Book Review- The Lovely Reckless

I just finished reading The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

I’ve become an expert at avoiding things that could hurt me—which means I will figure out how to stay away from Marco Leone.

Seventeen-year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend’s death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: Nothing matters. At least, that’s what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad—an undercover cop. She transfers to a public high school in the Downs, where fistfights don’t faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him—and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

This book reminded me a lot of the books by Katie McGarry. I love those books and loved this one just as much!

I think I must love stories that have rich girls crossing over to the other side of the tracks.  Kinda like a backwards Cinderella story, if that makes sense.  The perfect girl with the perfect life that falls in love or becomes friends with people who don't have it so easy.

I really liked Frankie.  For the most part, I thought that she was so real and I felt bad for her.  I do think the romance between her and Marco was way too quick, especially since it had only been a few months since she watched her boyfriend being killed and still had PTSD about it.  But it is what it is.

I liked all the secondary characters too--Lex, Cruz, Abel, even the positive adults in the story.  They all had depth to them and I liked that.  

I do have to say that there is mystery in Frankie's boyfriend's murder.  And I did not see it coming.  

I really flew through this one.  Read most of it in one sitting and only put it down because I had to!

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.