The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

Do not get between a princess and her tiara. Natalie Hargrove is a goal-oriented person and she has her sights set on Palmetto Princess. As a senior at Palmetto High in South Carolina, she can be voted on by her classmates to receive this distinguished title. It's what she has been planning on ever since she started dating one of the town's royalty, Mike King. Three years into their relationship, their time has finally come.

Lamentably, Mike is not nearly as worried about his title as his girlfriend. He's not really concerned at all about Justin Balmer (J.B.), but Natalie can't even stand the thought of Mike losing his crown; especially not to someone like J.B. Their history is a secret that Natalie wants desperately to forget, just like a lot of her past.

So in her attempt to guarantee Mike's crown, Natalie convinces Mike to help her play a harmless prank on dear J.B. After a double keg stand at a packed Mardi Gras party, J.B. is blitzed out of his mind and prime for the advantage-taking duo. They take the cross-dressed J.B. to the church for the world to see when they arrive the next morning. What the early morning church-goers observe the next day though is not what was originally planned.

Now trying to hide their involvement in J.B.'s death, Mike and Natalie begin a downward spiral that can only result in a crash. Who will be left standing to view the fallout?

I was hesitant to read this one, as I was not fond of her other novel Fallen. Let me assure you, it was well worth the try. I was hooked from the very beginning and didn't want the roller coaster ride to end. This book was like Dawson's Creek meets a Lifetime made-for-tv-movie. The situations and responses of the characters were spot on for what it really can be like in a competitive high school. Having the book set in Dixieland just helped the storyline along as it provided a perfect backdrop for the larger theme of the "haves versus the have-nots." A truly mesmerizing read, despite the catty nature of the main character. The ending is one that truly surprises and is impeccable. Fantastic!