Reviewed by Anna Lynn

 

TITLE:  The Bitter Rivals Fiasco

SERIES:  Frat Brats of Santa Barbara

AUTHOR:  Hayden Hall

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  359Pages

RELEASE DATE:  August 04, 2022

BLURB:

I fell in love with the enemy. Twice.

Hudson

For my twenty-first, I threw a masquerade party and met the most exciting guy on the planet, dressed as a fallen angel. Then, I never saw him again.

And just when I think my life is perfect, in walks my nemesis, Tate Anderson.

The guy’s got no finesse. He looks down on everyone, especially me. So, when the mischievous wannabe matchmaker of a professor forces me into a project with none other than Tate, I seriously consider dropping out.

Except, the more time I spend with him, and the more we growl and bark at each other, the tighter my chest feels around him.

To put him out of my mind and escape the feelings I’d kept at bay for so long, I keep throwing the biggest parties in the city. Like some modern version of Jay Gatsby, I hope to run into my mysterious fallen angel, but he’s ever so elusive.

Until he shows up again.

And I take his mask off…

Tate

My life sucks but don’t make a mistake thinking I would let anyone know. Especially not Hudson Blackwood. That guy’s gloating enough already. Ugh… He laughs too much, pretends he’s so cool, nothing really bothers him.

Well, except the fact he’s stuck with me on a semester-long project. But I’m stuck with him just as much. He’s also hot as hell and knows it, which makes him infinitely more annoying.

And if that’s not enough, my stepmother is spending the last of my late dad’s fortune on her two sons and I have to study every waking moment to keep my scholarship.

The only escape I’ve had since coming to Santa Barbara were the masquerade parties a tall, handsome guy dressed as The Phantom keeps throwing.

Before I know it, I am hurtling into love and I hate it. I know my stepmother will uproot me again before the year is done. Besides, I don’t even know who this smoking hot Phantom is. This can only end one way, and it’s not good.

It’s just better for everyone if the masks stay on.

REVIEW:

This is book 4 in the series Frat Brats of Santa Barbara where we follow the stories of the Fuck Boys of Highgate, an exclusive school for boys. It is an exclusive school for rich boys although there are instances where some eligible students go there for scholarships, just like in the case of  Jayden in the first book. And now we have Tate who is also on a scholarship, but unlike Jayden, he did come from money but he is in a dire situation thus the scholarship.

 

Ever since they were in high school, Hudson and Tate have had a crush on each other but due to the fact that their fathers were rivals in the industry, they each developed this animosity towards each other, or so they thought. Although unbeknownst to Hudson, Tate’s life has changed drastically ever since his father died over a year ago. Now, Tate is force to follow the whims of his evil stepmother. Now, he is obligated to do the household chores for some money to enter his account to support whatever else he needs in school which his scholarship doesn’t cover.

 

Hudson’s hate for Tate stems from the rivalry their fathers had over a business deal years ago. He let it fester until it developed into some level of hate when I think deep down he knows that it was just business, and that it shouldn’t have affected his and Tate’s friendship.

 

Seeing his best friend fall in love, as well as his other friends, has made Hudson realize that he also wants the same thing, although he might initially have thought his lack of life was due to the fact that he was bored. In fact, Hudson knows that he wants more, for his life and for his heart. He just doesn’t want to acknowledge it at first.

 

When a school project paired them, Hudson and Tate were at each other’s throats immediately. They couldn’t seem to stop this rivalry that has been going on for years now. They are both smart and willing to do the work to achieve their goals. They just have to get over themselves to see that.

 

While all of that was going on academically, personally, they’ve each met a guy they are attracted to in the masquerade parties that Hudson has been throwing every few weeks. In that event, Hudson met a Fallen Angel whose image he can’t forget. So he keeps throwing these parties in the hopes of meeting his Angel again and again, and maybe convince him that they ought to take off their masks and go for the real thing, dating.

 

Although he couldn’t even afford coffee let alone go to these parties, Tate’s new best friend, Alex, has made him the amazing Fallen Angel costume and encourage him to go to them. And Tate thought it would be a perfect way for him to let go of all the stress and pressure he has inside over what his life has become since his father died. But when the mask was taken off, literally, reality never looked bleaker than ever before. When the confrontation came, Tate let everything out as his frustration over his situation got too much. Amidst all these though, Hudson and Tate couldn’t deny their attraction towards each other. When Hudson offered help, Tate wouldn’t take it and instead decide that nothing can come out from all these, only heartache so they just better enjoy themselves as long as they can.

 

Hudson is stubborn. He wouldn’t just back down because Tate ask him to. When one of his friends gave him the idea, not subtly I tell you, that maybe his mother could help with Tate’s situation, Hudson immediately enlisted his mother’s help.

 

What I love about this series is the fact that the characters are endearing. Never judge a book by its cover is very true in this series. Just because they have a reputation it doesn’t mean that these so-called “Fuckboys” are just that, spoiled rich kids. If we make the effort to know the real person behind all this outer persona then we might be surprise at how real they are, true friends and willing to go above and beyond in order to help other who need it.

 

Congratulations Mr. Hayden Hall, I love them all and I cannot wait for Marco and Stefan’s story!

 

RATING:

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