Book Review: Bully (Fall Away #1) by Penelope Douglas

Tate and Jared used to be best friends. They loved each other - or at least she though they did. Then when they were 14 everything changed. Jared went from a loving friend to a bully for no apparent reason. He made it his mission in life to ruin high school for Tate. She got a brief reprieve from his torture for year, studying abroad in Europe. Now that she is back, she wonders if Jared will go back to tormenting her or if maybe he has forgotten all about her and moved on. Regardless of what his plans are, Tate vows to herself to not let him ruin her Senior year. If he is going to pick up where he left of, then this time she will fight back.

I was so hesitant to read this  book because the idea of falling for your bully kind of annoyed me. But after reading so many great things about it, I decided to give it a shot. Let me tell you, I am so glad that I did! Tate - my heart broke for her repeatedly for everything she endured at the hands of Jared. I mean, how much can one teenage girl take before she breaks? But Tate is too strong for that. She took a much needed time out from Life with Jared and came back from Europe and more self confident young woman. The Tate that came back home for her Senior year had a lot more attitude and was finally ready to stand up to him.

And then there is Jared. Sigh. How I hated him through the majority of this book. And I'm not talking about a little hate, but full blown, I want to throttle you hatred. When Tate give her monologue in class and it is clear that Jared is emotionally affected by it, I realized there was a world of pain hidden beneath the bully veneer. At that point I started to forgive him and I want them to rebuild what once was an amazing friendship.

There are some interesting side characters in here as well which I think will lead to some great additional books n this series down the road. I will say that I did not like Tate's best friend K.C. At all. she pissed me off and I felt like she was being a crap friend. On the other hand, I loved Jared's BFF Madoc. He made me laugh and especially at hard he worked to make up for being such a Jerk to Tate all these years. Plus he isn't afraid to call Jared out on how he really feels about her.

This book is emotional and angsty and sexy and just down right all around awesomeness.  You'll want to punch Jared in the face and then climb him like a tree. I am so glad I stopped being stubborn and read Bully.

"I want to touch you. I want to feel what's mine. What's always been mine."

"Your beauty is nothing compared to how you look when you come."

Marianna's Rating:

Title: Bully
Author: Penelope Douglas
Series: Fall Away #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/18090508-bully
Book Blurb:
My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all.

We're neighbors, and once, we were best friends. But then, one summer, he turned on me and has made it his mission to screw up my life at every opportunity. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to hide from him. I worried about what was around every corner and behind every door.

So I left.

I spent a year studying abroad and bathed in the freedom of life without Jared. Now I'm back to finish up high school and get the hell out of here forever. I'm hoping that after a year of breathing room, he's moved on and forgotten all about me.

But even if he hasn't changed, I have. I'm not interested in avoiding him or turning the other cheek anymore. We're going to go head to head, because neither of us wants to back down.

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About the Author
Penelope Douglas is a writer and teacher in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to "just get the degree!" She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, the show Sons of Anarchy, and she shops at Target almost daily.

Website: www.penelopedouglasauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PenelopeDouglasAuthor
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7139136.Penelope_Douglas
Twitter: @PenDouglas
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/penelopedouglas