Juvenile Fiction
Swoon Reads
June 7, 2016
336
Taylor Simmons is screwed. Things were hard enough when her single-minded dedication to her studies earned her the reputation of being an Ice Queen, but after getting drunk at a party and waking up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seems intent on tearing Taylor down with mockery and gossip. Desperate to salvage her reputation, Taylor persuades Evan to pretend they're in a serious romantic relationship. After all, it's better to be the girl who tames the wild surfer than just another notch on his surfboard. Readers will be ready to sign their own love contract after reading this fun and addicting contemporary YA romance.
Review:
“The Way to Game the Walk of Shame” is a good summer beach read. I will say that the first couple of chapters had me thinking I would not enjoy the book, but once the pace picked up I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you have the temptation to put it down keep going a little bit longer, because odds are you will have the same reaction.
The main characters of Taylor and Evan were definitely romantic tropes, but in a fun way, and I enjoyed the way their interactions were written. The dialogue is snappy and funny. There isn’t much in the way of background character development aside from the parents. It doesn’t detract from the book, though, as this is very much only their story. I will say that the character of Evan’s mom made me grit my teeth. She may have been written too sympathetically, but I’ll leave that for you to decide.
The plot revolves around one of my favorite tropes: a fake relationship that turns real. This was very well done with quite a bit of originality. Think of them as Katniss and Peeta without the threat of death or familial dismemberment. It moved quickly and kept me entertained after those dreaded first chapters. The ending sequence was the best part.
I recommend “The Way to Game the Walk of Shame” to upper-middle graders to adults who enjoy a fun and light romance.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Brief Violence, Underage Drinking
