Pepped Up by Ali Dean - Pepped Up #1 - 4 Stars!!

Pepped Up by Ali Dean

 

Four Sugary Sweet Stars

Blurb - Pepper Jones is ready for an epic cross country season. She wants to qualify for Nationals, and she’s willing to do anything it takes to make it happen. She can handle long miles and hill sprints, but boys? That’s an entirely different challenge.

Pepper’s never considered revealing her deeper feelings for her longtime friend, Jace Wilder. After all, he’s got the personal magnetism and good looks to hook just about any girl in town -- and he has. Their friendship stands apart from high school social circles, and they’re both just fine with that (or at least they pretend to be).

That is, until running star Ryan Harding moves to town.

When it comes to running, Pepper’s goals are clear. But when it comes to Jace and Ryan, it’s nowhere near as simple.

Pepped Up is the first book in the Pepped Up series and the first book I have read by this author, I was given this book in exchange for an honest review so here goes...

The good Bits...

·         Pepper she’s sweet and innocent and generally adorable.

·         Jase, hmmm yeah I like him, I like him a lot lol

·         Gran aka Bunny is brilliant!!

And the not so good bits...

·         It’s rare that I ever feel sorry for the ‘other’ guy but I feel a bit bad for Ryan.

Ok this book is adorable, I love Pepper she feels very young and naive in comparison to the rest of the characters but it makes her even more endearing.

This is a book set in high school but to be honest it could easily be set at college, Pepper is a focused athlete and I enjoyed the school element without the typical football and basketball drama.

I loved how Pepper & Jase interacted even though he behaved like a big brother like figure his protectiveness and love for her was sexy as hell.

I love Jase he’s a strong, but incredibly sweet BFG, for me you can’t beat a brooding dark guy who would do anything to protect you. But on the flip side Jase is incredibly vulnerable and torn over his feelings for Pepper.

I have to say I do feel a bit bad for Ryan, I don’t think he ever really stood a chance and for once I quite like the ‘other’ guy. Don’t get me wrong I still want Pepper to be with Jase but I would like Ryan to find a happy ending too.

This book goes from mature with the characters drinking and dealing drugs to very sweet and innocent with Jase making Pepper a friendship bracelet.

For most of the book the story is pure as the driven snow but in spots its skirts the edges of YA,  I could feel the chemistry between Pepper & Jase I’m kinda hoping that the next book will be a bit sexier cause there’s nowt wrong with a bit of sexy times lol.

I’m not exactly sure what direction the next book will take as Pepper won the national champs so she achieved her goal where is she going to go from there....

I love Gran she was hilarious, when she made Pepper try shots before she went out drinking was pure genius!! Seriously I want a bootie shaking, pot smoking nutter for a Gran too please!!!

This book is a lovely, smiley nugget of niceness and I really enjoyed it 4 stars from me!! Book two is out in August so watch this space for my next review ;)