Synopsis
When nineteen-year-old Abbey Bly gets the opportunity to study abroad for a year in London, it’s the perfect chance to finally slip out from under the thumb of her beloved but overbearing retired rock star father. She’s ready to discover herself – but first off, to meet the girls she’s rooming with. That is, until she arrives at her gorgeous new flat to discover those roommates are actually all boys. Charming, funny, insufferably attractive boys. And off-limits, with a rule against fraternizing between housemates.
Abbey has never considered herself a rulebreaker. But soon, she’s lying to her father about her living situation and falling for not one, but two men she can’t have: her rugby-player roommate and a broody musician with a girlfriend. Not to mention, her research for school has gotten her tangled in a deeply hidden scandal of a high nobility family, surrounding her in secrets on all sides.
If there’s any hope of Abbey finding love, answers, or a future in London, she’ll have to decide which rules – and hearts – might be worth breaking . . .
Rating
★★★★
Thoughts
I couldn’t resist the cover or the idea of American college antics set against a British backdrop. So, despite the book’s mixed reviews, I jumped in and hoped for the best.I feel a bit torn about the rating. It was definitely over a three-star, but perhaps not a four-star for me. I’m rounding it up to give this popular romance author the benefit of the doubt since I haven’t yet read any of her other books.
I really had to tap into my naïve nineteen-year-old college girl self, from which I’m more than a few years removed, to really get through this story. Our girl Abbey is about as immature and vanilla as they come. With a bland personality, a privileged upbringing, and a penchant for making poor decisions, the young lady was the recipe for disaster. She managed to create quite the sloppy social life!
I finished the book with a few conflicting thoughts. I felt that the atmosphere was a bit lacking; I would have liked to experience more of London. I also would have enjoyed seeing a bit more personal growth in Abbey. On the other hand, the book did a good job of reminding me how utterly carefree and clueless one can be at that stage in life. Did older and wiser people want to just shake me when I was that age? Oh, I’m sure.