Author: Claire Kennedy
Publish Date: June 16th 2015
"Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn know that a job at the high-end Waterside Cafe isn't just about waiting tables. It's about the gossip, the hook-ups, the after-hours parties and, most of all, it's about Tips.
Tips--the high-stakes game based on dares. Whoever completes the most dares wins the collected money. A sum that could change a wasted summer into a Summer to Remember.
Isa is the new girl with an embarrassing secret, and as long as she stays on top of her game, she sees no reason why anyone could ever find out.
Xavi will do anything for the money...absolutely anything.
Peter, Xavi's stepbrother, has been in love with her for years, and he thinks the game is the perfect time to confess his feelings.
Finn is in the game just for the thrill. He has enough tips coming in to keep him happy...even if those tips come with some conditions.
From seduction to stealing to threats, the dares are a complete free-for-all, and only the best can win.
The sophisticated Waterside Cafe is anything but classy behind the scenes...and things are about to get dirty."
StoryLine: The premise of this book sounded intriguing, but I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It turned out to be a fun, quick, entertaining read. Chock full of secrets, drama, scandals, sketchy characters, and good old fashion dares, After Hours is a really easy book to get into, and to finish in one sitting. I found myself tearing through, trying to figure out everyone's secrets. And boy are there some good ones, a bit of criminal activity, a bit of forbidden love, a bit more criminal activity. If you're in the mood for some drama, this is definitely a good pick.
Characters: It's not hard to tell from the start that the owner of the restaurant is a bit of a sleaze. He hosts a game called Tips which is basically where the employees buy in and then one of them is dared to do something, and if they do, they win the pot. The dares could range from more innocent and fun, to dangerous, to down right illegal. All the employees are teenagers, and the boss always provides the alcohol, and a lot of times the dares are sexual, or have sexual undertones. So from the start, he kind of skeeved me out.
Isa seemed like a good girl at first, and I felt for her, but she ends of doing some really crappy things and she lost all my sympathy. Finn's got a big secret, and out of all of them, he has the most to lose if it got out. I really liked Finn, he was sweet, and easygoing, and I felt bad for the situation he was in. I also really liked Peter, who was also sweet and funny, and I was really rooting for him. Our last main character, Xavi, was probably my favorite. She was determined and spunky and sweet, and she persevered even as things continued to go downhill for her.
Parting Thoughts: I really enjoyed the fact that while this was an easy read, the characters all dealt with some serious issues. I actually cared about what happened to the characters, and I really wanted everything to work out.
2.5/5 Stars
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Claire Kennedy is a pen name for author Amanda K. Morgan. She is a freelance writer living in Nashville, TN. She covers events and works as a technical writer when she isn't working on her YA novels.
At age 15, Amanda finished her first novel and continued to write in college, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in English and an emphasis in Creative Writing.
Amanda is an avid volleyball player and spends time playing both indoors and out. When Amanda isn't writing, she enjoys being entirely too busy and trying new things. Endeavors as of late include appearances in music videos, TV, and movies, rock climbing, and attending as many concerts and shows as her schedule allows.
Amanda headed up the Do The Write Thing for Nashville Project (with co-organizers/authors Victoria Schwab and Myra McEntire), which tapped some of the biggest authors, editors, and agents in the industry for an online auction that raised over $70,000 for Midsouth flood relief.
Links:
Website
Blogspot
Goodreads
Google Plus
For more information on Amanda's freelance or technical writing, contact her.
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Hey! I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for a special blogger award!! Here is the link to my post so you can get started! lol it's not spam I promise! :) Have a great day. http://bookishrealmreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/beautiful-bloggers-award.html
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