Bully

I couldn't stop my mind from going "Whassup, my name's Jared, I'm nineteen and i never fucking learned how to read." Whenever i read Jared's name.

4.5/5 ⭐ I quite literally devoured this book. I loved the main characters, and the way the story was built just kept me on my toes. Plus tate is bad ass. I'm not sure how I feel about Jared, but hiz backstory was written well, but didn't really fit. I can't give it 5 stars because it wasn't a sophisticated read, I read it to fuel my romance bully, that isn't truly a bully, love. mwah

Ok shitttt, I loved this book. Friends to Enemies to Lovers, oh my god. So good I can’t. Was cliche but I loved every second. Such an easy read. The sexual tension was *chef’s kiss*. Penelope Douglas you’ve done it again.

In Bully, we have a story of the true fine line between love and hate, and that not everything is as it seems. Tate and Jared were once best friends when they were young. Lived next door to each other, and did just about everything together. But when they were fourteen years old, Jared left for the summer to spend it with his father and came back with hatred in his eyes for Tate. Tate could never understand what she ever did to Jared. For three years she has struggled to understand where his anger has come from. Tate has had to deal with his taunts, his bulliness, and his pranks on her. But then she leaves for France for a year, and comes back a new woman. Now in her senior year of high school, Tate refuses to be the shy reserved girl she used to be and let Jared walk and hurt her again. She stands on her own and surprises him with a new confidence and fighting attitude. Tate comes into herself even though Jared seems determined to ruin her. But as she stands up to him more and more, little things don’t add up about him. She senses something more than the usual hate she used to always get from him. She sees little moments of the real Jared she used to know and love and she will do everything in her power to get to the truth no matter what! Now Bully, was a story I probably should have read first. Since reading books 2 and 3, I knew I needed to read Bully before reading the last book in the series “Aflame”. But I also knew from what the later books hinted at, that it wouldn’t be an easy read and boy was it a tough one full of angst and conflict. These two really go at it. I really felt for Tate in this book….she was the center of it and I loved her pizazz. She really fights back against Jared and I wanted to cheer at some of the pranks she actually pulls at him because he deserves it. I knew a bit of Jared’s history so I kneew that he had a tough history. But there were times I just couldn’t understand how he could take out his anger and pain on the only person that ever had his back. Tate was amazing though, despite the way Jared has treated her, he never broke her. He only made her stronger and I liked that even when it seems tough, she offers forgiveness…Eventually. Most of the book is some pretty crazy stuff before Jared actually gets real with Tate. So that aspect wasn’t my favorite part of the story, but Douglas handles these issues so well and in such a realistic point of view I wanted to cheer. The only character I couldn’t like was K.C. Now she is the heroine of the third book. But quite frankly, I did NOT like her in this one. I understand why Penelope wrote her in this way, but seriously, I wanted to throw her in the lake and shake some common sense into her. Tate was way too forgiving when it came to her in my book. But there were many moments in this story that I loved, and once Jared started letting Tate it—that is when it got really good. Now technically this is a YA romance but to be frank it didn’t feel like it. It had a more NA feel to the story and the sexual content is way more heated than YA is anyway. But boy loved these two together and I can’t wait for more.

what is up with all the SA?? horrible

So good. Their relationship made me cringe at certain moments. She was also too fast to turn to the bad girl and start hurting people. Their relationship made me feel yuck at moments but it didn't make the book hard to read. Now, realizing that there is a whole series makes me seriously not want to read. I most likely won't read the whole series. The book was cute though. In certain moments i was in bed kicking my feet and in others i was cringing and wishing i didn't start to read the book. If you want to see early work of the wonderful smut writer Penelope Douglas, i would tell you to start this book and maybe read the series (if you have the time).

4.5

** spoiler alert ** 2 ⭐️ honestly i kinda like angsty books, and this had a bunch of angst. buttttt! i was frustrated and angry half of the time while reading this, which doesn’t really help with my anger issues. some people say that when a book brings out such strong emotions out of you it’s a good book. but no. not for me. i was just always mad, which just made it very uncomfortable for me. i still hate K.C. later on she says that Jared was just a rebound and that he didn’t mean anything like that to her. so why? why choose the one guy who is bullying your best friend. it’s sounds so fucking stupid to me. AND the fact that Tate just let it slip that easily? what?? no. bye. still wanna punch everyone in the face.

3.25 I liked it, but some things definitely irked me

the first bully romance i read.

maybe i love enemies to lovers a little too much.

I quite enjoyed this book. I like how there were strong themes here, stuff that shouldn’t be brushed under the carpet. Tate is strong and smart. Jared is wounded but still redeemable. The supporting cast of characters was great too. I love mature YA and while this wasn’t as mature as some I’ve read, I’d still say give this a go!

Flat, badly written with a shit ton of plot holes. If you know anyone in your life that sounds relatable to the characters in this book, cut them out of your life as fast as you can, except maybe Ben Jamison. And if you relate to this story in anyway, please seek help. A book that glorifies red flags should NOT be YA

3.5 stars In the end it wasnt a bad book, but, althought i didnt dislike Tate, i think its a shame that even after Jared, her childhood friend that now hates her guts, bullied her horribly, she still ended up with him. I get that Jared needed an escape for his suffering, but the way he dealt with it was horrible, he made miserable one of the only people who cared about him. i think they would've been a wonderful couple ir Jared came to his senses before all the shitty things he'd done

this was just okay. it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything memorable to me. i was more bored actually. i can’t say i sympathised with jared, which is probably the biggest problem here. although his past is really ugly and I do feel for him in that sense, it makes no sense how that is the reason for his behaviour, specially when they were childhood friends. moreover, the ending felt sort of rushed and jared’s change in attitude was too sudden, i don’t know. 3-stars

i’m a little torn on how to finalise my rating for this book but two stars seems enough because though i did enjoy the writing and the concept of the story, it lacked something - and i’m not entirely sure what. i did enjoy the read, though, but i’m not sure i will continue the series.

let's just ignore this

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Audiobook This book was just…ok. Nothing earth shattering or groundbreaking. And I had a few problems with it. BUT if I was still in high school or early on in college, I probably would have loved this book. Tatum and Jarod have been best friends since they were kids and Jarod has loved her since he was 14. But he spends the summer before freshman year (of high school) away at his dads house where something happens to Jarod that forever changes and damages him. When he comes home he develops a misplaced hatred for Tate and finds solace in making her miserable at school. Ok. I’m halfway through the second book (from Jarod’s perspective) and I still don’t understand the psychology behind why he starts hating Tate. Terrible things happened to him at the hands of his father…so the abused becomes the abuser? I don’t like that. Tate’s best, and only friend, Casey knows about all the terrible things Jarod has done to Tate since high school started, yet the second her boyfriend cheats on her she’s more than happy to find solace in Jarod’s arms. And she has THE NERVE to be mad at Tate when she gets upset. I don’t like that either. But my biggest gripe about this whole thing are the ages of the characters. Why make them 17-18? The parents are conveniently absent the entire book. These teenagers have very convenient access to alcohol, drugs, car racing and other high risk behaviors. Not that that can’t happen in high school, I’m not naive. But this same exact premise could have been played out in a college setting, where I would have felt a lot less icky reading about two teenagers lusting after each other. It wasn’t hot. It was icky. But that’s coming from my adult perspective. Maybe as a teen I would have been in love with the whole thing. Overall, the story was enjoyable and an easy read - enemies to lovers, slow burn, strong female MC - but I really couldn’t get over the ages and feeling kind of pervy and not hot at all when they finally get together. And I never understood why he hated her so much. The excuse given in the book felt flimsy at best. So 3 stars. Will probably read on but I’m not super invested so may DNF the series…Hopefully they’re older in subsequent books 😂

“So you’re truly mine.” “I’m yours. It’s always been you.” It was my first Penelope Douglas book and to be honest? I t wasn't that bad, this author always kinda scared me but I kinda liked this one a lot! I loved Tate, idk what it was about her but I really fall for her and her strength and how she finally got to fight back! Jared had a good development and finding out what really happened to him that one summer was heartbreaking and I felt for him, and I knew something bad had happen for him to change that quickly and tho at first I didn't trust him that much, he really got around my heart and stole it! Also loved how they always come back to each other, and how they were always meant to be! They were really cute and sometimes too much, I really liked their story and I didn't have many expectations but It kinda surprised me and I really liked it, it made me really interested in reading the rest and meeting the other couples too! “I love you, Tate.” Jared looked at me like I was the most important thing in his world. “I love you more than myself, more than my own family, for Christ’s sake. I don’t want to take another step in this world without you next to me,”

this is the fucking reason why i'm never getting into adult romances. like ever. nothing enjoyable about this book whatsoever

** spoiler alert ** perfect perfect perfect he was always there for her. he was immature to treat her badly but he never ever stopped loving her i cannot get over it. the back and forth, the angst between them. i need to read the rest of the series RIGHT NOW

He went through so much shit it was honestly justified plus he never physically hurt her and his apologies and everything were incredible She’s the kindest person in the history of the world, granted she had her bitchy moments but like her forgiveness level was insane Her beating up his car scene was… insane but uh… girl power? THE GRAVEYARD SCENE. OW “Tate, you’re mine, and I’m yours. Every day you’re going to realize that more and more. When you believe it without a doubt, then I’ll have earned your trust.” 🌶🌶 😭😭 I like him a whole lot and how he continuously apologized and did better like he didn’t get angry when she didn’t wanna hear it he just kept saying it and made her believe it that’s just refreshing and nice Plus the miscommunication scene was only like three pages long so that’s always amazing

the one good part of this book was the following quote: “Jared took out his phone and pushed a few buttons before Seether’s Broken started playing” i’m not kidding that i could not stop laughing and had to put down my kindle to control how unintentionally funny that line was this… was just not good. i’m really struggling to find any redeeming quality but i can’t. i was very put off by the cover but it was highly recommended to me so i tried anyways and i just cannot understand the appeal of this book. there’s really not a story or a solid plot- just a lot of discrete scenes between the main character and love interest. would not recommend to anyone who likes to read good books

A+ quick read!