Call It What You Want

By Brigid Kemmerer

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From the author of the New York Times bestselling Cursebreaker series comes an emotionally complex, romantic story about two teens struggling to unpick the grey area between right and wrong, perfect for fans of John Green and Jennifer Niven
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Rob had it all – friends, a near-guaranteed lacrosse scholarship to college and an amazing family – but all that changed when his dad was caught embezzling funds from half the town. Now he's a social pariah.

Maegan always does the right thing. But when her sister comes home from college pregnant, she's caught between telling their parents the truth about the father and keeping her sister's trust.

When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a project, they form an unexpectedly deep connection. But Rob's plan to fix his father's damage could ruin more than their new friendship …

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jun 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781526605337

Brigid Kemmerer

Brigid Kemmerer is the author of the New York Times bestseller Defy the Night, the New York Times bestselling Cursebreaker series, which includes A Curse So Dark and Lonely, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, and A Vow So Bold and Deadly, and Forging Silver into Stars. She has also written the contemporary young adult romances Call It What You Want, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost, as well as paranormal young adult stories, including the Elemental series and Thicker Than Water. A full-time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her family. www.brigidkemmerer.com @BrigidKemmerer

Reviews for Call It What You Want

[akshaygrg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very sweet, light read. You can pick it up after a hard day at work and unwind. I love how the protagonists, Rob and Maegan were woven; both living a guilt laden tough life until they find solace in each other. Overall a great book! I just added Brigid Kemmerer to my list of must read authors :)

[simplykelina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have enjoyed previous Brigid Kemmerer books, but I never fell in love with them. Until now! I went into this one not expecting much and ended up really loving it.This story deals with so many serious issues. Be aware there are triggers for infidelity, suicide, cheating scandals, lost friendships, forgiveness, pregnancy issues, and more. I think some books throw in so many issues that they are lost or just overwhelming within the story. Even with everything that is tackled within this story, I never felt like that. The author did a great job intertwining them all and making them all work together. Overall, I really enjoyed this one!

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an excellent, readable, angst-filled YA contemporary story about two kids who are both dealing with trauma.Rob has become a social pariah at his high school since his father was arrested for embezzling millions of dollars from the people he was supposed be investing money for. If that wasn't enough, a failed suicide attempt has left him brain-damaged and helpless with only his wife and son to take care of him. He doesn't have any friends since his childhood best friend Connor has dropped him. Of course, Connor is also the son of his parents' friends and Connor's father is the one who turned Rob's father in.Maegan was an A-student taking all sorts of AP classes when a moment of pressure caused her to cheat on the SATs which ended up invalidating the scores of all the people who took the exam with her. Now she has the reputation of being a cheat following her around. When her older sister comes home from Duke pregnant and not willing to name the father to their parents and not knowing what she is going to do, the pressure gets even greater. Her sister has shared her secrets with Maegan but swore her not to tell their parents. Then the Calculus teacher decides to pair up Rob and Maegan for a class project and the two get to know each other. And Rob gets to know Owen who is a poor kid whose mother got taken in by his dad's schemes. And Maegan has a falling out with her best friend Rachel and Rachel's boyfriend Drew. It seems like every page is filled with drama and moral dilemmas in this page-turning story. Fans of emotional drama will adore this one.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am a big fan of Brigid Kemmerer; she can certainly write a novel that pulls at the heart strings. Maegan and Rob are both broken teens from difunctional families trying to get through school after two scandals ruin their lives. They have made mistakes and struggle with inner conflicts and moral choices, and both are incredibly lonely until they find each other.Rob broke my heart. His story was tragic yet it didn't ruin his innate goodness or chivalry. I hated how he was judged and blamed for his father's choices and went from one of the most popular guys at school to a social pariah because of it. Also, he wasn't afraid to cry, he loved books and had a wonderful relationship with his mother. What more would you want in a boy?Maegan, a policeman's daughter and an overachiever, was harder to like. She thought she had it tough, but compared to Rob her family life was a breeze. However, she did win me over with the way she supported Rob and her older sister, Samantha.The novel contained some terrific secondary characters including Owen (another social outcast who befriends Rob) and the school librarian, Mr London. Both were very supportive of Rob and I enjoyed seeing how Rob learnt to trust them. I also liked Samantha who, despite being incredibly selfish, was facing some tough choices of her own."Call It What You Want" shows how the choices we make can have a ripple effect but they should not define who we are. The novel also deals with some big issues including family dynamics, attempted suicide and the question of right and wrong. Overall, a thought-provoking, coming-of-age read.

[nibbles_243 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really sweet read with some tough lessons learned. Things are never what they appear to be. Someone might look like they have the perfect house, family life but behind closed doors can lie some secrets very few know anything about. The stuff you do to make sure your kid(s) are safe can also hurt a lot of things as well.