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Ocean Bay #1
Endgame
My name is Mercy James and I've always had a three-point plan.
1. Don't fall in love in high-school.
2. Get through senior year and snag a full-ride scholarship to college.
3. Get the hell away from my irresponsible mother.
I didn't think that was too much to ask for, and I've worked damn hard to make it a reality.
Until my mother went and did the unthinkable!
She's pregnant.
Yep, the woman-child only went and got herself knocked-up by a man who lives on the other side of the country.
As if it wasn't bad enough to uproot my life six weeks before senior year, Mom's new beau comes with baggage.
A sweet stepsister, Amelia.
And the b*stard of all b*stards, Rourke.
Rourke is a senior like me, and he doesn't want me in his town, much less his home. He's also hell bent on making sure I know it.
Thing is, I don't want to be there either, and if Rourke expects me to swan in and kiss his ass to make him like me, he has another thing coming.
I'm nobody's bitch and he's about to learn that...
Endgame is a feisty standalone romance. Due to its explicit content, bad language, and graphic sexual content, Endgame is recommended for mature readers of seventeen years and above.
1. Don't fall in love in high-school.
2. Get through senior year and snag a full-ride scholarship to college.
3. Get the hell away from my irresponsible mother.
I didn't think that was too much to ask for, and I've worked damn hard to make it a reality.
Until my mother went and did the unthinkable!
She's pregnant.
Yep, the woman-child only went and got herself knocked-up by a man who lives on the other side of the country.
As if it wasn't bad enough to uproot my life six weeks before senior year, Mom's new beau comes with baggage.
A sweet stepsister, Amelia.
And the b*stard of all b*stards, Rourke.
Rourke is a senior like me, and he doesn't want me in his town, much less his home. He's also hell bent on making sure I know it.
Thing is, I don't want to be there either, and if Rourke expects me to swan in and kiss his ass to make him like me, he has another thing coming.
I'm nobody's bitch and he's about to learn that...
Endgame is a feisty standalone romance. Due to its explicit content, bad language, and graphic sexual content, Endgame is recommended for mature readers of seventeen years and above.
451 pages, ebook
Published June 5, 2017
1,156 people are currently reading
6,858 people want to read
About the author
Chloe Walsh
63books19.9kfollowersChloe Walsh is the bestselling author of The Boys of Tommen series, which exploded in popularity on TikTok, ŷ, and Amazon. She has been writing and publishing New Adult and Adult contemporary romance for a decade. Her books have been translated into multiple languages. Animal lover, music addict, TV junkie, Chloe loves spending time with her family and is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness. Chloe lives in Cork, Ireland with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
January 13, 2024
God provided us with two eyes to enjoy the beauty of things. And i horribly abused them by reading this book 😭 may allah have mercy on me 🙏🏻
Favorite quote:
“The End�
Favorite quote:
“The End�
May 21, 2021
3.25 stars ✩⋆
enemies to lovers, stepbrother/stepsister, tons of angst and petty teenage drama, strong heroine and asshole hero?? whats not to love?
even though the grovelling was satisfying, most of it was more telling than showing and that really bugged me.
"I was his endgame.
And he was mine."
･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ characters ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･�
since this is a bully romance, the characters were PERFECT for this kind of book.
� Rourke: was a great a combination of asshole/alpha and sweet. yeah, he was cruel and mean in the beginning and some of the things he said were unforgivable and i would’ve smacked him if i were the h but i really think he redeemed himself.
� Mercedes: this bishhhh. i LOVED her! she is the perfect type of heroine in a bully romance. why? because she fought back, gave it as good as she gets and didn’t pretend she was strong and brave. oh and she’s not one of those doormat/horny heroines that’s usually seen in a bully romance. i hate when heroines easily give in just because the H is hot but Mercy wasn’t like that. well... except for that one time but thank god it was only once.
･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ OW drama ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･�
this is the main reason why i gave this a mediocre rating. sometimes, the H treated the OW/ex better than the h and this lasted throughout the whole book (more so in the first 50%).
The ex cheated on him for a couple of years in their 5-year fucked up relationship and that broke him but he still slept with her occasionally (even after meeting h but i think that was only two times and he felt bad/disgusted). im not really sure if he slept with this ex after H and h were intimate but the insinuation was there since he called her for sex after the h told him to forget their little make-out session. im not sure tho because it wasn’t really clear but h did catch them making out the next day her and H were intimate.
H hated h just because she represented something bad in their family and she did nothing to him but he still “bullied� her. OW/ex cheated on him plenty of times and treated him like shit but he didn’t want to hurt her, he doesn’t even hate her, the little boy in him will always love her, and when they “broke up� it was only her he was sleeping with afterwards and when he was confronting her? yeah... he was soft, didn’t call her cruel names, and was considerate of her feelings *cue eyeroll*.
and when it came to the h, H was fine with sleeping with this ex but when it came to the ex, he wouldn’t even sleep with other girls... yeah, im not down with that. yes, yes i know he slept with this OW to forget h, he was scared of his obsession/feelings for her blah blah blah. but hey, actions speak louder than words right? and the fact that he pulled a Freudian slip and called h with this OW's name was fucked uuupp. i usually don’t mind OW drama but it really bugged me here BUT it was resolved somewhat satisfyingly here, imo.
* * *
anywayss, this was still a great book for the enemies to lovers type of book.
enemies to lovers, stepbrother/stepsister, tons of angst and petty teenage drama, strong heroine and asshole hero?? whats not to love?
even though the grovelling was satisfying, most of it was more telling than showing and that really bugged me.
"I was his endgame.
And he was mine."
･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ characters ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･�
since this is a bully romance, the characters were PERFECT for this kind of book.
� Rourke: was a great a combination of asshole/alpha and sweet. yeah, he was cruel and mean in the beginning and some of the things he said were unforgivable and i would’ve smacked him if i were the h but i really think he redeemed himself.
� Mercedes: this bishhhh. i LOVED her! she is the perfect type of heroine in a bully romance. why? because she fought back, gave it as good as she gets and didn’t pretend she was strong and brave. oh and she’s not one of those doormat/horny heroines that’s usually seen in a bully romance. i hate when heroines easily give in just because the H is hot but Mercy wasn’t like that. well... except for that one time but thank god it was only once.
･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ OW drama ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･�
this is the main reason why i gave this a mediocre rating. sometimes, the H treated the OW/ex better than the h and this lasted throughout the whole book (more so in the first 50%).
The ex cheated on him for a couple of years in their 5-year fucked up relationship and that broke him but he still slept with her occasionally (even after meeting h but i think that was only two times and he felt bad/disgusted). im not really sure if he slept with this ex after H and h were intimate but the insinuation was there since he called her for sex after the h told him to forget their little make-out session. im not sure tho because it wasn’t really clear but h did catch them making out the next day her and H were intimate.
H hated h just because she represented something bad in their family and she did nothing to him but he still “bullied� her. OW/ex cheated on him plenty of times and treated him like shit but he didn’t want to hurt her, he doesn’t even hate her, the little boy in him will always love her, and when they “broke up� it was only her he was sleeping with afterwards and when he was confronting her? yeah... he was soft, didn’t call her cruel names, and was considerate of her feelings *cue eyeroll*.
and when it came to the h, H was fine with sleeping with this ex but when it came to the ex, he wouldn’t even sleep with other girls... yeah, im not down with that. yes, yes i know he slept with this OW to forget h, he was scared of his obsession/feelings for her blah blah blah. but hey, actions speak louder than words right? and the fact that he pulled a Freudian slip and called h with this OW's name was fucked uuupp. i usually don’t mind OW drama but it really bugged me here BUT it was resolved somewhat satisfyingly here, imo.
* * *
anywayss, this was still a great book for the enemies to lovers type of book.
June 22, 2017
I seem to be in the minority here, I guess, at least for now... 2 or 2,5 stars max�
Here is all I want to say about this book:
- Senior high-school students (17 years old), who are also step-brother/sister
- Mercedes’s mother is Rourke’s father’s fifth wife and he is sick of his father bringing a new wife so often to the house
- Rourke treats Mercedes like trash for a long while, calling him Six (the sixth step-sibling his father brings home) and she gives as good as she gets until her hormones and feelings blind her. Then, she starts begging!!! Pathetic!
- When their hate slowly (very slowly) turns into/lust/friendship & love, nothing unexpected happens, no surprises at all...
- She is a virgin and she is his 2nd girlfriend. He had a girlfriend of five years who constantly cheated on him. He still stayed with her because she was familiar & comfortable!!! WTF??? His ex causes cliché problems every now and then.
- A story that can be told in 150-200 pages is stretched out to 340 pages, which feels like a torture. There is a five or six times repetition of everything. I wonder why the writer made it so long with the same stuff; a shorter book or the same length with more action would have been better.
- The other characters are not well-developed. Although it is a stand-alone book with no second book to follow, there are unsolved issues about side characters, such as their best friends Daryl & Molly. I wonder what would happen to them. Their story was unfinished at the end of this long book!
Safety: The hero does get involved with other girls after meeting the heroine both to piss her off and to get over his obsession about her because he wants to hate her.
He stays truly loyal to her after they start being together/dating, though.
HEA with an epilogue about 4 years later.
Here is all I want to say about this book:
- Senior high-school students (17 years old), who are also step-brother/sister
- Mercedes’s mother is Rourke’s father’s fifth wife and he is sick of his father bringing a new wife so often to the house
- Rourke treats Mercedes like trash for a long while, calling him Six (the sixth step-sibling his father brings home) and she gives as good as she gets until her hormones and feelings blind her. Then, she starts begging!!! Pathetic!
- When their hate slowly (very slowly) turns into/lust/friendship & love, nothing unexpected happens, no surprises at all...
- She is a virgin and she is his 2nd girlfriend. He had a girlfriend of five years who constantly cheated on him. He still stayed with her because she was familiar & comfortable!!! WTF??? His ex causes cliché problems every now and then.
- A story that can be told in 150-200 pages is stretched out to 340 pages, which feels like a torture. There is a five or six times repetition of everything. I wonder why the writer made it so long with the same stuff; a shorter book or the same length with more action would have been better.
- The other characters are not well-developed. Although it is a stand-alone book with no second book to follow, there are unsolved issues about side characters, such as their best friends Daryl & Molly. I wonder what would happen to them. Their story was unfinished at the end of this long book!
Safety: The hero does get involved with other girls after meeting the heroine both to piss her off and to get over his obsession about her because he wants to hate her.
He stays truly loyal to her after they start being together/dating, though.
HEA with an epilogue about 4 years later.
September 5, 2020
I liked this a lot and had I not previously read , then I might have added an additional star.
June 8, 2017
4.5 "you are my endgame" stars
well, fuck it...this was
angsty...anticipating tension just the way i like it!
There were some "minor" issues i had with all the age related stuff and i honestly thought it would bug me more, and thank fuck it didnt LOL
The story
- it's not smth you haven't heard of before - A 17 year old girl Mercedes/Mercy James aka Six enters into a Florida Ocean bay's rich Owens family of three by her mom's marriage to the man of the house. What she enters is a world of hidden grief and never ending reminder of the "nuisance package whose days as a part of this family are numbered" she is considered as by the eldest son. The pain and hateful barks, looks, jabs from Rourke Owens, her peer, her stepbrother, her enemy, her nemesis and her doom.
Cause under that anger and vile hurtful words he spews towards her, do leave a mark of scars even though her exterior doesn't show it.
She's a girl who grew up too fast, she's a girl who took care of herself and her mother since she was a little girl. She knows how to stand for herself and she's smart enough not to let the barrier down so all of this spiteful enviroment could harm her...
but she wasn't ready for the hit...
she wasn't ready for the fall...
she wasn't ready for the feelings towards the guy that hates her guts...
but does he really?!
what they embrak on is a journey of self-discovery and acceptance and of letting go - of the pent up hurt, of the grief, of the unresolved pain and guilt - but also letting go to feel again...
This game of push and pull is sometimes frustrating, but the pent up tension, the anticipation and gripping angst of held up desire and passion that will eventually burst into unknown sphere of that undeniable notion
if you like books on a similar subject like Fallen too far & Never too far by Abbi Glines, or The Royals (1-3) by Erin Watt, or even Tijan 's most famous series, yeah you know the one i 'm refering to *wink* (even though, here, the rollercoaster of a turmoil shit is mild to non-existent comparing to the one in Fallen Crest High series ) then i'm most positive you will like this book too!
Rourke & Mercedes/Mercy aka Six deserve the chance of you meeting, getting to know and ending up loving them
And I'll boldly repeat again, fuck it, I'm in, every time for this kind of thrill
well, fuck it...this was
angsty...anticipating tension just the way i like it!
There were some "minor" issues i had with all the age related stuff and i honestly thought it would bug me more, and thank fuck it didnt LOL
The story
- it's not smth you haven't heard of before - A 17 year old girl Mercedes/Mercy James aka Six enters into a Florida Ocean bay's rich Owens family of three by her mom's marriage to the man of the house. What she enters is a world of hidden grief and never ending reminder of the "nuisance package whose days as a part of this family are numbered" she is considered as by the eldest son. The pain and hateful barks, looks, jabs from Rourke Owens, her peer, her stepbrother, her enemy, her nemesis and her doom.
Disgust, loathing, disappointment, mild boredom, and pure hatred. He wasn't going to accept me, I realized. Well, fuck him.
Cause under that anger and vile hurtful words he spews towards her, do leave a mark of scars even though her exterior doesn't show it.
I was the sole focus of this angry, fucked up, beautiful man-child
She's a girl who grew up too fast, she's a girl who took care of herself and her mother since she was a little girl. She knows how to stand for herself and she's smart enough not to let the barrier down so all of this spiteful enviroment could harm her...
Who cares if you don't fit in here...
That just means you're bigger than their small minds
but she wasn't ready for the hit...
she wasn't ready for the fall...
Stupidly, I allowed myself to grow feelings for a guy I knew was trouble. I knew he was a bad idea, I had warned myself, prepared myself for his bullshit, and still I let myself feel something for him
she wasn't ready for the feelings towards the guy that hates her guts...
I just don't think I care anymore. I still want you. Even if you hate me.
but does he really?!
There's a broken boy screaming out to be loved underneath that hard exterior. You just have to scratch the surface
what they embrak on is a journey of self-discovery and acceptance and of letting go - of the pent up hurt, of the grief, of the unresolved pain and guilt - but also letting go to feel again...
"You asked me once what my endgame was...Ask me the question, Six."
"What's your endgame, Rourke?"
"You. You are my endgame, Six."
This game of push and pull is sometimes frustrating, but the pent up tension, the anticipation and gripping angst of held up desire and passion that will eventually burst into unknown sphere of that undeniable notion
if you like books on a similar subject like Fallen too far & Never too far by Abbi Glines, or The Royals (1-3) by Erin Watt, or even Tijan 's most famous series, yeah you know the one i 'm refering to *wink* (even though, here, the rollercoaster of a turmoil shit is mild to non-existent comparing to the one in Fallen Crest High series ) then i'm most positive you will like this book too!
Rourke & Mercedes/Mercy aka Six deserve the chance of you meeting, getting to know and ending up loving them
And I'll boldly repeat again, fuck it, I'm in, every time for this kind of thrill
May 23, 2021
ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ⋆⁵ sᴛᴀʀs �
� sᴏɴ� ʀᴇᴄ � ~
-ˏ͛� ᴍ� ʀᴀᴍʙʟɪɴ� ғɪʀs� ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ⑅ˏ�-
Hello beautiful people, let us have a chat about Endgame , a book written by the fabulous Chloe Walsh. I - hang on. Can I really talk about this book stone cold sober? I'm gonna go with a big fat no. Wait one second while I rectify the situation.
Anywho, as I was saying, ENDGAME. CHLOE WALSH. In a word? batshit crazy (whoops that was two). So, yeah, this book was a touch insane but in the best imaginable way possible. Think of the soapiest teen drama you can and then crank that shit up to 11. BOOM, that was ENDGAME. It was basically a trashier, more American, less tear inducing and more head meet desk inducing, version of the Boys of Tommen series.
-ˏ͛� ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏ� ⑅ˏ�-
Mercedes James is fiercely independent. It's always just been her and her mom. In fact, Mercy has pretty much raised herself. Then suddenly everything changes. When her mom meets and marries the wealthy Gabe Owens, Mercy finds herself in the affluent Ocean Bay. She also comes face to face with her asshole step-brother Rourke Owens. Sparks (both the good and bad kind) immediately fly between them, and Rourke makes his disdain for Mercy known. A battle of wills ensues, and the question is, who will win? Or will they both fold?
-ˏ͛� ᴘᴀʀ� ᴛᴡ� ~ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏ� -ˏ͛�
� ᴍᴇʀᴄ� // ʀᴏᴜʀᴋᴇ �
Oh these two crazy kids. I - I don't even know what to say about either of them. They were both so similar and yet so different at the same time. They were such teenagers, but their young age made them that much more endearing? I could literally spend this entire review talking about (and dunking on) Rourke and Mercy. But alas, we don't have that kind of time.
~ ᴍᴇʀᴄ� ~ Mercy was stubborn as all get out. There were times when I cheered her on, and there were other times when I just wanted to sit her down and ask if she was okay. That was both part of her charm, and also a big part of what made her so frustrating. She was all attitude and snark, but at the same time she was a touch insecure and all she wanted was someone to love her.
Personally, I think - for the story she was in - she was perfect. She had a fabulous back bone and was easily able to hold her own against, well, anyone. However, when she needed to be vulnerable she could be. She's got a tough outer wall but once you clear those walls you find someone whose fiercely loyal, surprisingly sweet, and a genuinely kind person.
~ ʀᴏᴜʀᴋᴇ ~ God, I want to dunk on Rourke, so bad, buuuut I just can't. He needs hugs more than he needs roasting. Seriously though, he's lucky I'd rather hug him vs. slap him because he deserves both equally. First things first, don't come into ENDGAME expecting Johnny 2.0 because it's not happening here. Rourke is. . . well Rourke. Basically, he projects this macho-alpha-badass attitude to the world, but on the inside he's practically Timothée Chalamet. Dude's that much of a soft boy. Ultimately, it's that softness, sensitivity, and charm that allowed me to not completely hate him at his most frustrating moments. He, like Mercy, has been through shit.
Losing his mother in such a traumatic fashion, dealing with the constant rotation of stepmothers, and learning that his sister was being abused by their former stepbrother really did a number on him. Thus, I was able to give him some slack for his particularly stupid moments.
� ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ �
Hm, okay, TBH, this is where things get tricky. . . The romance in ENDGAME was. . . overly dramatic and exhausting. It 100% drove me fucking nuts at certain points and definetly had me wanting to bash my head into the nearest flat surface, and yet. . . and yet it was also really really sweet? gah, I don't even know at this point.
~ ᴏ� ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ʜᴀɴ� ~ I genuinely loved the progression of Rourke and Mercy's romance. It was a true blue enemies-to-friends-to-lovers//slow-burn romance. The road to love was not an easy one for Rourke and Mercy, as it should be.
I loved that Rourke actually had to, you know, prove himself to Mercy. She didn't just magically forget about the way he treated her for a good portion of the book. Thus, when they actually did start inching into romance territory it was actually believable. The sweet quiet moments felt earned and it was so refreshing to see. More often than not, the so-called "bullies" in bully-romances never really grovel all that much. While there wasn't groveling there was acknowledgement and action. Rourke demonstrated through his actions and words how much Mercy truly meant to him. Likewise, Mercy began to slowly let down her walls and truly began to trust him. It was beautiful to see them not only extend the olive branch, but make goddamn olive oil out of said branch.
~ ᴛʜᴀ� ʙᴇɪɴ� sᴀɪ� ~ for as much as I liked the romance, I've gotta admit, it was really fucking frustrating at times. Both Mercy and Rourke were both stubborn, opinionated, loud, combative, and had intense personalities. Bring them together and what do you get? A whole lotta crazy and one giant headache. I don't know if it was the books length, just the way time progressed within the story, or what, but dear lord the romance progressed at a glacial pace. Which, I usually love, however what I don't love is the, one-step-forward-two-steps-back, romance archetype. Sadly, that's the kind of relationship Rourke and Mercy excelled at. One moment it looks like they're finally going to give it a go, and the next they're having a crazy intense screaming match.
The above quote? Yeah that was the norm, and it seriously started to give me whiplash. Within the same paragraph it would appear that Mercy and Rourke were finally able to forgive each other and start a real relationship, then BOOM. Suddenly, they're yelling at one another, doors are being slammed, and I'm left shaking my head in confusion. *sigh*
~ ᴀɴ� ʏᴇᴛ ~ I still found the romance in ENDGAME highly endearing. CHLOE WALSH has such a gift for capturing a teenaged voice. I was never able to stay truly frustrated at either Mercy or Rourke for long because they felt so authentically like teenagers. Thus, while I may have been annoyed at multiple points, I couldn't help but root for their crazy - unconventional - love story.
� ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴅᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs �
Can we all just collectively agree that CHLOE WALSH writes the best friend groups//bff relationships? Seriously, let's just call a spade a spade and be done with it. BOYS OF TOMMEN blessed us with Johnny x Gibsie, and ENDGAME gave us Rourke x Darryl King. I think what makes CHLOE WALSH'S book so great is the fact that she doesn't skimp on the friend moments. The friend groups in her books feel so real and almost become family. Not only that, they wholeheartedly, 1000%, support each other no matter what. I love that the friendships in ENDGAME were just as, if not more, compelling than the central romance. In addition, I really enjoyed how Darryl King and Rourke would shoot the shit, and bounce ideas//romantic advice, off one another.
I just sincerely loved how unapologetically Daryl King called Rourke out on his BS. We all need friend like him. Plus, how could I forget Molly x Mercy? While they weren't as awesome of a duo as Rourke and Darryl King, they still had their moments.
-ˏ͛� ᴘᴀʀ� ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ~ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴏ� ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴢ� -ˏ͛�
� ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪʟᴅ �
☁×� Oh, my, GOD. Rourke and Mercy both need to calm the fuck down before I lock them in a room together and throw away the damn key. As much as I liked Rourke and Mercy - see above - they drove me up a fuckin' wall. See, remember when I praised CHLOE WALSH for writing Rourke and Mercy so much like teenagers? The downside was oh dear lord did they act like mother freaking teenagers. They fought constantly, refused, and I mean, refused to communicate with each other, and were almost never on the same page. One moment Mercy would be hype and ready to jump on Rourke's dick. Cool. Then suddenly she's asking him to tell her he loves her and then suddenly they're screaming at each other. It was. . . *sigh* so tiring.
☁×� Seriously, these two couldn't even eat a damn burger together without it resulting in them fighting. Which, again, realistic, but also extremely frustrating. Moreover, what made their fights and constant bickering sooooo exhausting was the fact that. . . they really had no reason to be enemies or hate each other in the first place. Both Mercy and Rourke didn't want their parents marrying or getting together. They both were appalled when Mercy's mother revealed that she was pregnant. They both wanted to not live with their parents. You see where I'm going with this? They had more things in common than they didn't. Thus, it got to a certain point where I just couldn't anymore with their constant bickering. It began to feel forced and unnecessary. However, what was even worse, and why I can't give this book more than three and 1/2 stars is. . .
� ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴡ ᴅʶᴶᴍᴀ �
☁×� Oh, I'm sorry, did I say that Rourke and Mercy drove me wild? HA HA, silly me, the worse was yet to come. You see, not only did ENDGAME have a shit ton of drama permeating off of Rourke x Mercy, but there was a ton, and I mean a ton of drama wafting off of Britt x Rourke. Who is Britt you may ask? Well she's Rourke's ex-girlfriend // the woman he is clearly not over. Yes, you read that correctly, he is - IMO - very much not over her. He's so not over her that by the end of the book, at prom, he calls Mercy Britt by mistake. A real freudian slip if you will. *lets out a world weary sigh*
~ ᴡʜᴀ� ʙᴜɢɢᴇ� ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏs� ~ about the whole Britt thing was how present it was throughout the entire book. TBH, I'm really glad I knew about all the OW drama present before I picked up ENDGAME, because if not I would've been tempted to DNF this bish, deadass. And it's funny because UsUaLLy I have a high tolerance for OW shenanigans, but here? no, stop it, nooooo. What killed me about the Britt drama here was in addition to it being so present, up until ninety-fucking-percent, was that Rourke clearly still loved her, and it was GD pathetic. She fucking cheated on him constantly during their five year relationship. And yet he still sleeps with her // kisses her.
☁×� Moreover, the whole Britt drama was constantly shoved in Mercy's face. She was the first and only woman Rourke had ever slept with, Mercy witnessed them making out, Britt got in a fight with Mercy, Rourke called her Britt when they were together, and so on and so forth. There was just a lot of Britt drama hanging around our main couple. She didn't need to be present for the entire story, but alas, she was.
� ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ �
☁×� This last point is less a huge gripe and more like a minor annoyance. Look, I know endings are hard to land, they really are. However, usually authors fumble the endings when their books are too short. Thus, I'm not really sure what went wrong with ENDGAME. This book was *checks page count* FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY PAGES. Yeah, this book was loooong and due to that I assumed we'd have plenty of time to resolve everything. HA, jokes on me because we very much don't. Namely, I'm talking about the conflict between Rourke and his dad, and Mercy and her mom. Both our MCs had major - and substantial - conflicts with their parental units. Rourke had a lot of anger toward his dad for bringing a literal predator into their house. Meanwhile, Mercy was basically forced to raise herself. These are two very big issues that I was excited to see resolved, or at the very least discussed.
☁×� Also, there was the little fact that Mercy and Rourke were legally step-siblings. And yet, we reach the end of the book without ever having either of those discussions. Instead, we jump to four years later and we find out that Mercy and Rourke are living HEA and the parents are somewhat chill with the whole step-sibling relationship. That's it. Like, come on, couldn't we have cut out some of the Britt drama in exchange for a meaningful conversation between Rourke and his dad?
☁×� Additionally, I wanted more of a resolution between Rourke and Mercy. What I mean to say is, I like where they ended but their HEA was very abrupt. They needed at least one more chapter of discussion before I felt comfortable saying they would "go the distance." Mercy and Rourke are adorably dysfunctional and I think they had a lot more to workout. That's not to say I didn't like their ending, because I did, but I was left wanting a bit more from them.
-ˏ͛� ᴘᴀʀ� ғᴏᴜʀ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏ� -ˏ͛�
� ғɪɴᴀʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs �
Ultimately, what I want to stress is this; ENDGAME is not the BOYS OF TOMMEN series. And you know what? that's okay.
Instead, go into ENDGAME with an open mind and get for high levels of entertainment. I'm really glad I gave this book a chance. While the characters and some of the drama drove me a bit crazy, I still had a blast reading it. CHLOE WALSH is such a captivating writer and she truly creates such realistic feeling worlds and characters. You immediately get sucked into her characters lives and drama. This series is heavy on the drama and somewhat reads like a classier CW show. So, if you're in the mood for HS shenanigans, enemies-to-lovers, and a whole lotta angst, then you should seriously check ENDGAME out.
� He wasn't going to accept me, I realized. Well, fuck him. People had tried to break me before. He would fail, just like the others. Bring it, asshole. �
� sᴏɴ� ʀᴇᴄ � ~
-ˏ͛� ᴍ� ʀᴀᴍʙʟɪɴ� ғɪʀs� ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ⑅ˏ�-
Hello beautiful people, let us have a chat about Endgame , a book written by the fabulous Chloe Walsh. I - hang on. Can I really talk about this book stone cold sober? I'm gonna go with a big fat no. Wait one second while I rectify the situation.
*takes sip* ahhhh, that's better.
Anywho, as I was saying, ENDGAME. CHLOE WALSH. In a word? batshit crazy (whoops that was two). So, yeah, this book was a touch insane but in the best imaginable way possible. Think of the soapiest teen drama you can and then crank that shit up to 11. BOOM, that was ENDGAME. It was basically a trashier, more American, less tear inducing and more head meet desk inducing, version of the Boys of Tommen series.
-ˏ͛� ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏ� ⑅ˏ�-
Mercedes James is fiercely independent. It's always just been her and her mom. In fact, Mercy has pretty much raised herself. Then suddenly everything changes. When her mom meets and marries the wealthy Gabe Owens, Mercy finds herself in the affluent Ocean Bay. She also comes face to face with her asshole step-brother Rourke Owens. Sparks (both the good and bad kind) immediately fly between them, and Rourke makes his disdain for Mercy known. A battle of wills ensues, and the question is, who will win? Or will they both fold?
-ˏ͛� ᴘᴀʀ� ᴛᴡ� ~ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏ� -ˏ͛�
❝Why are you blushing?�
❝I'm not blushing, asshole,� she growled.
❝Yeah, you fucking are.� Unable to stop myself, I reached over and tipped her chin upwards. Big grey eyes greeted me. ❝S.� I stroked my thumb over her burning cheek. ܲ.�
� ᴍᴇʀᴄ� // ʀᴏᴜʀᴋᴇ �
Oh these two crazy kids. I - I don't even know what to say about either of them. They were both so similar and yet so different at the same time. They were such teenagers, but their young age made them that much more endearing? I could literally spend this entire review talking about (and dunking on) Rourke and Mercy. But alas, we don't have that kind of time.
~ ᴍᴇʀᴄ� ~ Mercy was stubborn as all get out. There were times when I cheered her on, and there were other times when I just wanted to sit her down and ask if she was okay. That was both part of her charm, and also a big part of what made her so frustrating. She was all attitude and snark, but at the same time she was a touch insecure and all she wanted was someone to love her.
❝You're not her keeper, Six,� I said then. ❝Your mother?� I clarified. ❝She's not your responsibility.�
❝I just worry about her,� she replied quietly. ❝It's a force of habit.� She shrugged helplessly. ❝I've been doing it my whole life.�
Personally, I think - for the story she was in - she was perfect. She had a fabulous back bone and was easily able to hold her own against, well, anyone. However, when she needed to be vulnerable she could be. She's got a tough outer wall but once you clear those walls you find someone whose fiercely loyal, surprisingly sweet, and a genuinely kind person.
~ ʀᴏᴜʀᴋᴇ ~ God, I want to dunk on Rourke, so bad, buuuut I just can't. He needs hugs more than he needs roasting. Seriously though, he's lucky I'd rather hug him vs. slap him because he deserves both equally. First things first, don't come into ENDGAME expecting Johnny 2.0 because it's not happening here. Rourke is. . . well Rourke. Basically, he projects this macho-alpha-badass attitude to the world, but on the inside he's practically Timothée Chalamet. Dude's that much of a soft boy. Ultimately, it's that softness, sensitivity, and charm that allowed me to not completely hate him at his most frustrating moments. He, like Mercy, has been through shit.
❝She deserved better, � he grunted, eyes locked on the ceiling. ❝It was no way to go.�
❝No. It wasn’t.�
❝I'm still mad.� He let out a harsh laugh. ❝You'd think that after fifteen years the anger would have simmered down, but nope." He exhaled heavily. ❝I'm fucking burning with it most days.�
Losing his mother in such a traumatic fashion, dealing with the constant rotation of stepmothers, and learning that his sister was being abused by their former stepbrother really did a number on him. Thus, I was able to give him some slack for his particularly stupid moments.
� ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ �
❝People can say what they want,� he replied coldly. ❝I take care of what's mine and I make no apologies for it.�
Hm, okay, TBH, this is where things get tricky. . . The romance in ENDGAME was. . . overly dramatic and exhausting. It 100% drove me fucking nuts at certain points and definetly had me wanting to bash my head into the nearest flat surface, and yet. . . and yet it was also really really sweet? gah, I don't even know at this point.
~ ᴏ� ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ʜᴀɴ� ~ I genuinely loved the progression of Rourke and Mercy's romance. It was a true blue enemies-to-friends-to-lovers//slow-burn romance. The road to love was not an easy one for Rourke and Mercy, as it should be.
❝And trust me, Six; you have never been invisible to me.�
I snorted. ❝Yeah. Sure.�
❝I'm serious,� Rourke argued, eyes locked on mine. ❝I've been seeing you, Six. The whole damn time.�
I loved that Rourke actually had to, you know, prove himself to Mercy. She didn't just magically forget about the way he treated her for a good portion of the book. Thus, when they actually did start inching into romance territory it was actually believable. The sweet quiet moments felt earned and it was so refreshing to see. More often than not, the so-called "bullies" in bully-romances never really grovel all that much. While there wasn't groveling there was acknowledgement and action. Rourke demonstrated through his actions and words how much Mercy truly meant to him. Likewise, Mercy began to slowly let down her walls and truly began to trust him. It was beautiful to see them not only extend the olive branch, but make goddamn olive oil out of said branch.
~ ᴛʜᴀ� ʙᴇɪɴ� sᴀɪ� ~ for as much as I liked the romance, I've gotta admit, it was really fucking frustrating at times. Both Mercy and Rourke were both stubborn, opinionated, loud, combative, and had intense personalities. Bring them together and what do you get? A whole lotta crazy and one giant headache. I don't know if it was the books length, just the way time progressed within the story, or what, but dear lord the romance progressed at a glacial pace. Which, I usually love, however what I don't love is the, one-step-forward-two-steps-back, romance archetype. Sadly, that's the kind of relationship Rourke and Mercy excelled at. One moment it looks like they're finally going to give it a go, and the next they're having a crazy intense screaming match.
❝So, you don’t want me,� I said shakily. ❝But you don’t want anyone else to have me?�
❝No, Six. I do.� Rourke growled and threw his hands up in the air in obvious exasperation. ❝I do want you.�
❝For sex?� Rourke shrugged almost helplessly, but had the good sense not to respond.
❝Well, thanks for the offer,� I said shakily as I retreated to the door and forced down the bile rising in my throat. ❝But I'm afraid I am going to have to regretfully decline your offer to fuck, Rourke.�
The above quote? Yeah that was the norm, and it seriously started to give me whiplash. Within the same paragraph it would appear that Mercy and Rourke were finally able to forgive each other and start a real relationship, then BOOM. Suddenly, they're yelling at one another, doors are being slammed, and I'm left shaking my head in confusion. *sigh*
~ ᴀɴ� ʏᴇᴛ ~ I still found the romance in ENDGAME highly endearing. CHLOE WALSH has such a gift for capturing a teenaged voice. I was never able to stay truly frustrated at either Mercy or Rourke for long because they felt so authentically like teenagers. Thus, while I may have been annoyed at multiple points, I couldn't help but root for their crazy - unconventional - love story.
� ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴅᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs �
❝I've missed this.�
❝Missed what?" I grunted, trying unsuccessfully to get the keg over the lip of the door. ❝Aiding and abetting minors in the consumption of alcohol? Yeah, I'd miss that, too.�
❝Having a friend,� she surprised me by saying. ❝One that doesn’t look at me with pity and discomfort.�
Can we all just collectively agree that CHLOE WALSH writes the best friend groups//bff relationships? Seriously, let's just call a spade a spade and be done with it. BOYS OF TOMMEN blessed us with Johnny x Gibsie, and ENDGAME gave us Rourke x Darryl King. I think what makes CHLOE WALSH'S book so great is the fact that she doesn't skimp on the friend moments. The friend groups in her books feel so real and almost become family. Not only that, they wholeheartedly, 1000%, support each other no matter what. I love that the friendships in ENDGAME were just as, if not more, compelling than the central romance. In addition, I really enjoyed how Darryl King and Rourke would shoot the shit, and bounce ideas//romantic advice, off one another.
❝You need to get your head out of your ass,� he told me. ❝If you want Sissy then stop being an asshole and –❞
❝I don’t,� I snapped, interrupting him. I didn’t want her. I didn’t.
I just sincerely loved how unapologetically Daryl King called Rourke out on his BS. We all need friend like him. Plus, how could I forget Molly x Mercy? While they weren't as awesome of a duo as Rourke and Darryl King, they still had their moments.
-ˏ͛� ᴘᴀʀ� ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ~ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴏ� ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴢ� -ˏ͛�
❝You're overreacting here,� I shot back. ❝Making a mountain out of a molehill.�
❝Well, sue me for actually giving a crap about you,� Rourke shot back angrily, running a hand through his already sexily disheveled, dark hair. ❝For fuck's sake, Six, you could’ve called and let me know you weren't coming home.�
My heart skyrocketed at his words. Sue me for actually giving a crap about you He gave a crap about me? He cared? No, my brain hissed. No, he doesn't!
� ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪʟᴅ �
☁×� Oh, my, GOD. Rourke and Mercy both need to calm the fuck down before I lock them in a room together and throw away the damn key. As much as I liked Rourke and Mercy - see above - they drove me up a fuckin' wall. See, remember when I praised CHLOE WALSH for writing Rourke and Mercy so much like teenagers? The downside was oh dear lord did they act like mother freaking teenagers. They fought constantly, refused, and I mean, refused to communicate with each other, and were almost never on the same page. One moment Mercy would be hype and ready to jump on Rourke's dick. Cool. Then suddenly she's asking him to tell her he loves her and then suddenly they're screaming at each other. It was. . . *sigh* so tiring.
☁×� Seriously, these two couldn't even eat a damn burger together without it resulting in them fighting. Which, again, realistic, but also extremely frustrating. Moreover, what made their fights and constant bickering sooooo exhausting was the fact that. . . they really had no reason to be enemies or hate each other in the first place. Both Mercy and Rourke didn't want their parents marrying or getting together. They both were appalled when Mercy's mother revealed that she was pregnant. They both wanted to not live with their parents. You see where I'm going with this? They had more things in common than they didn't. Thus, it got to a certain point where I just couldn't anymore with their constant bickering. It began to feel forced and unnecessary. However, what was even worse, and why I can't give this book more than three and 1/2 stars is. . .
� ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴡ ᴅʶᴶᴍᴀ �
☁×� Oh, I'm sorry, did I say that Rourke and Mercy drove me wild? HA HA, silly me, the worse was yet to come. You see, not only did ENDGAME have a shit ton of drama permeating off of Rourke x Mercy, but there was a ton, and I mean a ton of drama wafting off of Britt x Rourke. Who is Britt you may ask? Well she's Rourke's ex-girlfriend // the woman he is clearly not over. Yes, you read that correctly, he is - IMO - very much not over her. He's so not over her that by the end of the book, at prom, he calls Mercy Britt by mistake. A real freudian slip if you will. *lets out a world weary sigh*
~ ᴡʜᴀ� ʙᴜɢɢᴇ� ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏs� ~ about the whole Britt thing was how present it was throughout the entire book. TBH, I'm really glad I knew about all the OW drama present before I picked up ENDGAME, because if not I would've been tempted to DNF this bish, deadass. And it's funny because UsUaLLy I have a high tolerance for OW shenanigans, but here? no, stop it, nooooo. What killed me about the Britt drama here was in addition to it being so present, up until ninety-fucking-percent, was that Rourke clearly still loved her, and it was GD pathetic. She fucking cheated on him constantly during their five year relationship. And yet he still sleeps with her // kisses her.
Rourke, my man, go and find yourself some self respect�.
☁×� Moreover, the whole Britt drama was constantly shoved in Mercy's face. She was the first and only woman Rourke had ever slept with, Mercy witnessed them making out, Britt got in a fight with Mercy, Rourke called her Britt when they were together, and so on and so forth. There was just a lot of Britt drama hanging around our main couple. She didn't need to be present for the entire story, but alas, she was.
� ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ �
☁×� This last point is less a huge gripe and more like a minor annoyance. Look, I know endings are hard to land, they really are. However, usually authors fumble the endings when their books are too short. Thus, I'm not really sure what went wrong with ENDGAME. This book was *checks page count* FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY PAGES. Yeah, this book was loooong and due to that I assumed we'd have plenty of time to resolve everything. HA, jokes on me because we very much don't. Namely, I'm talking about the conflict between Rourke and his dad, and Mercy and her mom. Both our MCs had major - and substantial - conflicts with their parental units. Rourke had a lot of anger toward his dad for bringing a literal predator into their house. Meanwhile, Mercy was basically forced to raise herself. These are two very big issues that I was excited to see resolved, or at the very least discussed.
☁×� Also, there was the little fact that Mercy and Rourke were legally step-siblings. And yet, we reach the end of the book without ever having either of those discussions. Instead, we jump to four years later and we find out that Mercy and Rourke are living HEA and the parents are somewhat chill with the whole step-sibling relationship. That's it. Like, come on, couldn't we have cut out some of the Britt drama in exchange for a meaningful conversation between Rourke and his dad?
☁×� Additionally, I wanted more of a resolution between Rourke and Mercy. What I mean to say is, I like where they ended but their HEA was very abrupt. They needed at least one more chapter of discussion before I felt comfortable saying they would "go the distance." Mercy and Rourke are adorably dysfunctional and I think they had a lot more to workout. That's not to say I didn't like their ending, because I did, but I was left wanting a bit more from them.
-ˏ͛� ᴘᴀʀ� ғᴏᴜʀ ~ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏ� -ˏ͛�
❝What's your endgame, Rourke?�
❝Ydz,� Rourke replied without a hint of doubt or hesitation. ❝You are my endgame, Six.�
And then he kissed me. A kiss so deep, so full of love and emotion, that I swear I melted in his arms. I was his endgame. And he was mine.
� ғɪɴᴀʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs �
sɪᴅᴇ ɴᴏᴛ� �//� to CHLOE WALSH, i am sincerely sorry for your loss. i hope that you are doing well, taking care of yourself, and slowly healing. you are a phenomenal writer and just know whenever you're ready to return to writing we'll all be here, patiently waiting.
Ultimately, what I want to stress is this; ENDGAME is not the BOYS OF TOMMEN series. And you know what? that's okay.
Instead, go into ENDGAME with an open mind and get for high levels of entertainment. I'm really glad I gave this book a chance. While the characters and some of the drama drove me a bit crazy, I still had a blast reading it. CHLOE WALSH is such a captivating writer and she truly creates such realistic feeling worlds and characters. You immediately get sucked into her characters lives and drama. This series is heavy on the drama and somewhat reads like a classier CW show. So, if you're in the mood for HS shenanigans, enemies-to-lovers, and a whole lotta angst, then you should seriously check ENDGAME out.
August 17, 2020
It was just okay. I was bored mostly because all the dramas were just too funny and ridiculous.
The push and pull between the protagonists were good but it wasn't enough for the plot.
The push and pull between the protagonists were good but it wasn't enough for the plot.
June 11, 2018
People had tried to break me before. He would fail, just like the others.
This was pretty good. Yes it’s very cliche high school drama, if you like new adult or mature YA, then you will LOVE this story. Step-siblings who hate each other, to lovers. The beginning is the best part, the middle starts to drag, and then the end is good enough. It gets four stars because it definitely kept my interest, but four or five chapters of back and forth could definitely have been cut.
This was pretty good. Yes it’s very cliche high school drama, if you like new adult or mature YA, then you will LOVE this story. Step-siblings who hate each other, to lovers. The beginning is the best part, the middle starts to drag, and then the end is good enough. It gets four stars because it definitely kept my interest, but four or five chapters of back and forth could definitely have been cut.
January 9, 2022
Reread. Oh the angst. He’s so mean, but so jealous and possessive. Love this book so hard. Drama til the very end. 🖤
September 24, 2018
Solidly good step sibling romance!
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
April 9, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️ This was a pretty good angsty enemies to lovers romance. The way that they bickered from the very beginning had me actually laughing lol 😆 but Rourke wanted Mercy soooo bad 😮�. It did feel like it dragged at times and was a little repetitive but I still overall enjoyed it.
March 14, 2020
The author focused too much on his relationship with the
X. He treated her so well even knowing that she cheated. He was loyal to her an never slept with someone else. I can always get over the bullying but in this bio I can’t. He never reached the level with the heroine that he did with the ex so he doesn’t redeem himself. That’s the key with a bully romance, the guy has to redeem himself. But being that he keeps sleeping with the ex after he meets her and even sleeps with our heroine. If he doesn’t give her the loyalty that he gave the ex how can we possibly believe that he cares about her. What a waste.
X. He treated her so well even knowing that she cheated. He was loyal to her an never slept with someone else. I can always get over the bullying but in this bio I can’t. He never reached the level with the heroine that he did with the ex so he doesn’t redeem himself. That’s the key with a bully romance, the guy has to redeem himself. But being that he keeps sleeping with the ex after he meets her and even sleeps with our heroine. If he doesn’t give her the loyalty that he gave the ex how can we possibly believe that he cares about her. What a waste.
June 9, 2017
Living With The Bad Boy (Sharlay) meets Paper Princess (Erin Watt)
New book boyfriend, anyone??
This was amazing!!!
New book boyfriend, anyone??
This was amazing!!!
June 11, 2024
Mancano poco più di cento pagine ma per me era 5 stelle già trecento pagine fa, e questo dovrebbe già dire tutto.
August 6, 2022
I miss Chloe Walsh's books, and I wish Joey's book could come out soon (binding 13). So I started this book for the wrong reasons, but somehow ended up enjoying it.
A stepbrother bully high-school romance with a sweet ending.
Rourke hated his new step sister, Mercedes, from the moment she joined the family. He was cruel to her in the beginning:
"I really want you to forget about the most embarrassing, regrettable night of my life.� she said
"Fine,� I said flatly, feeling wounded. “You weren’t worth remembering anyway."
They have instant attraction, but they both fight it off until they can't withhold it anymore.
"I wanted Mercedes Owens more than I’d wanted my next breath and it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing either. I wanted my stepsister from the moment I walked into that church and laid eyes on her"
I liked Mercedes here. She wasn't a doormat, which is usually typical in highschool bully romance.
Once Rourke finally admits to himself, he has more feelings for her than just attraction and lust, he becomes so sweet towards her and becomes her protector.
"Are you fucking insane? I am so in love with you, Six, that I’m practically drowning!�
Rating 3.5 stars 🌟
A stepbrother bully high-school romance with a sweet ending.
Rourke hated his new step sister, Mercedes, from the moment she joined the family. He was cruel to her in the beginning:
"I really want you to forget about the most embarrassing, regrettable night of my life.� she said
"Fine,� I said flatly, feeling wounded. “You weren’t worth remembering anyway."
They have instant attraction, but they both fight it off until they can't withhold it anymore.
"I wanted Mercedes Owens more than I’d wanted my next breath and it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing either. I wanted my stepsister from the moment I walked into that church and laid eyes on her"
I liked Mercedes here. She wasn't a doormat, which is usually typical in highschool bully romance.
Once Rourke finally admits to himself, he has more feelings for her than just attraction and lust, he becomes so sweet towards her and becomes her protector.
"Are you fucking insane? I am so in love with you, Six, that I’m practically drowning!�
Rating 3.5 stars 🌟
September 22, 2017
Why ohh why I have to wait so long?
My favorite author: check
Fantastic writing style: check
Best stories ever: check
Thick sexual tension: check
God, waiting can be sooo irritating .....
My favorite author: check
Fantastic writing style: check
Best stories ever: check
Thick sexual tension: check
God, waiting can be sooo irritating .....
June 9, 2022
3.75 stars
July 26, 2024
Ох яка ж це крінжатіна. Ніби й стиль, подача, навіть певні вирази такі самі, але Boys of Tommen і ця книга це небо і земля. Схоже на бразильську мильну оперу з 90-тих, з максимально картонними персонажами, і їх лише двоє, усі інші ще картонніші. В мене вж очі стомились закочуватись😅
June 7, 2017
No matter how many times I tried and how much I wanted to, I couldn’t hate Rourke. Although I disliked his actions, I understood his reasons. My heart hurt for Rourke and the stuff he had been through. I adored the angst between Rourke and Mercedes. The passion and love hate emotions between them was clear to see. I was shouting at my kindle for Rourke to accept his love for Mercedes. I was rooting for them to become a couple. When they weren’t fighting you could see that they were perfect for one another. Even when they were fighting I thought they were perfect for one another. The sexual tension between Rourke and Mercedes was undeniable, in an I hate you but I want to rip your clothes off kind of way. I liked that Rourke and Mercedes parents were not in the story as much. The whole story was Rourke and Mercedes story. Full of angst, passion and hate.
I know this book is a standalone but I would love to read Molly’s story!
This book is full of angst and includes a hero you will love to hate. The storyline for this book is easy to follow and a gripping read.
‘’I wanted Mercedes Owens more than I’d wanted my next breath and it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing either. I wanted my stepsister from the moment I walked into that church and laid eyes on her. It was wrong and all fucked up, but there it was. I didn’t want to want her.’� <3
I know this book is a standalone but I would love to read Molly’s story!
This book is full of angst and includes a hero you will love to hate. The storyline for this book is easy to follow and a gripping read.
‘’I wanted Mercedes Owens more than I’d wanted my next breath and it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing either. I wanted my stepsister from the moment I walked into that church and laid eyes on her. It was wrong and all fucked up, but there it was. I didn’t want to want her.’� <3
October 3, 2020
This is the perfect enemies-to-lovers romance. While Rourke and Mercedes are initially drawn to each other, their hatred for each other and what they represent colours the vast majority of the book. I think one reason why I love the enemies to lovers trope is because it results in a slow burn romance. Too many romance novels have the hero and heroine fall in love at first sight. While with enemies-to-lovers books like this one, the protagonists were attracted to each other at first, they truly despised each other. It’s only as they get to know each other that they realize they have a lot more in common than they’d previously thought, and they gradually fall in love as they spend more and more time together.
Rourke and Mercedes have great chemistry. Rourke is a grade-A a**hole, but Mercedes can give the insults just as easily. There are quite a few humorous scenes between the two of them, and I loved how much they seemed to enjoy embarrassing and trying to humiliate each other.
I hate romances that end too early, and I do think that this book ends a little too quick. Sure, there’s an epilogue, but it’s set years later. The epilogue does give us some perspective, but I would have liked to have had a little more time with the characters after they finally got together.
Rourke and Mercedes have great chemistry. Rourke is a grade-A a**hole, but Mercedes can give the insults just as easily. There are quite a few humorous scenes between the two of them, and I loved how much they seemed to enjoy embarrassing and trying to humiliate each other.
I hate romances that end too early, and I do think that this book ends a little too quick. Sure, there’s an epilogue, but it’s set years later. The epilogue does give us some perspective, but I would have liked to have had a little more time with the characters after they finally got together.
June 6, 2017
I want more! I want more!
I want more!
I want more!
Do you think if I say it enough I can convince the series queen Chloe Walsh to give up this ludicrous idea of a stand alone?!!
Loved the story of Six and Rourke. Step brother and sister thrown together by their irresponsible MIA parents. Rourke's father is onto wife no 5 with a baby on the way. He has been absent most of Rourke's life except when he wants him to meet the new flavor and Six's mum is actually the child. Six has been the responsible adult in their relationship since she was 10.
Thrown together with nothing but distaste for one another, gold digger v spoilt rich brat and you know their will be sparks.
Chloe has you hooked from the beginning, great writing as usual only negative - I want more!
Please!!!
I want more!
I want more!
Do you think if I say it enough I can convince the series queen Chloe Walsh to give up this ludicrous idea of a stand alone?!!
Loved the story of Six and Rourke. Step brother and sister thrown together by their irresponsible MIA parents. Rourke's father is onto wife no 5 with a baby on the way. He has been absent most of Rourke's life except when he wants him to meet the new flavor and Six's mum is actually the child. Six has been the responsible adult in their relationship since she was 10.
Thrown together with nothing but distaste for one another, gold digger v spoilt rich brat and you know their will be sparks.
Chloe has you hooked from the beginning, great writing as usual only negative - I want more!
Please!!!
August 17, 2018
Book not horrible just nothing original or new.
Premise is step siblings who hate each other while lusting after each other. The h's mother preggers for H's rich dad so they marry to the H's disgust - this is dad's 6 or 7th marriage - yikes! and h's mother very childish, had her at 16, h pretty much brought herself up and seem to look after mother instead of the other way around.
Book was over 300 pages but majority was spent with the supposedly hating each other but lusting over each other, man ho H who at 17 yrs old does pretty much whatever he wanted, including having f*ck buddies in his room.
I mean at 17, no parental supervision ( parents left 2 17 yrs old and 15 yrs old sister on their own for months?? H was pretty mean to h but she could hold her own which I loved - at least until H kisses her and turn her brain into mush.
Other standard tropes/triggers --
--H's other hot athletic friends all love & wanted h
--H's ex broke his li'l heart but he still has feelings for her most of the book, still main f*ck buddy
-- slut shaming
--H's ex is skanky, cheating head cheer leader ( H caught her multiple times cheating but still kept sleeping her her -seriously?
-- h spunky, smart, brave and ta dah! a virgin for the man ho H!
-- copious amount of liquor/partying even though only 17 yrs old
-- rich, unsupervised entitled H
No actual action until pretty much the end of the book between H/h, some heavy kissing .
Turns out H actually only been with the skanky ex, other girls were just kissing and such.
Some angst with what happened in the past with H's 15 yrs old sister - would be interested in reading a book with her as h, also side friend with burnt scars would like to read a book with her as h too. Overall just ok read, nothing memorable unfortunately.
Premise is step siblings who hate each other while lusting after each other. The h's mother preggers for H's rich dad so they marry to the H's disgust - this is dad's 6 or 7th marriage - yikes! and h's mother very childish, had her at 16, h pretty much brought herself up and seem to look after mother instead of the other way around.
Book was over 300 pages but majority was spent with the supposedly hating each other but lusting over each other, man ho H who at 17 yrs old does pretty much whatever he wanted, including having f*ck buddies in his room.
I mean at 17, no parental supervision ( parents left 2 17 yrs old and 15 yrs old sister on their own for months?? H was pretty mean to h but she could hold her own which I loved - at least until H kisses her and turn her brain into mush.
Other standard tropes/triggers --
--H's other hot athletic friends all love & wanted h
--H's ex broke his li'l heart but he still has feelings for her most of the book, still main f*ck buddy
-- slut shaming
--H's ex is skanky, cheating head cheer leader ( H caught her multiple times cheating but still kept sleeping her her -seriously?
-- h spunky, smart, brave and ta dah! a virgin for the man ho H!
-- copious amount of liquor/partying even though only 17 yrs old
-- rich, unsupervised entitled H
No actual action until pretty much the end of the book between H/h, some heavy kissing .
Turns out H actually only been with the skanky ex, other girls were just kissing and such.
Some angst with what happened in the past with H's 15 yrs old sister - would be interested in reading a book with her as h, also side friend with burnt scars would like to read a book with her as h too. Overall just ok read, nothing memorable unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2019
I Don't really write that many book reviews, If you check my page you'll see I've written a total of two or three not including this one. I normally always write a review when I have to vent, and boy do I need to vent about this book. It's not that it was bad, because I actually finished the book, which is honestly a miracle in itself. But for lack of a better word, this novel just wasn't my cup of tea.
The plot was generic, the writing mediocre (in my opinion), and the characters infantile. It's to the point where I can't even wrap my mind around what I just read.
The main girl, I forgot her name, is constantly saying that this isn't lust she feels that she's nothing like her mother. But at the same time the only thing I read was how mouthwatering his abs are, how big his d*ck is, how..... you get the point.
Rather than telling me she doesn't care he was kissing a girl before him, I want to understand why, rather than talking about the pain in her face, I'd like to see the picture. These characters were so predictable it was boring, and DON'T Even get me started on the ending, if I can call it as SUCH!
It all happened so quickly I was left reeling, one second he admits he loves her, the next they're dancing, mine, mine mine, me tarzan you jane, me hit everybody. Boom rival shows up, party over, chick cries, he betrayed her, and suddenly they yell it out and make up. ALL IN THE SPAN OF THIRTY PAGES I kid you not. Then they're going at it like bunnies, their married parents discover them, dad is all like houston we got a problem, and the BAM, prologue four years later kids are married and have kids.
How?? What? Huh?
you get my point.
The plot was generic, the writing mediocre (in my opinion), and the characters infantile. It's to the point where I can't even wrap my mind around what I just read.
The main girl, I forgot her name, is constantly saying that this isn't lust she feels that she's nothing like her mother. But at the same time the only thing I read was how mouthwatering his abs are, how big his d*ck is, how..... you get the point.
Rather than telling me she doesn't care he was kissing a girl before him, I want to understand why, rather than talking about the pain in her face, I'd like to see the picture. These characters were so predictable it was boring, and DON'T Even get me started on the ending, if I can call it as SUCH!
It all happened so quickly I was left reeling, one second he admits he loves her, the next they're dancing, mine, mine mine, me tarzan you jane, me hit everybody. Boom rival shows up, party over, chick cries, he betrayed her, and suddenly they yell it out and make up. ALL IN THE SPAN OF THIRTY PAGES I kid you not. Then they're going at it like bunnies, their married parents discover them, dad is all like houston we got a problem, and the BAM, prologue four years later kids are married and have kids.
How?? What? Huh?
you get my point.
January 31, 2019
Meh...
I like this trope... Asshole hero with issues EVENTUALLY falls for the cliche girl from across the track. in this case being his step-sister. Classic he hates her but eventually craves her trope. And for the heroine it's survival of verbal abuse, then resistance to attraction with the eventual virgin sex orgasm (Psst! Ya right!)
Way too much back and forth. Kinda like watching a tennis match on high speed. back forth back forth back forth!! STOP!!!!
And the hero lost major points for me.
I like this trope... Asshole hero with issues EVENTUALLY falls for the cliche girl from across the track. in this case being his step-sister. Classic he hates her but eventually craves her trope. And for the heroine it's survival of verbal abuse, then resistance to attraction with the eventual virgin sex orgasm (Psst! Ya right!)
Way too much back and forth. Kinda like watching a tennis match on high speed. back forth back forth back forth!! STOP!!!!
And the hero lost major points for me.
May 8, 2022
It was, without a doubt, a fucking mess.
November 28, 2017
4.5 STARS!!
You know what's one of the many ways to make me one-click a book? Say it's a STEPBROTHER Romance in your blurb or review. I don't read the entire blurb, I just see the word STEPBROTHER, oh jeez, I'm grabbing that fast as I can!
BUT sadly, in some occasions, I don't get a taboo/ stepbrother romance that actually has a solid story in it. Chapters are filled with sex and the entire thing just become porno on paper. It's taboo, who cares about the story, you say? I do. I really do. Luckily this weekend, I one-clicked ENDGAME from Chloe Walsh (whom I never read from, BTW). Dude, taboo and 0.99! I gave it a try. And you know what, this book... this book has a little bit of everything I love about my stepbrother romance.
So, ENDGAME here is a New Adult/ Enemies to Lovers/ Stepsibs (yeah, yeah... said that already. Sorry! :P ) Romance. It's the story of senior high schoolers Rourke Owens and Mercy James. Victims of their parents' bad decisions in life, they were forced to live together in pure hate. Growing up, both were bruised by the harsh games of life but aside from that? They're too opposite from each other. Rourke grew up being provided with everything he wants and needs. Everyone in their town kisses the pavement he walks on. And Mercy? The exact difference. She raised herself and basically raised her immature mom, too.
This book, like what I mentioned, has a lot of elements that I so enjoy in romance which are:
1. Plotted in small town
2. A-hole hero and feisty heroine
3. Slow Burn
4. Great secondary characters that were not thrown in your face all at the same time.
5. Well- written POVs
Plus this author really just pulls you into her story. I mean, it's not perfect but the chapters are just different journey every time. One is really emotional, and the others, you won't help but relate to because you were once like those characters when you were 17 or 18. ENDGAME is all in all one of my favorite 2017 reads. Genuine feels, sexy, sometimes funny, and fun banters. If you're a fan of enemies to lovers and stepeeeerthang, GO PICK THIS BOOK UP!
You know what's one of the many ways to make me one-click a book? Say it's a STEPBROTHER Romance in your blurb or review. I don't read the entire blurb, I just see the word STEPBROTHER, oh jeez, I'm grabbing that fast as I can!
BUT sadly, in some occasions, I don't get a taboo/ stepbrother romance that actually has a solid story in it. Chapters are filled with sex and the entire thing just become porno on paper. It's taboo, who cares about the story, you say? I do. I really do. Luckily this weekend, I one-clicked ENDGAME from Chloe Walsh (whom I never read from, BTW). Dude, taboo and 0.99! I gave it a try. And you know what, this book... this book has a little bit of everything I love about my stepbrother romance.
So, ENDGAME here is a New Adult/ Enemies to Lovers/ Stepsibs (yeah, yeah... said that already. Sorry! :P ) Romance. It's the story of senior high schoolers Rourke Owens and Mercy James. Victims of their parents' bad decisions in life, they were forced to live together in pure hate. Growing up, both were bruised by the harsh games of life but aside from that? They're too opposite from each other. Rourke grew up being provided with everything he wants and needs. Everyone in their town kisses the pavement he walks on. And Mercy? The exact difference. She raised herself and basically raised her immature mom, too.
This book, like what I mentioned, has a lot of elements that I so enjoy in romance which are:
1. Plotted in small town
2. A-hole hero and feisty heroine
3. Slow Burn
4. Great secondary characters that were not thrown in your face all at the same time.
5. Well- written POVs
Plus this author really just pulls you into her story. I mean, it's not perfect but the chapters are just different journey every time. One is really emotional, and the others, you won't help but relate to because you were once like those characters when you were 17 or 18. ENDGAME is all in all one of my favorite 2017 reads. Genuine feels, sexy, sometimes funny, and fun banters. If you're a fan of enemies to lovers and stepeeeerthang, GO PICK THIS BOOK UP!
Read
June 11, 2017W.O.W.Z.A. This book was like crack. Roxie, my blog partner, urged me to dive into Endgame and AHH, I'm thrilled that I did!!
I want my very own Rourke. He is my favorite kind of a$$hole... hard on the outside and sweet on the inside. Kinda like an M&M... delicious. Chloe Walsh grabbed my attention from chapter one and I was dying over the angst. My absolute favorite kind, not just thrown in to create unnecessary drama, but sprinkled throughout making your insides clench and your heartbeat thump crazily in your chest.
Mercedes "Six", god I loved your spunk. Strong, sweet, honest. You were the perfect match for Rourke even though I kinda wanted him for myself.
These two together had my hands shaking and me yelling, "get your sh*it together", but it was so, so worth it.
I would absolutely love to give this book 5 stars. The plot, the depth, the characters, all of it. But unfortunately, I can't because there were many errors that prevent me from doing so. It is so hard to write this review because the author is crazy talented. My only hope is that her future books are given a thorough proofread since her potential is beyond measure.
Overall thoughts:
Plot: 5 stars
Heat Index: 5 Stars
Angst: 5 Stars
Love for the Characters: 5 stars
Editing/Proofreading: 2 stars
I want my very own Rourke. He is my favorite kind of a$$hole... hard on the outside and sweet on the inside. Kinda like an M&M... delicious. Chloe Walsh grabbed my attention from chapter one and I was dying over the angst. My absolute favorite kind, not just thrown in to create unnecessary drama, but sprinkled throughout making your insides clench and your heartbeat thump crazily in your chest.
Mercedes "Six", god I loved your spunk. Strong, sweet, honest. You were the perfect match for Rourke even though I kinda wanted him for myself.
These two together had my hands shaking and me yelling, "get your sh*it together", but it was so, so worth it.
I would absolutely love to give this book 5 stars. The plot, the depth, the characters, all of it. But unfortunately, I can't because there were many errors that prevent me from doing so. It is so hard to write this review because the author is crazy talented. My only hope is that her future books are given a thorough proofread since her potential is beyond measure.
Overall thoughts:
Plot: 5 stars
Heat Index: 5 Stars
Angst: 5 Stars
Love for the Characters: 5 stars
Editing/Proofreading: 2 stars
June 24, 2021
dnf @ 60%
~this book had me bleeding out slowly.~
the first bullet, was just how annoying the characters were, particularly the hero.
the second bullet, hit when the heroine asked the hero (who is her mortal enemy) to tell her he loved her when she was losing her virginity to him, even if he was lying. the second-hand embarrassment almost killed me right then but i prevailed....
but the bullet that kept on coming and eventually did me in was the OW drama. you know bella in the boys of tommen series? the awful character who was obsessed w johnny? now picture that, but instead of johnny not giving af about her and brushing her off over and over, he actually has real feelings for her and lets her use and abuse him while still lowkey loving her. goddamn pathetic- that was rourke and britt. it was so unattractive, not to mention tedious. ill tolerate some ow drama but her annoying ass character was way too fucking present and i had no faith in roarke to ever be all the way over her in a way that'd convince me he only sees mercy, so im out
~this book had me bleeding out slowly.~
the first bullet, was just how annoying the characters were, particularly the hero.
the second bullet, hit when the heroine asked the hero (who is her mortal enemy) to tell her he loved her when she was losing her virginity to him, even if he was lying. the second-hand embarrassment almost killed me right then but i prevailed....
but the bullet that kept on coming and eventually did me in was the OW drama. you know bella in the boys of tommen series? the awful character who was obsessed w johnny? now picture that, but instead of johnny not giving af about her and brushing her off over and over, he actually has real feelings for her and lets her use and abuse him while still lowkey loving her. goddamn pathetic- that was rourke and britt. it was so unattractive, not to mention tedious. ill tolerate some ow drama but her annoying ass character was way too fucking present and i had no faith in roarke to ever be all the way over her in a way that'd convince me he only sees mercy, so im out
March 20, 2023
I love Chloe Walsh's writing style! It's fun to read and not typical characters. She creates backstories that explain accurately why characters are who they are you it bonds you to them.
My only problems are wanting more answers!!
What happened in Mercedes past that she hints at?
What happened in the past between Molly and Daryl?
Was there ever a possibility between Ameila and Daryl?
How does Ameila's high school experience go?
I don't want this to be a standalone :(
****
My only problems are wanting more answers!!
What happened in Mercedes past that she hints at?
What happened in the past between Molly and Daryl?
Was there ever a possibility between Ameila and Daryl?
How does Ameila's high school experience go?
I don't want this to be a standalone :(
****
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