This wasn't the best book I've read. In fact, it kind of disappointed me. It wasn't awful but I wouldn't be rereading it anytime soon.

It had potential and the blurb made it seem interesting, but it was too quick. Everything happend too fast and it was not much to build on espesially for the characters and their chemistry.

This was not for me... the plot was interesting? It was just not something that grasped my attention and I was just going through the motions of reading rather than truly being invested and captivated by the story.

The nerdy nobody, the jock next door, and a deal. I mean what can go wrong? A much loved trope and Hansen does a pretty good job of setting it up. The chemistry between Lucy and Riley was very believable and I was rooting for them. That being said, I have never read a series like this that is broken up into an episodic format and I am really not sure how I feel about it.

While the tension between the two characters was palpable and I was invested in seeing where things ended up, I wasn't really able to connect with the characters to a point where I really felt the need to pick up the next book. It felt like as soon as I was really getting into things, it was over. While things may have some people so ready to pick the next one up, I really didn't feel that way.

The only reason I requested for this book on Netgalley is because I want to read a book that is from a genre I’ve not explored before to get out of my comfort zone but… I would pretty much like to go back to my comfort zone now.

Both of the protagonists of this novel do not have the basic knowledge of consent. There’s a ridiculously large amount of fatphobia in this book which is absolutely infuriating to read about. The scene where the mother of the female protagonist who is frantically watching the male protagonist stripping and practicing onanism by his window scarred my eyeballs. There’s cheating in a relationship in this novel which did not get resolve by the end because this is a 4-part series. Also, the female protagonist watching the male protagonist strip by his window is weird (she thinks he doesn’t know she is watching) but what’s weirder is that the male protagonist does it on purpose and he did it with pride and he knows she is watching so he does it. *allow me to retch in the toilet.*

The writing style of this novel is amateur at best. It does not have the most ludicrous writing style and it does not have the most lucrative writing style either. It is just… there.

Final Verdict: 5% (F)

Such a quick read. It definitely reads like an episode of a tv show, and moves very quickly. It reads much more like a YA book with some adult parts fit in there. The story line is very relatable, and it definitely leaves you with that cliff hanger to read the next installment!

i never ended up downloading this, i've been reading other reviews on this and it sounds pretty good, so i might go get it~

Just no. Worst book I've ever read hands down. The T&C's for the deal between Riley and Lucy - what the fudge, could not be any dumber.
The weird uncalled for scene with the mom - again, WTF. I wish I could have unread that.
The fat-shaming just depicted these characters as shallow and very ignorant, even though Lucy is only depicted as a little chubby around the waist. The fact that a high school teenager, no matter how rich or popular, can control not only her own grades but whether or not her boyfriend stays on the hockey team - are you kidding me. My eyes hurt from all the eye rolling. The way Lucy's virginity is treated is quite surreal and bizarre. It made me feel uncomfortable. Zuko's sudden interest in Lucy came out of nowhere and no explanation was provided. Again WHAT THE FUDGE!

The fact that this series is divided into short episodes is a blessing in disguise because if this was a full length novel I would have DNF'd it at the point where this first book ended.

3.5 Stars

Marita A Hansen's The Cheat is a messy, yet fun, short young adult read.

Ugh. I want to not love this book, especially with the ending as it is, but I'll be dammed, I love it. I want to hate Riley, but I don't.

The characters are certainly realistic high school characters, and I find the story riveting. Sure, the ending sucks, as in, it is certainly not a happy ending. But I couldn't put this book down. .

The Cheat is classic high school drama, and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Hmmm not sure what I thought of this book. The writing is solid but the storyline was just ok for me.

Complementary copy for hones review and opinion. This is more of a young adult book and I felt dirty reading it as a teacher thinking about a high school senior. This is a good book for young adults transitioning from younger books to younger adulthood.

I’m not entirely sure what I just read. First, this book isn’t an entire book. It is an episode and therefore VERY short. But I knew that in the beginning. Turns out I don't like this format though. I think this is a mix between 2 and 3 stars....

Some parts of this I liked and there was some potential in it, but the rest was… weird. I mean technically an unpopular kid being able to demand everything they want from one of the popular kids… that’s pretty cool, but there would’ve been so many better ways to get some kind of revenge and honestly I would’ve preferred a revenge story over this shy love sick girl that just wanted to popular guy to kiss her. I mean, I was cringing a lot during this short read. And somehow making another person strip for you and kiss you even though they don’t want to.. that is just wrong. And I didn’t like the fact that Riley all of a sudden was totally into Lucy and still treated her ugly in school. It was just… weird… and I really don’t know what to think of this story. It did give me inspiration for a revenge short story though. So I might just sit down and write a bit when I have some spare time. :D

I started reading the first couple of lines maybe last month/Feb and walked away. Didn't think I'd revisit unless I had nothing else going on. Turns out March is shelter-in-place and so I pulled this back up from NetGalley. This essentially read like Penthouse Forum material and reading this as high schoolers (though 18 years in age, writes author at the front), it still makes me ick.

I have been following Marita Hansen since her other series. I think this book shows a bit of her depth as an author and her growing as well. This book doesnt have the huge new zealand focus as her last series. I think it is a bit taboo and a bit angsty but it is set in high school. I think both of our main characters are meant to be hated in their own way. Riley (male) is a bully and a cheat and we hate him for that but he is a fraud and our female character is a chubby thing who is also a nasty ugly thing on the inside too. I know this is a serial so i cant wait to see where our characters go...

A different kind of book about two high school students who live across the street from each other. One-night Lucy notices Riley from across the way through his window and for a few nights, she watches him after his shower until he catchers her. What really makes it worse is that he goes to school and tells his football friends and then she becomes known as the peep as “peeping tom”. Her freshman, sophomore, junior and beginning of the senior year of high school has been the worst. Bullied from walking in the halls, in the classrooms, lunch area she is amazed when she is asked to tutor him so he can still play football so he can try I make it to college.
The problem becomes when she finally gives in to help him the bullying, he begins to see first hand so now will he step in and stop it or just say nothing. When he tells her, he likes her she again thinks that it is a trick to just make the rest of her high school last year worse. A story that has many different emotions and I am torn because of the bullying aspect but I do realize it does take place.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This seems to have been a bit of a marmite book
Some reviews love it, some hate it

I personally really enjoyed it. A short, hot read, I got through it in one sitting

This is an episode in a series and now waiting for the next one

I’m not even sure what happened. The book starts off with a high school girl who is not very popular and well that’s thanks to her next door neighbor the ever popular star hockey player Riley. However she’s in love with him and can’t help but watch him through the window.

He needs help with homework and they use each other, which okay but then we have a crazy girlfriend and horrible teammates and friends.

If that’s bad enough I’m not even sure how to feel about the end of this book and am I going to read the Cheerleader ??? I just honestly can’t tell you what happened because I’m. Not even sure and not in a good way.

I'm sorry this book....was so not what i thought it would be and just strange, problematic and uncomfortable to read. I personally won't be continuing the series but that is just my own thoughts on it.

Thank you to netgalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, this did not work in any way for me. I'm not a fan of cheating but can normally get through some in a book if the story is good enough. If the characters have any redeeming qualities and there is some sort of idea that there will be learning on their part. That's not apparent to me at all.

This story is fully of not only cheating but horrible kids who have zero redeeming qualities. The entire story made me mad and that feeling just got worse as I read it. I had hoped that there would be a light at the end of the tunnel that would make me want to read the next part of the book. Incidentally, this is a series story, so The Cheat is just the first part of I don't know how many others to come.

So no. I actually hated this. I'm sure someone out there will like this, but that's not me. Pretty sure nobody I know would like this either. I'm disappointed but hey, on to the next.

This was a fun sexy read. I really liked the characters and what they were going through. I am not always a fan of reading about characters still in high school, as its hard for me to relate at this point in my life.

Also, I didn't know how to feel about the format. I don't really like the idea of only a few "episodes" coming out every week. I feel like you should just finish a book and then put it out when its done and not drag it out. You can put out subsequent novels if that's what you want.