HOOKED by Liz Fichera

 

Okay, I read this one a while back and didn't review b/c I had some issues with the love interest (and his best friend).  But I'm determined to complete the Debut Author Challenge, so here we go...

 

I liked Hooked--for the most part.  Love the cover and title, especially how the pink plays off the gray, very eye-catching.  Also since Fred, our heroine, plays golf like a pro, I appreciated that aspect of the story.  I enjoy books where the focus is on a particular sport and the MC's love of the game.  It's written in dual perspective, so we get to really see both Fred's and Ryan's thoughts.

 

Fred is Native American, relatively poor, and got her amazing golf swing from practicing every spare minute on the course for which her father is the groundskeeper.  Her best friend, Sam, is in love with her.  I liked Fred a lot--though if I was in her shoes, I would've gone for reliable, loyal Sam instead of the hot rich guy any day.

 

Ryan is white, extremely rich, and has a membership at that same golf club.  He and his friends enjoy forcing Native Americans off the road, calling them "Pocahontas," and putting bricks into their golf bags.  He's still with his shallow girlfriend and his awful, racist BFF Seth b/c…well it's always been that way.  And Ryan doesn't have the balls to stand up for what's right.

 

*Phew*  Obviously, I wasn't Ryan's biggest fan.  But can you blame me?  For the better part of the story, he let his friends bully and push Fred around--even though he KNEW it was wrong.  Yes, Seth was the psycho and Ryan was just his "friend," but he had so many opportunities to stand up to Seth and…didn't.

 

Towards the end, Psycho Seth even tries to run Fred down in the dead of night with his truck.  0__o  C-R-A-Z-Y, like truly insane not to mention a total hate crime.  And they--both Fred and Ryan--basically take pity on him, "do the right thing," and help him afterward?!?!?!?!?!?

 

Call me vindictive, but I'd leave the guy to rot.  Such is the ninja way ;).  Anyway, the romance was well-written, but I couldn't get past my dislike of Ryan.  Again, we get to see his POV, so we know that he knows what he's doing is wrong.

 

I really liked Fred's character, a lot actually.  I thought she could've done much better than Ryan.

 

This story was very much Pretty in Pink--and to be honest I've always been more a Some Kind of Wonderful girl!!  Blane got on my last nerve with his wishy-washy ways; Andie couldn't get over herself and see how much Ducky loved her.  Give me Watts and Keith any day!

 

So yeah, I liked the story, despised the best friend, and thought Fred would've been better off with Sam--but whatever.  My favorite character was Ryan's sister, Riley.  She was good and kind and not judgmental unlike her brother.  She was everything Ryan should've been.  Fichera's next book, Played, is Riley and Sam's story.  All I can say is: I'm looking forward to it!

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl