Series Review: Hawthorne Prep by Jennifer Sucevic

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for King of Hawthorne Prep (from Goodreads):

Welcome to the world of Hawthorne Prep. A seemingly idyllic school where ivy clings to the thick stone walls and a wrought iron gate keeps out the townies who can’t afford to foot the hefty price tag.

A couple of months ago, the idea of being ripped away from my life in Chicago and plunked down in the middle of nowheresville, Wisconsin was unimaginable. Laughable, even. And yet, here I am, forced to wear a short plaid skirt and navy blazer to school every day. The only silver lining is the brand spanking new G-wagon parked in the weathered brick drive. All I have to do is make it through senior year and then I’m off to college.

Shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Wrong.
In a school like this, flying under the radar is impossible.

There’s a king who presides over the kingdom and he’s set on forcing me to my knees so I can kiss the crown. Unbeknownst to me, being a Hawthorne in this town comes with a price and he’s going to make damn sure I pay what’s owed.

*King of Hawthorne Prep is a mature bully romance intended for audiences over the age of 18*

Author: Jennifer Sucevic
Series: Hawthorne Prep
# of Books: 4 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological (#1+2; #3+4) + Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, High School Bully, Contemporary, Romance, Dark
Heat Rating: Hot | Kink: mild | BDSM: light
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: May 2020 – February 2023
Source & Format: KoboPlus–eBook

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I love a good enemies to lovers romance but I’ve never been overly convinced of the “high school bully” genre. I’ve read some that start off great but they cross this line of taking things too far or being far too melodramatic for my tastes. But, it’s been awhile since I’ve read a book with that trope and when I saw this series on KoboPlus, I thought it was worth a try.

The Reading Order:

This series consists of 2 duets that focus on a pair of romantic leads each. Queen of Hawthorne Prep (#2) is the sequel to King of Hawthorne Prep (#1) and wraps up that story. Prince of Hawthorne Prep (#3) starts a new duet and Princess of Hawthorne Prep (#4) is its sequel.

The Plot:

For sure, this series was one of the better high school bully novels I’ve read. I liked that this wasn’t as melodramatic as some are in this niché genre. There is drama but nothing crazy or sadistic (though #3 and #4 almost crossed that line for me) — just enough to drive the story forward. But I did crave a slightly deeper plotline at times. The sequels often had a more complex plot and that helped the characters grow, but you could tell the first book in each duet was focused more on the romance.

The Characters:

While I think there could have been more character development overall, I do think all the characters were layered enough to make them have some dimension.

The Romance:

I really loved the chemistry and tension between our leads. The constant push and pull was addicting to watch. And I could see the connection between them as well. But there are some scenes with dubious consent in (#1-2) so I would advise that you stay away from this series if that bothers you.

Series Rating: 4/5

King of Hawthorne Prep 3.5/5 | Queen of Hawthorne Prep 4/5 | Prince of Hawthorne Prep 4/5 | Princess of Hawthorne Prep 4/5

By far one of the better high school bully New Adult reads I’ve encountered! I found the tension between our leads to be addicting and the plot was well-rounded for the most part. I’m actually hoping that there will be another 2 books in this series focusing on 2 other characters we met.

Read if You Like: high school bully romances
Avoid if You: dislike dubious consent