Review: Going Under by Georgia Cates

Title: Going Under

Author: Georgia Cates

Series: Going Under #1

Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Georgia Cates Books, LLC

Publication Date: March 10th, 2012

Edition: Kindle Edition, 302 pages

Source: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Book Depository 

Synopsis:

   Jesse Boone is a self-proclaimed bad boy and doesn't march to the beat of anyone’s drum but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life but his determination to leave it behind is fervent. He sees an opportunity to snag a college football scholarship when he’s transferred to East Franklin High School but Forbes Henderson has other plans. The player Jesse intends to replace doesn't plan on giving up his spot as starting quarterback so a rivalry is born. Jesse is determined to show his nemesis that he’s not only going to take his position as first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.

     Claire Deveraux is perfection at its best. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and unaware she just became Jesse Boone’s conquest to settle a score with her boyfriend. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jesse Boone. She fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises of rocking her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jesse, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jesse learn that the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?

This book was interesting for me. While I did love the story, the characters and how it all flowed together. Something felt like it was missing.

I think it had more to do with the entire story taking place over the course of 2 months. With this kind of story, it would have been much better if it took place over more time. Like maybe half the school year.

Jessie and Claire were great characters. Their relationship, even though it happened so fast, was so real and believable. This was mild when it came to the physical stuff that comes with many romantic relationships, and I actually liked it that way. There was a lot of heavy kissing, and it was just as sultry as the books that have sexy-time scenes.

I liked that Claire wasn't the typical "good girl" that too many of these chick-lit books have. Sure she's very smart, beautiful, and a very nice person. She's an adopted child whose birth mother was a meth addict and gave birth to a drug-addicted baby. That, in a way, makes her very different from other good girl characters.

Where Claire is not the typical good girl, Jessie is also not the typical bad boy. He was born with almost no options. Not knowing who his father is, and having an addict/drug dealer for a mother generally doesn't give a person many options in life. But he is very intelligent and a very talented football player, both things he is hoping to use to get out from under the impressions and low expectations that everyone around has for him.

The only downside to this book is the timeline. It would have been a much better book had it taken place over more time. We know these characters for 2 maybe 3 months, and then we get an epilogue. I felt a little cheated. Luckily the second book seems to go back in time a little bit to just after graduation, and even though it has different MCs, I hope we get to see more of their relationship grow through someone else's eyes.