are hilarious; and also involve some much banter between the characters.

It is the banter that brings forth the fake dating troupe between Doe and Wells. Wells is the cousin of Three, who is the head of the Winfield pranks. Three and Doe cannot stand each other; and Wells suggests that he and Doe start fake dating each other to get under Three's skin. He also has an ulterior motive involving a family heirloom. Wells and Doe are so good together. I loved watching their dynamic change. It does get a little bit messy and it all so good!

Something else that gets a bit messy is the friendships within this story. There is a core group of girls that Doe has been friends with for so long. They are her co-conspirators for the pranks and are also some of the realistic people in her life. They are not afraid to tell her like it is, especially when things are getting way too complicated. This dynamic felt so realistic and I loved how it pushed forth character growth in Doe as she determines what is truly important to her.

There was one thing that pulled me out the story. It involves the sub-plot of the creepy teacher who is lurking around the school. Although it does pull the characters together with a common goal, it also just felt so cringeworthy. Perhaps that was author Samantha Markum's plan? If so, well done. There was just something about it that didn't fully vibe for me. It may have been a necessary plot point to bring everything together but, I just feel like it could have been handled in a way that didn't break up the story.

Doe wasn't always an easy character to follow but her intentions are usually pure. She just had a tendency to get in over her head. This May End Badly gives the character of Doe alot of room to grow. The boarding school location is also perfect for character growth and the hilarious prank war. There was just so much good in this book and that makes for a wonderful debut novel. I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next.

This was an enjoyable read, although I will say that at this stage of my life, the premise of a prank war doesn't super appeal to me, though ultimately this book is not for me, and that's okay! I can see a teen loving this. I do think the book struggled a bit in terms of having a few too many balls in the air plot-wise; sometimes less is more, and I think some things could have been trimmed here. Good banter and great characters made up for this, though.

Thanks so much to the publisher for an arc!

This was definitely not the book for me. There was far too much going on in the beginning. Too many characters, too many sub plots. I'm honestly not even sure what was going on. I didn't like the MC. She was far too unrealistic and just a complete hot headed, drama riddled teen who seriously needed to sort out her priorities. She may work better for someone in this age bracket, but I found her incredibly unrealistic, even for a teenager.

I hate the bad teacher subplot and the way it was handled. As this is a book geared for teens, I feel like there should have been more of a push for the girls to talk to responsible adults in their lives to get him taken care of rather than dealing with things on their own. Plus just the way the whole school talked about him from the beginning but no one ever went to an adult about it? No thanks.

I DID NOT EXPECT TO LOVE THIS ONE AS MUCH AS I DID!

First of all, I loved the plot. We need more boarding school YAs like this! The pranks and rivalry between the two schools made this book so fun!!


I know some people might find the main character, Doe, annoying. Honestly, I understand. But the more I tried putting myself in her shoes, the more I realized I would’ve acted the exact same/would’ve wanted the same things as her back when I was 17/18, so that realization just made me love the story and her even more!!!


THE ROMANCE!!!!! AHHH IT WAS SO DAMN CUTE. The banter between Doe and Wells was entertaining from beginning to end, I loved their slow development from dislike to friends to liking each other! Honestly, with a book like this you would expect her to have a romance with Three, who was her main big rival, but I think this was the best of twists since that’s such a common trope. I absolutely loved Doe and Wells together.


Lastly, although the romance was a highlight for me, I think it’s important to point out that this book was about more than that. It was about sisterhood and friendships and I absolutely loved reading about Doe books and her group of friends, as well as how the entire school came together along with the boy’s school at the end when it mattered most.

After reading Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter last month I’ve been in the biggest YA contemporary binge, but I haven’t found a book I loved as much as that one. I’m still thinking about it even a month later! But omg, I found it! I’m 100% sure I’m gonna be thinking about this book for a while, and it’s a new favorite YA for sure! I’m excited to read more by the author!

Like any prep schools for girls placed across the street from a school of boys, Weston and Winfield have always been at war. So when the announcement comes that the schools will be merging, Doe is determined to show their headmasters that these students will never mix. To raise tensions, Doe approaches the cousin of her greatest rival, Three, and strikes a bargain - they fake date to get under Three’s skin, and Doe will help Wells get back a rightful family heirloom. What could go wrong?

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected after the beginning felt slow! I love the fake dating trope so much, and enjoyed the flirting that took place between Doe and Wells throughout.

This also had a deeper subplot, which involved a teacher who was well known to be inappropriate towards his students, the Weston Girls. The girls are all very aware to not be alone with him in private situations. It was shocking to read, and the storyline was incredibly important for young readers to experience. If any teacher is know to not keep their hands to themselves, they must be removed from their position and charged!! This was an u expected part of the book for me, and I was really impressed with the handling of this sensitive topic, which may be triggering for some readers.

Overall, Doe and Wells have great banter, and I loved reading about the rivalry and prank war. The last third of the book flew by and I wish there was more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC of This May End Badly by Samantha Markum in exchange for an honest review.

CW: sexual harassment, adult/minor relationship, pedophilia, biphobia, bullying, unhealthy relationships

We're following high school senior, Doe, and her group of friends as they receive the devastating news that their all-girls boarding school, Weston, will be merging with their long-time rival, Winfield, the all-boys boarding school across the road. An all out prank war breaks out, and Doe ends up fake-dating one of her arch-nemesis' cousins just to watch him squirm. Surprise, the boys aren't as bad as they were made out to be, and the entire student body rallies together in the end to bring justice and integrity back to their school.

This was an enjoyable read. It's not my favorite YA of all time, but I recognize that I am not the target audience for this book. I had a hard time getting into it in the beginning because I found Doe and her posse to be quite immature. Several characters actually critique Doe about her immaturity in the latter half of the book, and I was pleasantly surprised with how she integrated this feedback and was able to pivot her actions into a satisfying character arc.

The final scenes where Doe is able to orchestrate justice for her classmates who were sexually harassed by their teacher actually bumped this book up an entire star rating for me. I was impressed with the way that Doe utilized her inherent strengths of organization, stealth, and expressiveness to fight for what's right and secure a legacy of safety for her future peers.

Overall, this was fun. I do like a fake-dating premise, and I LOVE books set at boarding schools, so if you love either of those things, this book would be right up your alley.

This is a wonderful book about a group of school girls who are trying to “out prank” the boys school across the road. Through all the hijinks, friendships are tested and formed. The story shows how you need to look deeper and not judge people by face value.

This was so fun!! I loved this. It had an adorable romance, the fake dating trope, badass girls, and a prank war between two rival schools. This was a fast and super fun read and I would totally recommend it to anyone looking for something sweet and snarky. 10/10

3.5/5

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I had a really good time reading this book. I thought the romance was cute and I liked the fake dating trope used. I also like the whole school rivals thing we had going on here. I also really enjoyed the way the students came together for justice. That all being said I do feel like there was something missing. I'm sure this has to do with the fact that I'm not the intended target for this book as a grown woman. I just wanted a little but more chemistry between the two main characters. I would've liked them to be more emotionally invested. I felt like they knew very little about each other so it felt a little insta love here. Overall I had a great time and would recommend this book

such a light-hearted read! A prank war between two rival schools? What more can you ask for? Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a quick and fun book <3

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC. This was such a cute read! I havent read anything set in a high school in a while so it was fun to go back.

I adored this book. It pulled me out of a 5 month reading slump! It deals with heavy topics but in a great way. If you love new takes on fake dating and enemies to lovers, this is the book!

This was a cite book book with the fake relationship turned real feelings trope, but sprinkled with some heavy content that may trigger some people. I thought it was a great book with just enough of the light hearted vs. The heavy content and I really enjoyed seeing Doe's story unfold.

2.5 ⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted eARC, all thoughts are my own.

I was excited to read this one because I love enemies to lovers and fake dating. Also the school rivals and the prank wars sounded so fun!
Sadly this one hit the mark for me.

Let’s start with our MC Doe, annoying and completely selfish. Very much a self centered, privileged white girl. I was over her immediately. It took way too long for her to see how harmful her way of thinking was.

I also didn’t like the plot about the teacher. I don’t understand why it was necessary and even worse I don’t get why the girls never told anyone. It doesn’t make sense to me at all. I believe this could set a poor example for young teens .

Overall this book was just okay to me.