5 Smooches
Synopsis
Born on the poor side of town…
Ballerina Dovey Beckham is a scholarship student at Briarcrest Academy, determined to prove she’s more than just a girl with the wrong pedigree. She does whatever it takes to succeed in her endgame, even if it means surrendering her body…but never her heart.
Until the day she meets him, and he rips apart all her well-laid plans. Suddenly, the girl everyone thought unbreakable might just shatter.
Born into wealth and privilege…
Cuba “Hollywood” Hudson is rich, spoiled, and a star football player. With his fast cars and superficial girlfriends, he lives the high-life, hiding his secrets from the world.
Until the day he meets her, and she offers him something he’s never tasted…love.
But once in a lifetime kind of love doesn’t come easy. When trust crumbles and doubts creep in, both will have to decide to either love or let go…forever.
Welcome to Briarcrest Academy, where sometimes, only the wicked survive.
Review
To read about the characters Cuba and Dovey check out my review of Very Wicked Beginnings, the prequel novella HERE!
“Bad guys are always the prettiest, but then pretty is an understatement when it came to him. He was simply more.”
I want to start this review by saying that I was completely taken by this story. Very Wicked Things had so many twist and turns that I was constantly in awe of the imagination of Ilsa Madden-Mills’ mind. I am a huge fan of the first novel in this series, Very Bad Things, and as I always am with follow up novels, I was concerned I would not love this book as much. I should have know I had nothing to worry about. Not only was this book as good as the first one, It was SO SO SO MUCH BETTER!
This book went much darker and intense than I was ever expecting. Cuba’s internal struggles really gave great depth to his character and watching him push Dovey away was heartbreaking but knowing where he was coming from helped me understand him so much more.
“Are you going to kiss me? Because the build-up is killing me. Just do it already,” I said silkily, in a tone I’d never used on anyone. “What is it’s not as good as my dream?” “Make your dreams com true, then,”
Dovey’s storyline killed me. I was an emotional mess and never expected the turns it took. Ilsa Madden-Mills’ did not go light on the emotional turmoil and non stop surprises. I had every intention of being a functioning member of society the day I read the book but once I started this I knew I would not accomplish anything else until I finished it.
I loved the idea of a poor ballerina and the rich football player hooking up and was expecting it to be a fun story with even a few “wicked” high jinx. What I got was a deep story of two young people both trying to deal with the awful situations that are thrust upon them, all the while attempting to deny the feelings they have for one another. Quite often I found myself yelling (out loud like a fool) at Cuba and Dovey for the decisions they made and the direction those decisions took them.
“Let go. I’ll catch you. Every single time.”
That being said at the end I would not have changed one thing about them or their story because it was truly so beautiful. Very Wicked Things is about two broken people trying to survive and do what’s best for those they love even if that means hurting themselves along the way.
“Kiss me again, Dovey.” “That’s a terrible idea. Cause your naked, and I’m turned on you’re naked. And you’re touching yourself. And you’re naked.”
This book was a great fun and even witty New Adult read but really it was so much more. I went through such a range of emotions while reading this I am not sure I can ever fully recover. Cuba and Dovey’s story is a beautiful and even at time tragic love story (but I do promise you a great HEA) that left me absolutely breathless anticipating the next book from Ilsa.
~miranda
