Loner: A frenemies-to-lovers boarding school romance (The Boys of Welles Book 1)

This was a heartbreaking story about how shared trauma can bring people together as well as tear them apart.When Theo and Lily started talking neither of them could deny that undeniable pull toward each other. Unfortunately, when Lily gets in the car with Theo’s sister and their two other friends, everything changes. Upon returning to school for their senior year, Theo wants to hate Lily and blame her for the tragedy of that night, but how can he when he is undeniably pulled to her.This was a slow-burn love story that came from tragedy. It was a good book and you will fall in love with these characters as they learn to live a new normal.

Settling in to read a frenemies-to-lovers romance always puts a smile on my face. That fine line between love and hate along with the struggle of holding onto past hurts is a storyline that has me hooked from the beginning.If you’re a Ginger Scott fan then you’ll be familiar with her complex characters and layered storylines. And if you’re new to Scott’s writing, then you’re in for a treat. Scott doesn’t dabble in cliched miscommunication between characters, but gives them very real and developed narratives that keeps giving until the last pages.‘Loner’ is the first novel in the ‘Boys of Welles Series’ and a fabulous start to this YA series. Written in the dual POV, Theo Rothschild and Lily Beachem share a very recent and heart-breaking history. Just as their friendship was on the cusp of becoming something more beautiful, Theo’s sister, Anika, and Lily are involved in a car accident and Anika is tragically killed. Now Theo and Lily must build futures knowing that life is too precious not to live for, despite the difficult path forward when you’re healing from loss. It will take nothing less that true friendship and love to forge through the pain and grab every opportunity life has to offer.

I agonized over how to rate this story.While I loved Theo and Lily together—their journey through their shared grief, the bond they built, their obvious chemistry—it was quite light on the romance aspect. I mean, it was there in small (but very intense) instances, it just wasn't the main focus of the book.I'm not saying the book wasn't good.It was amazing. Spectacular even.It delved into deep topics (there will be triggers for some readers) and really captured the way grief can affect people differently.The way that trauma can change you, change your relationships, your mindset, and your confidence.I really enjoyed getting to meet this group of students, finding out how they all meshed together and seeing how the different relationships worked. And, although it was emotionally heavy, I adored seeing the way that Theo and Lily worked out their issues and found a way to be together.The ending was really sweet. A perfect tribute to Anika, it made me smile.

I loved the story. I adored the fact there was no stupid third act break up. The topics were hard but they were touched in a respectful way. Theo and Lily were so freaking cute once they got together. Their friends were awesome and the relationships in the book were very well formed.The only thing missing was an explanation as to why Lily couldn't save Anika. They never really said how everything happens and why she could save her other friends, but not her. Was it because she was already dead? She decided to save the others first? I never really understood.

Story was drawn out and there were a fair amount of gaps in the details. Most books would actually include the event that set up the storyline. Not this one, only tells parts of it using conversations between the individuals or inner dialogue. We don’t get a full telling of the evening that set off the conflict, just a rehash of parts. The characters were better off staying written as YA, but the little bit of steam in the book felt way older. It didn’t fit with the rest of the tone of the book. It was an ok read with some grammatical errors, but felt like the plot and style wasn’t sure what it wanted to be. I kept thinking of Hogwarts in the way the school was described -5th years and prefects lol. They even had a secret room.

You can't go wrong with Ginger Scott's books and this one wasn't the exception.Loner is about grief, love, finding yourself even when the world is against you and overcoming the obstacles life throughs at your way.I loved Theo and Lily's journey. Navigating the lost of someone you love is not easy. It never gets easy, but you learn to live with that absence when you have the correct people at your side.When you are younger it becomes more difficult to understand why things happen the way they happen and that's what both, Lily and Theo need to figure out in this story.I felt their pain and their love deeply and I can just thank this author's writing. She was capable of capturing all those feelings in a very beautiful way.I wish I can give this story more than 5 stars because they are well deserved.Totally recommend this book and I can't wait to read the next one in the series 🤗

Trauma, drama, grief, and peace.Love, healing, friendship, loss, and rediscovering... this book has it all.Theo and Lily, yeah! But also Brooklyn and Morgan, and Cameron, and James! These characters... 👌 thank you, Mrs. Scott.

Ginger Scott writes some of the best coming of age romances. I enjoyed the book but, for me, it lacked the depth of her other books I love.