"Bad Romeo" by Leisa Rayven

I am so, so, sooooo glad that I was waiting with my re-read until I had received an ARC of Broken Juliet, part two in Leisa Rayven's Starcrossed series - would I not have the chance to dive right into more Ethan and Cassie right now, I'd be dying a million emotional deaths.
Seriously.

Personally, I like to - if I find the time - reread books that I really, really loved, and Bad Romeo definitely is one of them. I'd even go as far as to say that I don't just love the book - I am in love with it.
What I hadn't expected when I re-opened the book to give it another read, however, was that it would have the same power as it did the first time - I felt like a Starcrossed virgin all over again. It was if I was reading the novel for the very first time - all the laughter and tears kicked in on all the right pages; all the emotion got delivered spot on for a second time - Rayven has such an admirable way with words... there is no way in heaven or hell not to love it!

Bad Romeo follows good-girl Cassie Taylor and bad boy Ethan Holt as they audition for - and start studying at - The Grove, the country's most prestigious school of the performing arts. Not long after the start of the school year, the two acting majors get cast as Romeo and Juliet - and it soon seems clear that they're destined for a romance no less epic than that of their on-stage characters... but sometimes, destiny just doesn't get its way,
and hearts don't just get broken, but shattered beyond repair...

"The heart wants what it wants...

and sometimes it wants something bad."

Years later, they have both made it to Broadway, and fate -with a little help of none other than Holt himself- once again reunites them as on-stage lovers, forcing both of them not only to confront each other, but also their passionate past, including the hottest, yet also the most heart-breaking memories... and not to forget their still-there attraction to one another.

Breaking Cassie's heart was Ethan's biggest regret, and having her heart broken by her first and only love was the spark for Cassie's trust-issues - it seems they are like magnets, sometimes pulling each other in, but turning around also pushing one another away until they are out of each other's reach.
You won't want to put this novel down until the very last page - it's captivating, and there's no way you'll not want to know what'll happen next, if they'll make it.
With Bad Romeo, Rayven presents some of the most real characters I have ever had the joy of reading about - their story is a raw, honest and emotional rollercoaster that you won't want to quit. The author has a genius way with words, that will have you laugh, cry, and sometimes even both at the same time; I highlighted the life out of my kindle-copy - it's full of great lines that are absolutely quote-worthy. With the story being written from Cassie's point of view, alternating between present and past to give you glimpses at all things Cassie-and-Ethan, you will get an instant connection to one of the main characters, setting an emotional atmosphere that will draw you in and will have you wanting more.

If you're now going to pick up Bad Romeo for the very first time - which you really should, if you haven't already! - I can say... lucky you! Only 20 days to go before you can dig into part two! (;

5+/5

While performing the greatest love story of all time, 

they discovered one of their own...

Cassie Taylor was the good-girl acting student. Ethan Holt was the bad boy on campus. Then one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing onstage, Cassie and Ethan's epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.

Now they've made it to Broadway, where they're reunited as romantic leads once again - and their passionate scences force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret... and he's determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much for her to ever trust him again. The trouble is, working with him reminds her that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks. And when it comes to love, sometimes it's the things that aren't good for us that are the most irresistible. 

Leisa Rayven is a freelance actor and producer in Brisbane, Australia, who makes frequent trips to Los Angeles and New York City. Bad Romeo is her first novel.

Bad Romeo: goodreads || amazon
Broken Juliet: goodreads || amazon
Leisa Rayven's website || facebook  || twitter || instagram