Wicked Beginnings by L.A. Cotton: Review

Posted October 16, 2017 in review Tags: 3.5 Stars, high school

Wicked Beginnings by L.A. Cotton

Series: Wicked Bay #1
Genres: Young Adult, New Adult
Source: ARC
Also in this series: Wicked Rules
Also by this author: Salvation and Secrets (Chastity Falls, #2), Salvation and Secrets, Fate's Love, Tribulation and Truths, Redemption and Regrets, Penance and Promises, Wicked Rules, The Trouble With You, The Game You Play

Goodreads

The first book in a brand new YA/NA crossover series from l. a. cotton

When seventeen-year-old Eloise Stone finds herself half way across the world, moving into her Uncle's pool house, she expects things to be ... awkward. She doesn't expect to come face-to-face with the boy from last summer. The boy that made her feel things she'd never felt before. But a year is a long time, and Lo isn’t the same girl she was then. Besides, they’re family now.

It’s weird.

Maverick Prince acts as if he doesn’t remember her, treating Lo like nothing more than an annoying younger sister, and not in a ‘he cares’ way, just in a ‘he’s an arsehole’ way. One thing‘s for sure, he isn’t just dangerous for her sanity—he’s hazardous for her heart.

Lo thought moving to Wicked Bay was the worst of her problems, but as life begins to unravel around her, she’s going to find out it’s only the beginning…

Wicked Beginnings is perfect for fans of the Fallen Crest series by Tijan or The Royals series by Erin Watt! Lo lost her mom and her brother in an accident and now she has to move to America and live with her dad’s brother and his blended family. No one seems happy to have her there. She had visited in the past and had a connection with Maverick, but they did not know who they were to each other.

The story is told entirely from Lo’s POV. You get an understanding of her pain and loss. She is a teenager with deep grief over losing her mother and brother, a bit of survivor’s guilt, frustration at moving to a foreign country, and then anger at her father for moving on. Lo was a very dynamic character that I felt really sympathetic towards. I wanted to throat punch her dad. Like, really hard!

Because you don’t get any POV from Maverick, I am not sure I like him yet. They are in lust for sure, but I don’t have any clue as to why he is such a jerk to her. Honestly, I don’t really see the chemistry between Maverick and Lo. He is so hot and cold that I can’t understand his behavior. I don’t know what Lo sees in him and honestly just wanted her to move on! And there are so many questions! What is the deal with Alec Prince? What is going on with Rebecca and Gentry?

I think readers will draw a lot of comparisons to Paper Princess and The Royals. It didn’t bother me, but I did find myself making parallels in the characters for sure!