Ally Ryan had it all: the money, the perfect family, and the coolest friends. Part of the elite group of "Cresties," residents of the affluent Crest community, Ally got whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted it. But that all ended when her father formed a hedge fund gone bad with all of her friends' families' money. Money that those families liked having, to form trust funds and buy new cars - families who especially didn't like to be reminded that they were scammed by Ally's father. So with the scandal behind them, Ally and her mother left Orchard Hill, leaving everything they had behind. Two years later, Ally returns to Orchard Hill, but returning into the more middle-class side of town, living in a condo with her mom, who got a job as the school librarian at her old high school. Great, right? And now Ally is relegated back to the site of her downfall, with all her old Crestie friends who despise her. Making friends with Annie and David, two non-Crestie kids, is her only bright spot in her days at Orchard High. Well, them and Jake Graydon, a handsome, wealthy, and bored boy who has moved into Ally's old house and is part of the Crestie crowd. Jake knows nothing about Ally's scandal, only knowing that his friends despise her and that he likes her. A lot. But Jake's friends disapprove, because that would make Ally Ryan happy. And Ally Ryan doesn't deserve to be happy. And as Ally finally starts settling in to her new life, old secrets and friends come back to haunt her, because everyone knows that money is never devoid of drama. Kieran Scott has done it again. This novel shows what our society has become - one dominated by money and material possessions. Although Ally did nothing wrong, her classmates shun her for a bad investment that her father made. Yes, the lost money affected many people, but it was a small amount compared to what Ally's friends had. I really liked how she spun such a cliche plot into a storyline that kept readers guessing. The characters were somewhat believable, and I found myself cheering for Ally from the beginning. However, I wish Jake would grow a spine sometimes and stand up to his friends. It seemed like it took him too long to decide what he wanted, and find his true feelings for Ally. The Crestie kids were so self-centered that I couldn't believe what they would do to help themselves. And David made you wish that everything worked out for him, because nothing did. And I was lift hanging at the end- her cliffhanger left me wanting to read more of this gripping novel. Scott spins such a funny, poignant, and romantic story, but also with biting wit and laugh-out-loud moments. Soon, every teenage girl will be grabbing it off the shelves, because I, for one, cannot wait for the sequel in this trilogy.
Rating: 4 stars
