Off The Record (ARC)

⭐⭐⭐.5

Release Date: December 9, 2021

Genre: 

Blurb:

New place, new everything.

But at least mom's happy.

The only way I can describe Noelle Halstead is personified sunshine.

From the moment I saw her, I've been desperate to know her. 

I just need to figure out how to get a girl like that to see me. 

She's way out of my league. 

New year, same responsibilities. 

My plate is overflowing and it's only just begun. 

I can barely keep up, and I'd finding myself distracted. 

The new kid? His face is always in my head.  

His pictures are breathtaking. 

The way he plays guitar is enchanting. 

I need to find the time to know him.

Review:

Thank you to P. Roper and Peachy Keen PR for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Noelle and Caleb were great characters and Off The Record was a really cute read. The book is set at a type of boarding school during the senior year of high school. As an extra curricular activity, Caleb joins the paper as the photographer where he will be working with Noelle, the busy editor. 

"The only way I can describe Noelle Halstead is personified sunshine."

Since there are no parents to really check in on them, the lives of these high schoolers are vastly different. They're rich, on their own and very sexually active. It was crazy to read about three girlfriends watching porn together as if it's a normal Tuesday night event. There were teenagers having sex with others in the same room as their roommate and just acting older than their age in general. 

With that being said, there is a genuine care for one another and chemistry between the two main characters. While there is an immediate attraction, it's a slow burn to act on those feelings. I loved the bond they share and the sweet way they were with one another. 

In a couple of the chapters, I was a little thrown by the jump/transition and it made parts a little awkward. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a high school romance. The next book in the series will follow Caleb and Noelle's friends and I'm interested to read their story.