I love the Camp Boyfriend series by J.K. Rock, and I'm so excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for the latest in the series: CAMP PAYBACK! On Monday, I shared a fun guest post & giveaway from the fabulous J.K. Rock, and today, I'm excited to share my thoughts about this latest installment in the Camp Boyfriend series.
Camp Boyfriend #2
Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Released April 29, 2014
Published by Spencer Hill
Alex has big plans for camp this year, starting with making it the best summer ever.
Having fun and breaking some rules will get her the payback she wants against
her parents and her ex-boyfriend. Because of his disgusting texts, she's headed
to a super strict all-girls school in the fall. Then she meets Javier and
revenge doesn't seem nearly as important as getting to know the troubled loner
determined to keep a low profile at camp. But Alex's trouble-magnet personality
and Javier's need to stay in the background don't mix nearly as well as their
irresistible chemistry. With her home life eroding under her feet and her last
year of summer camp speeding to a close, Alex wants to make her mark on the
world and squeeze every bit of fun out of her time with Javier. Too bad her old
plans for revenge turn back on her just in time to ruin everything. Will she
lose Javier too?
My Thoughts:
My Thoughts:
I loved Alex in CAMP BOYFRIEND and CAMP KISS (the prequel novella), so of course I was thrilled to see a whole book with her story! I think I related to Alex the most of all characters I've met so far in this series. Not because I had super-strict parents or dreams of being an actress, but because I understand the pressure of feeling like you'll never quite measure up.
Alex thinks she's the world's biggest disappointment for her parents. She can never be as good as her perfect brother, who apparently can do no wrong. And the only time her parents seem to notice her is when they're writing blog posts about how challenging it is to raise a "problem child." For years, she's tried to act the part, to be the perfect daughter they expect her to be, only letting her hair down at camp each summer. But when her parents intercept a series of suggestive texts from her ex-boyfriend and decide to send her to a strict, all-girls' boarding school in the fall, Alex decides that this summer will be her chance to get revenge and have a little bit of (mostly harmless) fun in the process. Unfortunately, when she impulsively kisses the new kid at camp, to prove a point to her ex-boyfriend, she sets off a string of events that might ruin everything.
Javier was amazing, almost too good to be true (but with just enough flaws to make him real), and he was a perfect match for Alex. I loved getting to know him in CAMP PAYBACK, and I hope to see more of him in future books.
The only disappointment for me was that there wasn't enough of the story from the previous books carried over into this one. I wanted to see the changed camp dynamic with Hannah and Julian, from the CAMP CHRISTMAS novella, but they were mostly absent from this book. It makes sense, since Alex and Hannah weren't exactly friends, but I still wanted to see a bit more there. And there were hints of a sub-plot with Seth, but that never developed either. I'm hoping it was a set-up for the next book, because I really want to see what happened! (I'm anxiously waiting for the next book in the Camp Boyfriend series!!)
About the Author
J. K.
Rock is the pseudonym for YA writing partners - and sisters-in-law
- Joanne & Karen Rock. Although they started out sharing an annual
shopping trip, they ended up discussing their favorite films and books, joining
the same book club and talking about writing... a lot. Their debut
novel,Camp Boyfriend,
is the first in a three-book series plotted during family pool parties. Their
creative partnership is unique in that they enjoy passing a book back and
forth, each adding a chapter and fine-tuning the chapter before. Years of
friendship has yielded a shared voice and vision for their work that makes
writing a pleasure. Learn more about Karen and Joanne at http://jkrock.net
Also in the Camp Boyfriend Series
Camp Boyfriend #1
The
summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.
They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren
Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school
halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for
cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's
nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her
brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all,
her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their
relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock
boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated
by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.
But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his
case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than
she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be
with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed
to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels
different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question
what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's
changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?
Veronica, we are so grateful to you for being part of the CAMP PAYBACK blog tour and helping us spread the word about our new release!! Thank you :-).
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