Falls Boys: Hellbent One Paperback – March 19, 2022

It's finally here. The next generation is here! I've been waiting for the Hellbent series for sometime, and Penelope Douglas does not disappoint. It feels so good to be back in this world, with these characters.This book is kind of hard to review, in the sense that while I'm DYING to talk about it, I also think the less you know, the better the experience will be.Falls Boys is witty, sexy and a little heartbreaking at times. There is danger, mystery and oh so much chemistry.Hawke and Aro are nearly complete opposites. Hawke is from a loving family with every opportunity in front of him. He is spoiled in a way that he has never known what it means to be without any basic needs. Hawk is thoughtful and kind though, and fiercely protective of his family. Aro has grown up in foster care and no nothing of having supportive parents. Her only concerns in life is taking care of her younger siblings and to try to survive. Aro is brave and strong and selfless. The two of them should never even cross paths...But one night changes everything. Hawke and Aro are forced together. And even though they are well aware how different they are, they also can't help but notice they just... fit together. Understand each other in a way no one else has.Swoon.One of the things Penelope Douglas is amazing at, is telling a story within a story. The ubran legend mystery woven through out is just... chef kiss. So well written!*Falls Boys is the first book in the Hellbent series, a spin-off series from the Fall Away series. However, they are all standalones, and you DO NOT need to read any previous books in order to understand Falls Boys. I highly recommend the Fall Away series though. :) You can meet a slightly younger Hawke, as well as the other Hellbent kids in Next to Never. You can meet Hawke's parents (Jaxon and Juliet) in Falling Away*

So I took the night to collect my thoughts, and I still don't know how to rate this - there's a lot going on in the story, and a lot going on in my head. Let's start with this: I'm a first-timer! I've been meaning to check out Douglas' work for years now, and this seemed like the perfect place to start. It's a series starter the DOES pick up a fresh story, but... wow, yeah, not really a standalone, lol. If you're a longtime fan of Douglas' work, chances are that you'll have your own opinion on the storyline, but there are a LOT of characters to keep track of, so many snippets of history that you'll be scratching your head if you're not familiar, and this doesn't actually wrap everything up with a neat little bow. I was legitimately confused sometimes, and based on other responses to this, it's not just because I'm new to this world. Some things just don't make sense. But you know what? The writing was immensely bingeable, and I found myself pushing through the confusion repeatedly because I was honestly curious to see how things turned out. So, this is neither a win nor a loss for me; it provided me with a solid reading experience, but I can EASILY identify like 20 things that didn't work for me.The story follows Aro, a teenager who has grown up taking care of herself. Every day is a battle, but she's got family to provide for, so she perseveres - at least for now. Aro is convinced that she'll die young (she IS in danger at every moment, either from her drug-dealing boss or the cops), so she doesn't hold back. Her latest incident might've gone too far, and Aro soon finds herself mixed up with a group of wealthy teens from the other part of town, including the do-gooder former class president, Hawke. Aro has heard all about Hawke, but she never expected to be drawn to him. Aro came into Hawke's life like a wrecking ball, and she is dismantling everything he thought he knew about himself... possibly in a good way.Let's talk about what I loved for a minute. This hits the ground running from the first page, and it was a high octane read after that, even if I couldn't tell you what the actual plot is about, lol. It's got a suspenseful feel, definite new adult vibes, and an opposites attract dynamic that worked. I loved how well Aro and Hawke complement each other, and more focus on the swoony side of their relationship probably would've made this pretty great. Well... that and a coherent storyline, because I don't think I'm the only one who is confused. I liked that Aro has experienced so much in her life, and that Hawke is the vulnerable one still grappling with a few things. He's also not a manhoe, which I liked. I DIDN'T like the level of OW drama, or that the emotional connection was so weak that Hawke was still messing around with his ex a significant portion of the way in. That definitely put a damper on the romance, so it was sort of strangers to enemies to reluctant friends to friends with benefits to love. Not enough time spent on the quieter, intimate moments, which really could've enhanced the story. I could write an essay on the things that bugged me or the level of confusion I felt while reading, but what I'm trying to say is that there's a lot of good stuff going on in the story, and it was strangely compelling for me. Perhaps it would flow better with a reread, I don't know, but I genuinely liked a significant portion of the book, even if I felt lost many times.