Book Review - Challenge Accepted - Amanda Abram

Sometimes, just sometimes, I stumble on a book that catches my attention from an author I've never heard of before.

All I did was click on Kindle Unlimited in the Kindle Book Store and then checked out the recommended for you section.

After scrolling and scrolling and scrolling through the romances and retold fairy tales my results started getting interesting.

I don't know if it was the title or cover that drew me into clicking on Challenge Accepted to learn more about the book.  But I clicked.  I read the description.  I clicked the Kindle Unlimited check out option.

Then I read three chapters before curiosity got the better of me and I clicked to the end.

Yes, dear readers, I cheat.  I'll read the endings.

I do this for two reasons:

1. (Not applicable here) I'm bored and I want to make certain it'll get better.  If an unexpected ending happens I'll want to know why.

2.  Because I like the book and I don't want a disappointing ending.  (Divergent series anybody?)

Amanda Abram's writing and ending did not disappoint and I wanted to know how this story ended.

(And I'm struggling with the plot for third Hastings Sisters Book, so procrastination was happening.)

Logan is a jerk, but he doesn't quite see it.  Smart. Popular. Good-lucking.  He has it all.

Including a sometimes-girlfriend who is mostly good for the physical aspects of a relationship.  Grace wants more, but Logan's realizing that he doesn't.  He thinks it's because he can't fall in love,  but the reader gets it's because he's with the wrong girl.

When Grace pushes him into taking the compatibility test that one of the school clubs is doing for their class' Project Graduation, Logan realizes his only chance is the lie about his answers.  Maybe Grace will find somebody new and break up with him. Or she'll realize that they aren't compatible and back off on how serious their relationship is.

Emma - Logan's next door neighbor, shy girl, bookworm - has high expectations for this compatibility test.  She's tired of being the single girl.

These two neighbors are complete opposites, so when Logan fakes the test, putting down answers the opposite of himself,  they end up matching.

Emma and Logan have an interesting past.  He'd tease her.  She'd get upset.  He'd tease her some more.  She'd get even more upset.  I was so tempted to shake some sense into Logan whenever some more of their past was revealed.

Their fathers - also best friends - saw what was going on.   Emma's mother and Logan's step-mother understood more than the teenagers ever could.  It was little wonder that they weren't waiting for Emma and Logan to get together.

But when Logan does an extreme jerk move, Rachel (the step-mom) calls him out on it.  Turns out when Logan went to meet his match and discovered it was Emma, he stood her up.  He had already been thirty minutes late, but he just turned around without saying anything to Emma.

Emma, of course, is devastated.  This was the shy girl's 'first date' and she'd had high hopes for a summer romance.

When Rachel figures out what Logan did she makes him try to make it up to Emma.  (How did she make him?  Read to find out.)

After a failed bribe attempt, Logan decides he'll help Emma gain the attention of her crush... who just happens to be his best friend and the guy across the street.

So what happens? Does Logan succeed in setting up Emma and Matt?  Will Logan realize he has his own crush on the girl next door?  Read and find out.



I had trouble putting this book down.   This is any bookworm/shy girl's book.  We know the odds of something like this happening are slim, but we (regardless of age) hold out hope that maybe we'll be noticed for who we are. 

Yes, this is that shy girl gets a makeover and gets the popular guy (I'm not saying if Emma gets Matt, Logan, or maybe even a third guy) story, but Abram combines the tropes together nicely in a cute and enjoyable read.  But I don't see this as Emma's book.  This is Logan's book.  Being able to see Emma's side is an added bonus.

Abram also succeeded in alternating first person points of view in ways that others can easily stumble and fall.  There is just enough overlap where you can see both sides without slowing down the story.  Well done. 

Five GoodReads stars

Happy Reading,

Alicia