Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters ♥

I picked up Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters for two reasons. First, there was a deal so I was able to get the book for 99¢. Second, I think stories that explore the implications and complications surrounding an affair can be interesting (although it’s not something I want to explore in real life). But I have to say I was disappointed with the story.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have anything good to say about this book. But let me tell you what the book is about and why I didn’t enjoy it so you can enjoy it for yourself. Bad Rep is the story of Maysie and Jordan. Jordan has a girlfriend, but has a serious connection with Maysie. The tension and the pull between them is strong, but Jordan stays with his girlfriend. Then Jordan and Maysie get caught kissing at a party. And the story really takes off from there.

There are some spoilers that follow, although I don’t think anything that will really surprise you.

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This book was like an extremely watered down and immature version of Thoughtless by S.C Stephens. The characters were immature. The tension between Maysie and Jordan was solved by being caught in his infidelity; Maysie never pushes Jordan to choose between her and his girlfriend. Instead she lets Jordan get away with his actions, and once they do get caught, Maysie never seems concerned with Jordan’s fidelity (very surprising given their situation).

Maysie also seems to both love and hate being in a sorority. Greek life is so central to the story, as were the judgments outsiders make about Greek life, but then most of those things turned out to be true. I’m not sure what the author wanted us to take away about that particular lifestyle. Whatever it was, it still seems a bit shallow.

The last issue I had was with some of the events that happened on campus with some severe bullying. At some point the college administration would step in, especially at such on such a small campus. So much public bullying wouldn’t go unnoticed.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I ended up wanted to finish the book as soon as soon as possible so I could move on to something else. An affair can come to a happy ending, but there should be more complications than rumors. There should be emotional complications, and there should be doubts about faithfulness because the relationship started off shrouded in lies. We didn’t get any of that depth. The reader deserves that depth and those types of complications.

In the end, I say read what you like. I didn’t like this book, but that doesn’t mean you won’t. I won't be reading the rest of the series.

*On a side not of things I didn’t like, I want to point out that some of the sex scenes were a bit much for me. As you can see from the other books I’ve read, I’m not opposed to sex in books, but reading some things are cringe worthy to me. You’ve been warned.  

Bad Rep on Goodreads