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Rebels & Romantics
Netflix’s Outerbanks meets Southern California’s skateboarding scene in a YA coming-of-age contemporary romance about carving your own path, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Kasie West, and Emily Lowry.
Vista Buscato, once a perfect coastal paradise, now teeters on the edge of a revolution. Skateboards and the badass punks who ride them aren’t welcome. Which is exactly why gutsy skateboarder Effie Fox plans to ditch the bougie SoCal town now that high school has ended. But her breakout partner and lifelong crush, Matty, is suddenly lovesick for Celeste—a sweet and mysterious beauty who’s everything Effie is not.
It turns out Celeste has a load of secrets and an ever-changing identity. The sooner she’s gone, the better. So Effie pulls off the perfect trick to get rid of the girl. But the move feels like a failure, not fearless, when she’s no closer to a future with a heartbroken Matty. As their skateboarder friends fight for space in their uptight hometown, new possibilities kickflip Effie’s heart in another direction, closer to a certain sexy rebel who believes Vista Buscato is worth fighting for. Effie’s torn to pieces wondering what it means to care about someone and if it’s braver to stay and fight than it is to split.
Vista Buscato, once a perfect coastal paradise, now teeters on the edge of a revolution. Skateboards and the badass punks who ride them aren’t welcome. Which is exactly why gutsy skateboarder Effie Fox plans to ditch the bougie SoCal town now that high school has ended. But her breakout partner and lifelong crush, Matty, is suddenly lovesick for Celeste—a sweet and mysterious beauty who’s everything Effie is not.
It turns out Celeste has a load of secrets and an ever-changing identity. The sooner she’s gone, the better. So Effie pulls off the perfect trick to get rid of the girl. But the move feels like a failure, not fearless, when she’s no closer to a future with a heartbroken Matty. As their skateboarder friends fight for space in their uptight hometown, new possibilities kickflip Effie’s heart in another direction, closer to a certain sexy rebel who believes Vista Buscato is worth fighting for. Effie’s torn to pieces wondering what it means to care about someone and if it’s braver to stay and fight than it is to split.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2023
About the author
Jeanmarie Anaya
2 books4 followersJeanmarie Anaya writes contemporary romance novels about teens and twenty-somethings. She loves food, wine, the beach, and preferably all three of those things at the same time. She grew up in a small beach town, which means she owns more flip flops than actual shoes. After many years drafting contracts as a lawyer, she finally followed her heart and her keyboard down the path of novel-writing.
Jeanmarie’s novels are full of romance, falling in love, heartbreak, longing, love triangles, tons of (mostly unnecessary) drama, and the beautiful ache of first love.
She lives in New York with her husband and three daughters.
Jeanmarie’s novels are full of romance, falling in love, heartbreak, longing, love triangles, tons of (mostly unnecessary) drama, and the beautiful ache of first love.
She lives in New York with her husband and three daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 1, 2023
Rebels & Romantics by Jeanmarie Anaya is a YA friends to lovers romance/coming of age story about unrequited love and the turbulent emotions it causes, as well as finding your voice and figuring out who you are and what you’re willing to fight for. I enjoyed the story as a whole, but to be honest, I did not like Matty at all. He was extremely selfish, and Effie became a doormat for him. I had to keep reminding myself how young they were. Joe was a much better character and saved the book for me, and I wish he would have been featured more prominently. I also really enjoyed the suspense angle that was woven in. It helped pick the pace of the book up a bit. The story finished strong, leaving me wanting more of the couple featured in the end. It will be interesting to see where the series heads next.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#yabookstagram #yabooks #teenbooks #youngadultbooks #yaromance #girlswhoskateboard #outerbanks #bookreview #arcreviews
I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#yabookstagram #yabooks #teenbooks #youngadultbooks #yaromance #girlswhoskateboard #outerbanks #bookreview #arcreviews
July 1, 2023
"Netflix's Outerbanks meets Southern California’s skateboarding scene" isn't a lie. This was so good and reminded me what I miss about living in California. I couldn't put this down. It was well written
July 1, 2023
The first book in a new series and a new author to me. This was an enjoyable coming of age romance. I felt it was a little slow to start but I stuck with it and I am glad I did. They are a good mix of characters and a storyline that takes you back to your teenage years and all the drama. I enjoyed the mystery element that runs through the book as it was quite unexpected. I did wish that we got more of Joe and Effie but hopefully as the series progresses we will get to catch up with them.
June 26, 2023
*ARC Review*
The book started off a little slow for me, but I’m so glad I ended up pushing through. It was so good. I loved all of the characters.
The book started off a little slow for me, but I’m so glad I ended up pushing through. It was so good. I loved all of the characters.
June 18, 2023
Rebels & Romantics by Jeanmarie Anaya is a good, and enjoyable young adult coming of age romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. This story captures the essence of a teenage life with love and rebellion. This story is an entertaining read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 8, 2023
ARC REVIEW - I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rebels & Romantics successfully captures the essence of teenage love and rebellion. The story follows a group of friends, fresh out of high school, determined to make their mark on their little corner of the world. The writing style is engaging, and the first-person perspective allows readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. The book gave me serious Lords of Dogtown vibes (nod to the comment about Stacy Peralta), and left me feeling nostalgic for my own teenage years. Overall, Rebels & Romantics is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming YA story with a happy ending.
Rebels & Romantics successfully captures the essence of teenage love and rebellion. The story follows a group of friends, fresh out of high school, determined to make their mark on their little corner of the world. The writing style is engaging, and the first-person perspective allows readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. The book gave me serious Lords of Dogtown vibes (nod to the comment about Stacy Peralta), and left me feeling nostalgic for my own teenage years. Overall, Rebels & Romantics is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming YA story with a happy ending.
September 23, 2023
The summer after high school is filled with challenges, especially in the small town of Vista Buscato where some people are destined to leave while others will inevitably stay behind. Effie Fox finds herself in the latter group, though she desperately wishes to follow her friend Matty to college in Chicago. Unfortunately, Matty only has eyes for a mysterious girl he encountered in the local drug store, and Effie is only his convenient and unwaveringly reliable wingwoman. As the summer unfolds, Effie and her friends navigate the ups and downs of their transition to adulthood, and they each must come to terms with what they are able to change in the midst of everything they cannot control.
This clean romance centers around the dichotomy of those with financial means and those without in a community that is too small for anyone to be invisible. Told through Effie’s experience, the novel frequently describes the pining and unrequited love she has for Matty, especially as his eyes are set on another. References to skateboarding, strong friendships, and a lackluster family life are also included, which add some depth and dimension to the story, and mentions of drugs and drinking find their way in, too.
Alongside the romantic elements of the narrative are the outward struggle to permit skateboarding in their town and a curious mystery about a missing youth. These plot points are unfortunately not as fleshed out as the rest of the novel, but they add intrigue to the narrative, nonetheless. The writing is the most noteworthy feature of the book, as Effie and her companions are clear and compelling from the very beginning. Readers who enjoy clean romances with a mix of danger, complex relationships, and the journey of self-discovery will appreciate getting to know Effie as she transitions from her relatively narrow focus to regard the wider world for all it has to offer. This is a good addition to library collections for young adult readers.
This clean romance centers around the dichotomy of those with financial means and those without in a community that is too small for anyone to be invisible. Told through Effie’s experience, the novel frequently describes the pining and unrequited love she has for Matty, especially as his eyes are set on another. References to skateboarding, strong friendships, and a lackluster family life are also included, which add some depth and dimension to the story, and mentions of drugs and drinking find their way in, too.
Alongside the romantic elements of the narrative are the outward struggle to permit skateboarding in their town and a curious mystery about a missing youth. These plot points are unfortunately not as fleshed out as the rest of the novel, but they add intrigue to the narrative, nonetheless. The writing is the most noteworthy feature of the book, as Effie and her companions are clear and compelling from the very beginning. Readers who enjoy clean romances with a mix of danger, complex relationships, and the journey of self-discovery will appreciate getting to know Effie as she transitions from her relatively narrow focus to regard the wider world for all it has to offer. This is a good addition to library collections for young adult readers.
July 2, 2023
𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
🛹Rebels & Romantics🛹
By Jeanmarie Anaya
Rating: ⭐ 5/5
Emotions: ❤️ 5/5
A perfectly captured novel about rebellion and teenager existence. A bunch of freshly graduated high schoolers that want to leave their mark at their hometown.
This coming of age romance has all the feels about love, hurt and finding your way through the younger years. A heartwarming book with a happy end.
🛹Rebels & Romantics🛹
By Jeanmarie Anaya
Rating: ⭐ 5/5
Emotions: ❤️ 5/5
A perfectly captured novel about rebellion and teenager existence. A bunch of freshly graduated high schoolers that want to leave their mark at their hometown.
This coming of age romance has all the feels about love, hurt and finding your way through the younger years. A heartwarming book with a happy end.
July 4, 2023
This is a beautifully written story. The characters are real the emotions are heartfelt and the drama and angst of those coming into adulthood is real.
From this perspective I really enjoyed the story however the pace was just a little too stretched for my usual reading taste. But I would absolutely recommend this story to anyone who loves, first loves, anything to do with skateboarding and there is a great twist leaving me more then curious to see where we are headed next.
I have freely left this review.
From this perspective I really enjoyed the story however the pace was just a little too stretched for my usual reading taste. But I would absolutely recommend this story to anyone who loves, first loves, anything to do with skateboarding and there is a great twist leaving me more then curious to see where we are headed next.
I have freely left this review.
July 5, 2023
This book was a YA romance. It was well written. It did start off slow for me. The emotions that come with Unrequited Love was played out well. I hated Matty. He made Effie his doormat. I had to remember Effie is only eighteen. I found myself getting annoyed easily. I liked how this book was a coming of age and finding out who you are story. I like how Effie found her voice. I guess the book was just a little more YA then I like.
July 1, 2023
This is the first in a new series, and is a story of teenage love / rebellion, and unrequited love. This story started of a tad slow, and is an easy to read, romance story, with suspense, emotions, friendships, chemistry, and love, which leads to an enjoyable, and heartwarming, page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this author whose work I recommend.
I look forward to reading more from this author whose work I recommend.
July 2, 2023
Wow....I loved this crew. I enjoyed the struggles and all the feels they had in this story, it kept me pushing forward to see what happened. This is a new author to me and I can't wait for more.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews