Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
West Golden—so easy to hate, yet so hard to resist.

Don’t let that pretty face of his fool you. He isn’t the boy next door, or the kind you trust with your heart. He’s the devil in designer jeans, with all the charm of a bona fide psycho.

Trust me.

He swears I did something to cross him before I even stepped foot inside Cypress Prep, but it’s a lie. No one knows better than me that I’m all out of chances. One more misstep and I can kiss my future goodbye, which means I can’t possibly be guilty of whatever he thinks I’ve done.

West marks me with a target anyway, and as this town’s football star, no one dares to go against him. His money, status, and the loyalty of his equally entitled brothers makes him seem untouchable. Only, I know better than that.

This false god isn’t infallible like he wants the world to believe. Whenever I stare into those devilish green eyes, I see it plain as day. The chink in his armor. His one and only weakness.

Me.

The King of Cypress Prep has finally met his match, and taking him down just became an inside job.

***
The Golden Boys are all smokin’ hot, but there’s only one guy for Blue Riley, which means this romance isn’t a reverse harem. Also, full disclosure, this saga does contain strong bully themes. So, if you’re not into romances where hate turns into love (well … eventually), and if you don’t like your heroes of the unapologetically alpha variety, this might not be the book for you. There is no rape or dubious consent whatsoever. However, due to adult themes and sexual situations, this one’s only for the 18+ crowd.

This series is sure to give you GOSSIP GIRL and ONE TREE HILL vibes, and the angst will keep you burning through the pages to find out what happens next. One-click and get lost in this series today!

ebook

First published October 16, 2020

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

Rachel Jonas

24 books1,287 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
5,674 (42%)
4 stars
4,797 (35%)
3 stars
2,191 (16%)
2 stars
473 (3%)
1 star
203 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 958 reviews
December 16, 2020
For Gossip Girl Fans...Later, Peeps!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💜💛💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔📙
World building: 🌎🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 👤👤👤👤👤

The setting: Cypress Prep Academy

The Hero(s): West Golden (a.k.a. KingMidas) – The first born of the Golden Triplets. Seniors, football stars and they run the schools. West is the de facto leader of the popular group. He thinks Blue is out to ruin his family and thinks he has every right to take her down.

The heroine: Blue Riley (a.k.a. Southside; a.k.a. NewGirl) – Blue is from the wrong part of town and has had a hard life. Her mother left, her Dad is a drunk and her older brother is out of the picture. It is up to Blue to pay the bills and raise her 14 year old sister and the last thing she needs is some entitled Jerk thinking he can hurt her.

The Love Story: West starts bullying Blue her first day at Cypress Prep. Though he wont tell her why he hates her so much. Blue takes it because she can’t make waves if she wants to go to college. However, she isn’t afraid of West and ends up giving as good as she gets. The attraction between them heats up with each interaction.

I liked both West and Blue. They each have their own issues, but the fire between the can’t be denied. Blue is an extremely strong heroine and I love it when she gets back at West. He loves it too as the story moves forward. He knows he should hate her but he can’t help but be aware of her. You can just picture them stealing glances at each other when there are in the same place.

The give and take between these two was fabulous but there was also a few mysteries. I had a feeling that things would come to a head right at the end and there would be a cliffhanger. I am actually glad this one is continuing to another book because I want to see some more intimacy between this explosive couple.

I also really enjoyed Pandora, the Gossip Girl of this book. I can totally imagine Kristen Bell’s voice saying all her little entries at the end of each chapter like she did at the end of each episode of Gossip Girl. It might be somewhat derivative, but I will admit to missing Gossip Girl a bit, so I really enjoyed her little excerpts.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,322 reviews9,242 followers
December 30, 2020
30547322-SX540

THE GOLDEN BOYS: ➡️is the first full length bully romance book in the series 'Kings of Cypress Prep', by new to me authors Rachel Jonas & Nikki Thorne. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'

After picking up and putting down a few books in a row, this was the one which pulled me out of my funk and grabbed my attention from the get go. Twists and turns had me inhaling this in record time wanting to see how the author would wrap it all up, loving the storyline, our strong heroine and our hot and cold hero made for a riveting slow burn read.

These two were like a tennis match with their too and fro barbs, fighting the attraction which sizzled in the background, neither wanting to cave. Secrets were withheld, lines were drawn and like a domino effect it all came falling down around their ears.

119528821-1558776527638337-5701842281974153839-o-1

Blue was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, a mother MIA a drunk father and a sister she was left to raise like she was her own.

West and his two brothers (triplets) come from money, a father caught with his pants down more times than up, withholding secrets close to his chest, but one oversight with a photo picturing Blue which could break up West's family had me burning with up with curiosity.

I loved the unique take on 'Gossip Girl' where a media influencer posted discriminating evidence on line via an app which targeted our Golden boy and Southside Blue

All I asked for was an angst filled read and this one delivered in spades, thankful that the next book within this series is released and I'm not stuck down that brutal cliffy!!
Highly recommend 👍👍👍👍

mmmmmmm-copy

Profile Image for Arini.
857 reviews2,009 followers
December 16, 2022
3.5 stars

idk what possessed me to read this considering my loss of appetite (so to speak) for high school or prep school or college (i think you get me) romance and all of its juvenile antics, but im kinda *into* this bad boy. the reason for the “hate” was based on assumption, so it wasnt strong, but it made sense. i could work with it. the heroine was not like other girls, and i think her “having a spine” was simply to make up for the fact that she turned horny puny in the hero’s presence. she put up a good front but was actually all hot and bothered inside. i mean, other than being sassy and a smartass, it wasnt like she epicly dished it back or retaliated against the hero’s bullying, but at least it was something cause ive read way way worse.

(read as an audiobook)
Profile Image for ellie.
350 reviews2,912 followers
July 26, 2021
this was addictive af.

Blue... hey queen! girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly. i'd say i’m surprised, but i know who you are. i’ve seen it up close and personal. girl, you make me so proud, and i love you.”

BLUE. this bitch. if only every bully romance heroine was like you. the scene where she trips Parker in PE class sang to my soul. she gave me serious Olivia Jaeger vibes from Tryst Six Venom and we all know i loved that bitch. she was fierce, loyal and loving but also vulnerable and exhausted. she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and took it all in her stride.

the way she protected her sister, Scar, and sacrificed so much to keep her safe and healthy was admirable as it was heartbreaking.

and her backbone was made of goddam steel. a heroine in a mf bully romance NOT led by her vagina? every opportunity where i expected them to do something sexual and have Blue give in (when i really didn’t want her to, but was resigned since most heroines in bully romances have zero brain cells), instead Blue walks away with a smug grin and her dignify in tact. it was pretty slowburn if anything bcos Blue knew her worth.

honestly, my review is just me gushing about Blue. oops. so, ill list the rest of my thoughts below into a pros and cons list:

💄i liked that it was explicitly identified within the first few chapters why West targets Blue. too often bully romances have a weak af reason to justify the bullying.

💄the book did a good job of keeping me on the edge in the beginning. West’s manipulation and bullying doesn’t start full throttle— he lulls Blue (and the reader) into a false sense of security and you’re just left waiting for him to strike. it was done really well.

💄the gossip girl aspect was surprisingly interesting and done really well. i didn’t find it obnoxious at all like i was expecting lol.

💄the side characters weren’t irritating caricatures typical of a bully romance. they were properly fleshed out characters with their own stories and lives. i was as intrigued by all of them as i was by Blue and West.

☠️ the descriptions of teen boys in bully romances never fail to make me snort. West was described as a literal god with the world at his mercy... and he’s 17 years old. i went to British public school in the north east of England— no 17 year old i knew was anything other than an immature idiot with hygiene issues and misogynistic tendencies. no gods or deities in sight.

☠️ i loathed West about 90% of the time lmao. this boy was dumb af and annoying. he deserved a swift kick in the ballsack.

☠️ him sleeping with OW in this book wasnt ideal. but i knew going in, so it didn’t bother me much bcos i was prepared. and thank fuck Blue never walks in on him— that lil trope needs to die ASAP.

☠️ West blabbering on about how he’s broken bcos his dad cheats on his mum... where is the correlation bro? im supposed to pity you for tormenting an innocent girl bcos... bcos your dad cheats on your mum? and you know about it but can’t do anything to stop it? I’m still broken in places no one can ever possibly repair, carrying the guilt of not doing more back then. i had to laugh lol.

my heart did start to soften towards him in the end— his humanity shone through at times. but those last few chapters made me revert to loathing him again lol.

safe to say? im addicted to this series so far and im already devouring book two as we speak😉
Profile Image for julia.
917 reviews151 followers
September 28, 2021
𝟰.𝟮𝟱
When I find her—and I will find her—I swear I won’t stop until I tear her whole fuckin’ world to shreds. Eye for an eye, bitch.

☛ 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗖
Broken



And this is why I gotta trust my initial gut instinct. I started and stopped this book an embarrassing amount of times, ngl. Then today, idk… I decided to suck it up and actually read past the first chapter, and you know what?


ɪ ʟᴏᴡ-ᴋᴇʏ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ, ꜱᴏʀᴛᴀ, ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ᴛɢʙ✨🙈


For real, this book is, way better than it has any right to be. Cause, seriously, the minute I started reading THE GOLDEN BOYS I could not put it down. And I've been in a very intense reading slump, so... 🤷‍♀️


☛ 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦
❝I’m not breaking for you,❞ I choke out. ❝I’ll never break for you. You have my word on that.❞

♥ Blue (aka. new girl)
♥ West (aka. KingMidas)
♥ Dr… Pryor? (the guidance counselor)
♥ The REASON for the bullying
♥ Scarlett
♥ Sisterly bond
♥ Pants incident
♥ West (floundering in denial-land) ☟
My intentions were clear-cut. I had one goal in mind—to teach Southside a lesson. But now, I’m sweating bullets, hoping she didn’t get the wrong idea, didn’t misunderstand me touching her like that. Like … I enjoyed it.
✔ UST (so much UST)
♥ Jules
♥ Ricky (aka. sExY BeAsT)
✔ Pandora (very Gossip Girl adjacent)
✔ DeanJoss crumbs
♥ Blue (what a bad bitch) ☟
❝Not sure who your brother thinks he’s dealing with, but he can count on one thing,❞ I warn. ❝When someone fucks with me, they can expect me to throw it right back at them. And that especially goes for your brother.❞
✔ Romance (what, there were sprinklings of one)


☛ 𝗡𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦
❝Well played, Southside,❞ he admits with amusement in his tone. ❝But you got one thing wrong.❞
❝What’s that?❞
❝We both know which of us is really the bitch, don’t we?❞ he growls with a smirk.

🅾🅺 Body Betraying Syndrome
✘ Parker (exit stage right)
🅾🅺 No uniforms (prep school = uniforms)
✘ EpiPen
✘ Silver? Sterling? (aka. Mr Silver)
🅾🅺 Joss
✘ Gym teacher
✘ West (watch your back)☟
✘ Drowning (the amount of times Blue almost died, my goodness)
✘ THAT SHIT WEST PULLED AT THE END OF THE BOOK 😤
🅾🅺 Cute dialogue (or lack there of)
✘ HOLY. MISCOMMUNICATIONS. BATMAN.
🅾🅺 Romance


In conclusion, TGB was freaking awesome ♥ It had the just right amount of drama, and it never crossed into OTT territory, which was nice. Also, I need to give a huge thanks to Ellie and Penny. It's because of their fantastic reviews that I actually picked this book up in the first place.


┍━━━━━★━━━━━┑
𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗬𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝘆𝘀 ~ 𝟰.𝟮𝟱
𝟮. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 ~ 𝟯.𝟱
𝟯. 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 ~ 𝙩𝙗𝙧
┕━━━━━★━━━━━┙
Profile Image for alka .
207 reviews548 followers
Shelved as 'will-not-finish'
February 24, 2022
dnf @34%

this one is very toiring to read and i'm already a toired human so.
Profile Image for alana ☁️.
826 reviews1,087 followers
January 7, 2024
not really a fan of dark high school bully romance, but surprisingly i enjoyed this one??? had me hooked straight from the beginning 😌

the pace and flow of the story is just so enthralling. the chemistry and tension between the Blue and West is sO palpable and wonderfully written, and there are enough twists and turns and roller-coaster of emotion that keep me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story.

+i absolutely respect Blue for standing up for herself and doesn't back down from anyone👏
definitely continuing with this series!!
Profile Image for y.
104 reviews
January 24, 2021
Where to begin with this book. After the looking at the average rating of 4.35 stars I'm surprised at how close to 5 stars this is. Let me quickly mention that this is all my opinion and should not be taken to offense, however, I do find the number of people who gave this book high ratings astonishing.

I refrain from calling books bad because there's usually something enjoyable for someone, as well as the fact the reading and writing are relative to readers and writers. So I'm not gonna call it a bad book, because the writing itself was good. I can't say the same for the plot, events and characters.

I'm just gonna approach this by going through my notes and calling everything out. I can't even be bothered to figure out what's a spoiler and what's not so everything's gonna be blocked out.

The "I'm not like other girls" trope
Usually, I tolerate this trope and even enjoy it sometimes however this book doesn't even the trope because she's constantly victimizing herself and acting like she's the only one with problems even though EVERY character around her has the same dark backstory and some deep stuff going on. So the trope really isn't valid, even considering the semi "normal" people in the book because she complains, whines and acts just like the rest of them.

CONSTANT sexualisation
Now this one is definitely gonna be controversial so let me reinstate: IT'S MY OPINION, NOT A COMMENT ON THE WRITER OR THE WRITER'S MORALS OR THE WRITER'S ABILITIES. Every single girl that comes into sight of our main male love interest West is sexualized: here's an excerpt. and it goes on. Admiring how someone looks is fine but in such a clearly sexual way??? Anyways that's just my opinion on what I didn't like about it.

Now after everything let me just list all the times I got mad at West and Blue (my personal choice to be mad at them not necessarily a result of anything I listed above):

So basically out of respect for myself and my mental stability, I listed only a few of the many irritating issues within the characters and events of this book. AGAIN, my opinion only.

All in all, I wouldn't read this book unless you have a thirst for stupid characters, toxic advice, toxic relationships and bad communication between EVERYONE

now i have gotten the hatred in me out. sending good vibes!
peace<3
Profile Image for ABookLover73.
375 reviews217 followers
December 8, 2020
FIVE GOLDEN STARS for Blue and West 💛🖤💛🖤!!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I LOVE IT!

This is the first book I've read by Rachel Jonas & Nikki Thorne and I love it!

"The Golden Boys" is a dark high school bully romance with enemies to lovers trope.

Blue is a strong female character who works hard to ensure a better future for herself and her sister.

West is a male character who tries to keep secrets to keep his family together.

If you're looking for a dark high school bully romance and you also love Rachel and Nikki's writing style, then this is the book for you!!!

Highly recommended!!!

P.S. I can't wait to read "Never His Girl" 😍❤🔥!
Profile Image for Jena .
2,278 reviews2 followers
August 27, 2021
What a load of crap! So there is this scene at the beginning of the book where the MCs first see each other. They're at a party. He sees her across the room, she sees him, sparks are flying, the chemistry is intense, they cant take their eyes off each other, he only has eyes for her.... a few moments later, he gets up from the chair and walks towards her, and she's getting so excited about meeting him..
AND THEN!.... this hot girl with big boobs walks up to him, sticks her hands down his pants to feel him down...he still has eyes for the h....but then, he looks down at the OW, then walks away to fuck the ow instead of meeting the h... my mouth dropped! lol

WOW, way to make the h the Hero's 2nd choice, he preferred the ow! I read a bit more to learn that the H went off to get a blow job with the hot girl with the boobs. DNF right here. I appreciate the author for putting this scene in the beginning. I hate the "h is his 2nd choice" trope, glad I didnt read the entire thing before getting mad.

Free on kindle unlimited so I didnt waste any money too!
Profile Image for Meredith Wilson.
383 reviews39 followers
October 17, 2020
The Golden Boys is the first book in the new Kings of Cypress Prep series by Nikki Thorne and Rachel Jonas. Both are new authors to me, but after reading this, they are definitely on my radar now. This book right here is bully romance at its best, and I was hooked from the very start.

West Golden aka King Midas is a football star, and the king of his school. A guy that nobody would dare cross. But when he finds dirty pics of the new girl (Blue Riley) in his father's safe, he makes it his mission in life to make her life hell. What he doesn't anticipate though is that the new girl has spunk. She doesn't cower down, and she gives just as good as she gets. It looks like he may have just met his match. Game on!

Holy smokes! This was one hell of a book, and that cliffhanger... Let's just not mention it lol. West and Blue's story was superbly written with a perfectly executed plot. I can't even begin to express just how much I loved it. Five stars and OH. SO. MANY. MORE for West, Blue and The Golden Boys!

SIGNATURE_JPEG
Profile Image for Abstract ♥ Books.
1,203 reviews1,653 followers
October 10, 2020




ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS

line



Web-Photo-Editor He’s not the boy next door, or the kind you trust with your heart. West Golden is a devil in designer jeans, with all the charm of a bonified psycho. Still, even with all the hatred I hold for him, I swear I feel him all over me. Like a ghost."


“Golden Boys” is the first part of the “Kings of Cypress Prep” series by the best selling author Nikki Thorn.
First of all , Why did no one tell me that this was a Cliffhanger??? This is the actual footage of me trying to read this book only for it to end at such a big cliffhanger:



That being said , This book was legit fire!! First there is West Golden. Ahhh , that man is equal parts Jerk and Yummy . Is there any way I can get one for myself?? Pretty please???
Another amazing thing about this book was that the female lead of this book was no pushover! The way she made him pay back for every horrible thing he did to her was the best part! That is something I really appreciated, there is nothing more annoying than a doormat heroine!

Web-Photo-Editor “Don’t provoke me, Southside,” he growls. “You haven’t seen me off my leash yet.” The freakishly deep tone of his voice radiates down to my bones. I have his undivided attention and take full advantage of it by leaning into him. His gaze slips down to my lips when they part to speak. “Careful, KingMidas,” I warn. “In the wrong hands, a leash can quickly become a noose.”


Blue Riley has newly started school and is excited to go to a new place. Her life is a mess. I have never read a character more alone than that girl. With shitty parents and a sibling in Jail , her whole life was a mess. She had to take care of her younger sister all by herself and there was no help from her parents whatsoever , even in the financial terms! If there is any character that deserves a happy life , it was her. But then things didn’t actually go as they were planned. Her whole life got imploded from the moment the King of Cypress prep set his eyes on her. He was going to make her pay in ways that she couldn’t even comprehend, and the worst part was that she had no idea what she had done to deserve this.



West Golden was the King of his School. Being the football start made sure that no one ever crossed him. That is until he stumbled upon some evidence in his father’s closet. There was only one person who was the culprit. The new girl at school. Blue Riley. He was going to make sure that she was broken. He never had the chance to destroy his dad’s conquests before , but now he had it and there was no way he was going to let it go. Blue Riley was going to be a shell of a girl by the time he would be done with her. What he didn’t anticipate the fire that girl had. Soon a game of destroying each other became so much more. He hurt her and then looked forward to seeing in what way she would reply. Because she always did. Seems like the King had found his match!



Throughout this whole book , I had only 2 thoughts! The first one being to West- “TALK TO HER DAMMIT! CONFIRM WHAT YOU SAW BEFORE YOU GO ALL NUCLEAR ON HER ASS!!!!” and the second one being - “ohhhh , he has messed up sooo bad!! I need some grovelling! I need some serious Grovelling Dammit! I Am going to bitch slap this boy!”
If you want to realise the importance of communication , then yeah this book is for you lol!
And then that ending! I mean , what the HELL was that? Does it give this author joy , that I will be losing sleep over that marvelous cliffhanger??? That I have marked the date of the second book in my calendar and am going to cross days until I read it , like a good little girl!!!!!!!
I need The second book like RIGHT NOW!!! Pleaseeeeeee….

Anyways , my whining aside, This was an absolutely phenomenal book for me! I am a die hard fan of Bully romance and have read tons of them , so believe me when I say that this one was Really Really good! This book has the right amount of pain to entice you people and then trap you in and before you know what is happening, BAM! You have another book on your top Shelves list!!! This is my definite recommendation to all the Dark Bully Romance lovers out there!! This book is something that you definitely can’t miss at any cost!

My-Post-3
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Bookbub | My Blog
Profile Image for Rain .
211 reviews2 followers
November 21, 2020
Not for me

I didn’t really like this one. It just isn’t... good? It’s like the author took all of these components and tried to make a book. But she didn’t realize that they have to fit together, then there needs to be some glue. You the guys who is suppose to the angst hero type, but he’s shallow, not sexy there is nothing to stand him apart from any other poor misunderstood bad boy in the genre. He is so pathetically normal for these books there is. I thing original at all. Of course a manwhore who is sleeping with his regular piece and who knows how many randoms etc throughout the book likes it’s just part of a the process that we little women who stay barefoot and pregnant have to accept as a normal part of our lives because of this many authors tell us to, we should accept it as long as he later finds a way to keep it in pants and tells the heroine “I love only you”. ... Of course the author makes sure to have his conquest strategically placed throughout the book to cause the drama... Only for me it was more like an eyeroll, because I’m like come on! More laughs... “oh gee, here is the hero being a slut with other people to add to the plot” thought no one ever. I could probably even point to the parts in the book where the author got bored and had writers block or something. If it were a drinking game I’d be dead. Then the heroine. Just nothing really. She is super basic. Nothing really special about her either. She’s that “I want to make my character badass but have no idea how so I will just make her have some sexual prowess and patheticness of a desperate housewife”. Just in case we worry about the poor little man slut having a little bit of chastity for her, the author plays it safe keeping her past limited to the one guy a while ago. You know the usual for these books (back to us barefoot and pregnant housewives just accepting the mans man) more unintentional hilarity... Her having her have no other side piece going on, just pathetically waiting on the hero while he is with his side piece the whole book (again, eyeroll) you know basically the thinking that many authors go with. She didn’t establish badass characteristics for either of them. I guess she just thought giving these teenagers this past makes them ”cool”? It’s still (not intentionally) laughable. I’m sorry I’m not impressed by that crap, it’s doesn’t shock more or draw me in. Erotica and porn are free, I don’t need this. So cliche and basic it should come with a pumpkin spice latte disclaimer... They are all super immature when it comes to pretty much everything really, well except as stated the guys have the dramatic (sexual) lives, histories, behaviors and talents of people in their twenties. Don’t get me wrong I’m not a prude, it’s just that this does not even lead where you think it does. You’d think it there would be hot scenes at least right? No. There wasn’t even major chemistry. It just felt fake. There was no cohesiveness and and when the scenes do happen the characters (especially the heroine) just reek of desperation. In some parts I feel like I just dropped into this story of two random 25 years olds who happened to “Tinder” each other for that Friday night? Only the author does draw it out a little I don’t actually believe they give a crap about each other or wouldn’t just go pick up another guy/ girl to pass the time if the other actually disappeared. No real connection. Nothing makes either of these characters stand out make want to root for them. I couldn’t care less about the them, their lives or their HEA. Long story short there is a lot missing from this book and it reads like she is trying to emulate other authors that actually do this genre well. I couldn’t even get motivated enough to care about his manwhoreness like I usually would. This book was too boring for that. I guess there’s a couple of hours of my life that that I’m never get back...
Profile Image for Alyrica.
543 reviews14 followers
October 19, 2020
I just finished this book and my stomach is in knots. I am a big ball of anxiety. Honestly, bully books aren't my favorite because usually they keep me anxious and frustrated. That being said, I really enjoyed this one, mostly.

What I Liked:
* Blue, the main female character. She wasn't completely impervious to the bullying but she was strong enough to keep my frustration at a lower level. I also really liked her dedication to her sister, Scarlett.
* The pacing. I never felt boredom or the urge to quit the book. I think the author did a great job of keeping it interesting.
* The inclusion of the Pandora posts. I have never seen Gossip Girl so I can't verify that this tool was reminiscent of the show but it was fun.
* The bullying wasn't so detailed or brutal that it made the read bleak and miserable. I know some love that feeling of high angst and constant dread but I am not one who does. Don't get me wrong, the bullying was bad and not something I enjoyed but because every instance wasn't detailed or on page, the way Blue handled it and that she got in a lick or two made it so I didn't feel she was constantly losing in their little war.

What I Didn't Like:
* None of the questions or mysteries were answered in this installment which made the overall read a little unsatisfying. I knew going in that this was not a stand alone and there would be unanswered questions but I would have preferred some insight to what was going on by the end. By the time the next book comes out I will have forgotten a lot of the nuance of the characters and my feelings will have dulled making the revelations less or possibly non-impactful. I know everyone experiences reading differently but for those that may relate to this, I would recommend waiting until the next book is out before reading this one.
* The cliffhanger. I am not one of those that get angry that an author ends a book in a cliffhanger. Though I don't love them, I expect it. This one was brutal however so it is going on my "did not like" list.

Overall, this was a great read. For those who like bully books, I think this will be a big hit and I would definitely recommend. Now, I need to chill because my anxiety is still sky high. I guess it takes talented authors to make me feel this way so kudos!
Profile Image for Shelby.
224 reviews1,346 followers
April 2, 2023
GOOD LORD

A well written high school/bully romance has always had me by the throat BUT THIS BOOK ?? THIS SERIES?? HAS ME PINNED TO THE FLOOR.

Its gossip girl, meets pretty little liars, meets the O.C AND I AM CONSUMED 👁️👄👁️

I have not come up for AIR the last 24 hours. The first 10% is kinda clunky and I was unsure but woah did that change fast. This book just got better and better.

THIS IS THE TRASH I LIVE FOR 🫢 There’s a plot, the start of character development, DISTINCTIVE characters, sooooo much drama and tension and angst AND OH FUCK I canny cope 🫠

Essentially it follows 3 brothers (triplets, West, Dane and Sterling Golden) from Northside Cypress and their prestigious school Cypress prep, and Southside girly Blue, who starts Cypress prep on a scholarship. And West has it OUT for Blue right from the start, THE SAVAGERY 🤣🤣

THE CLIFFHANGER
the cliff hanger
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I went straight into the second one. No messing around. I believe the first 3 books focuses on one couple, West and Blue. Either way who gives a shite, I’m off.

Go in blind and ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

4 ⭐️
Profile Image for BLuvsBooks.
603 reviews109 followers
October 25, 2020

A good enemies to more/ bully read.
Enjoyed the slow burn and spiteful banter.
Also liked the nod to gossip girl and the crazy pranks.
I wasn’t sold on the reason why West hated Blue in the beginning but the last part of the book made it more believable.
Looking forward to the next.

NA. Bullymance. Not RH. Cliffy
Profile Image for Medollga.
421 reviews67 followers
January 23, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up

This was not a bad bully romance. It's in no way dark, just filled with HS drama, teenage stupidity, shitty parents and a Gossip girl copycat. It honestly made me feel old, the way this gossip blog's text were formulated.

What I liked in this one, is that we got to understand right from the beginning why the hero hated the heroine and bullied her. I wanted to scream at him so much to just talk to her and clear this misunderstanding, but at the same time I can see how his reaction could be considered natural given the facts that he knew and his later convo with his dear old dad. Despite the fact that I understood the conflict, I didn't feel it.

The story itself, the worldbuilding, the HS shenanigans were okay, I guess. The heroine was admirable and went through so much, but I couldn't get on board with the love story. I'm still set on continuing this trilogy, but I wish it would be better.
Profile Image for Maggg.
235 reviews37 followers
January 22, 2021
I really hated this guys, West could just talk to Blue about what he saw when they started to have more trust with each other but no, talking is overrated.
I’m going to read the second book because I want to see where is going with the cliffhanger of the first book, but it was really bad, the idea was good but the author hasn’t known how to carry it.
And I want to say, this book hasn’t have OTH vibes, Gossip Girl vibes yes, but OTH no and I’ve felt cheated.
Profile Image for Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks.
1,593 reviews117 followers
September 26, 2023
3.5 stars ⭐️

Kept me interested but I started to get bored at some point. Super sloooooooow burn…like as in 95%!! There isn’t even any sexual tension between these too untill the last 6 chapters. Lots of back and forth. Probably my biggest issue with this one. Pretty good writing tho!

✓ Sport Romance
✓ Enemies to Lovers
✓ Bully Romance
✓ Cold Hero
✓ Poor Heroine
✓ Suspense
✓ New Adult
✓ Dual POV

⚠️ Cliffhanger
Profile Image for Penny.
175 reviews154 followers
December 21, 2020
3.5 stars

hi, i'm addicted to bully romances. i lost count of how many of them i've read, specially in the last few months. granted, some of them were pretty bad, but luckily this was one of the good ones!

so basically this is blue and west's story. blue is the typical girl from the wrong side of the tracks, who gets transferred to another school for her senior year and there she is targeted by one of the popular guys. what i liked from the beginning is that west has a very clear reason to hate her and we find out about it in chapter 3 or so, so it's not an "i hate you but only because i like you" kind of situation. you may agree with his actions or not, but at least he has a motive.

some things that worked for me:

1. blue 💖💖💖 WHAT A QUEEN. i absolutely love heroines who fight back and this girl gave as good as she got. she's fierce, strong and determined; but she also has a heart of gold. you can't help but be on her side all the time.

2. the side characters. yes, i'm going to mention them before the hero. this book has really good family moments. blue's relationship with scar, her little sister, is just so damn cute 🥰🥺 and her friends jules and lexi were also so funny and supportive!
surprisingly enough, i even liked blue's ex (to the point i'd totally read a book about him, just sayin'). even though they aren't together and this is NOT a love a triangle, you can tell how much he cares for her 🥰 yes i love anyone who treats the heroine the way she deserves, thank you very much.
(also, i'm totally shipping joss and dane and want their book ASAP please).

3. the sexual tension. THIS WAS DONE SO RIGHT.

"You didn't answer my question," he says, his voice rumbling low. "Do you see something you like?"
My lips part, but no words come out.
"Or is 'like' the wrong word?" he questions. "Maybe you see something you want."
These words fall from his lips and I swear the water gets hotter as we stand beneath it. Unprepared for such a bold statement, I, again, don't immediately have a response. The effect of being called out passes quickly, though, and I come up with a snide remark.
"I didn't answer because there isn't much to see, King Midas."


i love a good slowburn enemies to lovers, and boooooy did this book deliver

so i know so far it looks like a 5 star read but my main issue here was with West. he was just such an asshole it got on my nerves at times. and not because of the bullying, but because of how he treated other women? there's particuarly one girl in this book who, yes, is a total bitch, but having west tell her to her face that she's an idiot for falling for him, that she means nothing and was only a fuckbuddy to him, was like 🤢 chill out dude. plus, the fact that he kept hooking up with OW throughout the book (and treating them like shit) annoyed me a lot.
then the drama was a little over the top sometimes, but that's just normal in high school romances.

back to the good, i really enjoyed this book. there's also some sort of gossip girl in this school called pandora and we get to see what she writes at the end of each chapter, and i found that to be very original and entertaining, idk.

sadly this ends on a cliffhanger 🙃 i'm not usually a fan of sequels but i pray and hope this one is good since there are still many things to resolve.

so if you're a fan of:
🌺 badass heroines
🌺 enemies to lovers
🌺 high school romances
🌺 and great side characters

read this and TALK TO ME because i need someone to vent with.
p.s: i now know this is supposed to be a trilogy but i need books for the rest of the characters asap please thank youuuuuuuuuuuu 🌹
Profile Image for ♡Meme♡Reads love♡.
429 reviews138 followers
November 22, 2020
Oh my freaking goodness!!!!
It did not just end that way? Ms. Rachel and Ms. Nikki you didn’t have to do my heart like that! F$%^*@ damn cliffhangers!!!!!
Where is it? Where is the next book?????
I need it a.s.a.p, like seriously A S A P!
description

This book was the biz! I freaking loved this one! All the feels and *fans self* the sexual tension between the h&h was the bomb.com. That pool scene!!!! They might want to sprinkle some holy water in it after that! Ms. Rachel and Ms. Nikki freaking teased the hell out of me with this book. These absolute geniuses had me glued to my iPad. I recommend the Golden Boys to all my bad boy bully-reading fans who also love a badass female protagonist. A well-written book that will have you begging for more!

Happy Reading Friends

Profile Image for Adriana.
1,310 reviews144 followers
November 20, 2020
Omg this book , could not put it down read it in one sitting . First book from this author for me , love discovering new authors . This book had the passion , the mystery the steam it had it all loved every second of it . Need book two now
Profile Image for Veronica Ticker.
897 reviews53 followers
January 12, 2022
(audiobook+ebook) I haven’t read much bully romances because they often disturb me. Enemies to lovers is already a ‘fine line’ trope in my opinion, so when on top of that there’s violence and humiliation, it’s too unhealthy for me.

This book is definitely a bully romance. And West has enough influence at school that other people bully Blue too. To the point that she’s in real danger a couple of times. But guess who saves her? Yep, it’s West. As much as I wanted to hate him–and there are many reasons, Blue isn’t his only victim–I couldn’t completely. He shows a sweet side on rare occasions.

He’s a conflicted character for sure. A mama’s boy, he has reasons to hate his father that he keeps secret from his brothers. The same reasons he has to hate Blue, even though he’s been attracted to her since he first met her. Torn between his hate and his desire for her, he acts differently moment to moment. The more he learns about her, the more he feels too. And he fights against it.

Let’s just say that Riley is at her wit’s end. She doesn’t even know why West hates her. Usually strong and confident, as a surrogate mother for her younger sister–while her father is drunk and her brother is in jail–she starts at Cypress prep with fear. She isn’t in her element when she comes from the other side of the tracks. And as soon as she arrives, she’s bullied by West and his entourage. But she also feels the strong attraction between them, and she’s even more confused.

Not my favorite part. How is it possible to want–maybe even like–someone who spends their time torturing you? Especially when you’re supposed to be a strong character. But it wouldn’t be a bully romance without this element.

There are A LOT of side characters, and they’re all much more than just helpers or opponents in the story–yeah, I know my actantial model. At least, they have a role outside of the love story.

It’s the first book in the series and ends on a cliffhanger, so a few mysteries are suggested that aren’t resolved by the end of this book. So, why do West hate Blue? How did Hunter end up in jail? Who is Pandora?

I loved the narration. It’s mostly dual narration, with the addition of another female narrator for Pandora’s blog posts–the mischievousness is perfect. The main female narrator is great; she conveys perfectly Riley’s strength as well as her most vulnerable side. West’s alpha nature is clear through the male narrator’s growly voice, but there’s some quiver when necessary to reflect West’s softer side. I’m sure the audio made me appreciate this book much more.

Quickie

- Series: Kings of Cypress Prep #1 (ends on a cliffhanger)
- Hashtags: #sports romance #young adult romance #bully romance #opposites attract
- Triggers: bullying (even the life threatening kind), mention of murder, underage sex (nothing explicit), public humiliation, alcoholism, parental negligence, cheating
- Main couple: Blue Riley & West Golden
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 2/5
- + the rare tender moments
- – not sure what is West’s appeal besides his look–and his football skills
Profile Image for Laura Jackson.
411 reviews14 followers
December 19, 2020
Oh Blue, Blue ,BLUE!! This poor girl. She’s the one you want in your corner at the end of the day.. but who’s she got in hers.. a older brother in prison... a shitty mom and dad.. maybe a couple of friends and an ex who would be the worst choice for her.. goodness her uncle seems like the one who she can rely on maybe? So what’s a girl to do? She’s going to that prep school and getting herself and her sister away from all of it but she has to survive senior year.. with all that she’s been through it should be easy but no one said games of the heart won’t hurt.. Listen I need book two so I can tell you how I really feel because right now... West is not my favorite person.. several people are on my throat punch list in this book.. any who it’s definitely a five star read for me!!
Profile Image for Vanessa.
84 reviews8 followers
March 29, 2023
2.5 // I didn’t really care for it but I couldn’t stop reading it ? Lmao
2,072 reviews53 followers
October 15, 2020
Welp, I pretty much devoured The Golden Boys in a day. Stayed up waaaay too late reading into the wee hours of the morning because I was so wrapped up in West and Blue's story. I never liked bully romance all that much, but over the past few months, I can't seem to get enough of them.

I really can't wait for book #2, because I need more. Like, now. Is Blue guilty of what West is silently accusing her of?

Both of these characters are really broken. West has lived his entire life as the keeper of some dark family secrets, and Blue just has a horrible, horrible homelife that she is desperately trying to keep together for the sake of her little sister. West hates her something fierce -- and feels that his reasons are justified -- and Blue has no idea why he has it out for her. That hate fuels some intense interactions between them because their damaged souls are inexplicably drawn to one another.

I can't wait to see what comes next! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Profile Image for Irma *Irma The Book Whisperer*.
1,586 reviews128 followers
October 22, 2020
The mystery behind The Golden Boys is killing me! What's the thing with his father and what about her mother? *biting my nails*

I absolutely adored shared moments between West and Blue. They fought the chemistry, but failed myserably - even with all that bullying going on. Stubborn aholes. Gotta love them.

To me West was a broken boy behind all that facade. But Blue, gah, I loved her. Her life was hard and she rocked it still.

My favourite part of this story are the sceenes behing closed doors (father, sister), because I get it. And it got to me. Emotionaly.

That ending though! I need more asap! Gimme!
Profile Image for Shyralf.
1,276 reviews66 followers
May 15, 2021
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars! YA, Bully romance. Damn the end was wow! A brand new trilogy for me to devours and damn it’s starting out pretty good.. I’m intrigued. Off to read book 2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 958 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.