REVIEW: Look What You Made Me Do by Amy Andrews

In Look What You Made Me Do by Amy Andrews, Ella Lucas and Jake Prince had grown up together, neither of which had fit in because of their parents’ occupations and behaviors. After spending one night together after the death of Ella’s mother, the pair parted ways, not expecting to run into each other a few years later in another town.

Ella is now a principal at a school that the district is threatening to shut down due to enrollment issues, and trying to raise her hostile teenage brother. Jake is now a former football star that owns a bar. When the boyfriend of Ella’s best friend suggests Ella starts a football team to encourage more enrollment, they recruit Jake to coach the team.

As they spend more time together, they realize the sparks between them are still there. But Jake’s hiding a secret as to why he was no longer playing football, and when it comes out and Ella’s past is revealed in the process, will everything they both worked hard for be for nothing?

I wanted to like this story, but I struggled with this one. I was left questioning some of Ella’s decision-making skills. For example, she hires Jake without once asking why he was no longer playing football or why he didn’t want his coaching at the school publicized. Perhaps if she had, some of the things that eventually happened could have been avoided. Ella is also very quick to rush to judgment and make assumptions about people, which leads to some trouble between not only her and Jake, but her and her brother, who already had a strained relationship.

I thought the story was going to be lighter than it was, but it deals with some heavy topics, such as View Spoiler »an attempted sexual assault, alcoholism, prostitution, whistleblowing, and what I considered to be verbal abuse of children by one of the other football coaches « Hide Spoiler. I didn’t feel it would be enough to trigger people, but if you are sensitive to these things, it’s something you may want to consider before reading this.

This book would be for readers who enjoy small town romances, high school crushes that turn into adult romances, and sports romances.

Book Info:

Publication: September 5, 2024 | Boldwood Books |

Headteacher Ella Lucas and football star Jake Prince have a very complicated history! Their mind-blowing encounter two years ago is proving impossible to forget now Jake is back, in her small town after being kicked out of the NFL.

She knew he was trouble then, but Ella has enough on her plate without having to worry about Jake Prince. Her school’s on the brink of closure, and she needs help. Then it dawns on her that maybe they can benefit each other – in more ways than one! Ella will help Jake to restore his disgraced reputation, if he can coach the football team to a winning streak. With nothing to lose, Jake reluctantly agrees….

As the school season heats up so does the inevitable chemistry between them. Far from being stuck in the past, the sparks between them are still there. And although he may look like her next mistake, Ella is determined that she will keep her hands off Mr Anti-hero even though she has an itch longing to be scratched. Because Ella’s has one golden rule: this is strictly business, they are never ever getting back together….