Review: After Hours by Claire Kennedy

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.

Kindle Edition, 256 pages

Expected publication: June 16th 2015 by Simon Pulse 

Genre: Young Adult

Kristine's Thoughts:

**I receveived an advanced readers copy from Simon Pulse via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

When I read the synopsis I thought that this story would be filled with exciting adventures and dares from the restaurants game of "Tips". I thought that the plot would revolve around this game and that it would be a cute YA story about summer fun. That was not the case at all. Yes there was the game, but it didn't seem to be the central focus and the dares were really quite lame.

Instead the story seemed to be about four dysfunctional teenage kids with all kinds of problems and their creepy boss. It goes back and forth between the teenager's point of view to tell the story. Most times I am a huge fan of multiple points of view because you get to understand all sides but it seemed to have the opposite affect with this story. I felt like I never really got to know any of the characters well enough to care about their story or outcome. It felt busy and chaotic and just a tiny bit sloppy.

In short, I wasn't a fan of most of the characters, the plot was all over the place and I couldn't quite put my finger on who the target audience would be. Was it a romance? Was it a mystery? I'm not sure but what I can say for sure is that it was awkward.

About the Author

Claire Kennedy lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is hard at work on her next novel.