Bryant Rockwell Series

“Oh, this gave me all the feels! New Kid in Town gave such a convincing depiction of mercurial teenage relationships and that dreadful sense of hope and fear combined around transforming friendships into relationships when you don’t quite dare take the plunge in case your feelings aren’t reciprocated. The characters were treasures, both individually and I loved their bantering relationships. This was an awful lot like being a teenager again! Ms. Gray’s writing is crisp and clean, creating an absorbing world with memorable characters and an action-packed plot.”

Katy Haye, Author of the Clockwork War series

Liv, Jude and Kat are greater than the sum of their parts. Separately they are Brainy, Sporty and Arty. Together they are invincible. Until Drop-Dead-Gorgeous Ray wheels up.
The intravenous chocolate, hatred of sports and loss of her partner-in-crime have taken their toll on Liv, leaving her flabby, unfit and best-friendless. Add in a wicked tongue, lack of boyfriend, and a mortal enemy determined to destroy her, and you’re pretty much up-to-speed.
Liv’s life isn’t a complete pity party: Jude, sporting superstar, and Irish songbird, Kat, have her back. And her front, when it’s not bursting out of a blouse two sizes too small. As they prepare for the school show and looming exams, Ray explodes on the scene, taking no prisoners.
Every girl wants a piece of the new boy in town, but wheelchair-bound Ray chooses Liv’s group with devastating results. He trades insults with Liv, lusts after Jude in her ice skating dress, and upstages Kat when he hams up Shakespeare in their English class.
As his presence threatens the life-long friendship, Liv becomes convinced he hides a dark secret.

“Just like the first book, there’s a lot more to this YA story than the usual teen angst and whininess (I’d almost gone off YA because of the prevalence of that crap) and there’s a healthy dose of humor as well (which makes my day). The villain is someone everyone will recognize from their high school days and the comeuppance she gets made me wish I had a time machine and could plan the same for my high school nemesis!“

Andrea Domanski, Author

Liv’s a snarky chocoholic, Luke’s an angry bad-boy. Who better to take Dirty Diana down a peg or two? She totally has it coming.
Liv battles with treadmills and taste-defying crispbreads to get in shape; it’s just a shame her pithy comments don’t burn calories. But her barbed wit is never intended to wound, unlike the real Queen B. Whose jealousy knows no bounds when Liv lands a leading role in the school play and the attention of more than one keen suitor.
After being in trouble with the law, Luke’s life is finally getting back on track as Jude, the girl he’s loved for years, finally notices him. The audacious plan to infiltrate the enemy camp starts with him pretending to beat the living daylights out of the wimp who allegedly fancies him. Playing the tough guy comes easy, but he’s no gay-basher. Unfortunately, Jude thinks so and he’s in danger of losing her before their first date. With the enforced isolation taking its toll, Luke wonders if Jude will ever forgive him for his apparent betrayal.
As the mission plays out, Liv struggles to figure who are the heroes and villains in her life. Her survival depends on making the right choices.

“Jacky Gray writes with heart and fond memories—or deeply etched burrs—of her teenage years. This story pulls the reader back into that time and those roller-coaster feelings. This story features Jude, the skater, the thinker, the sleuth extraordinaire who displays true sportsmanship. Luke, Ray, Liv, and the others are still there, her friends and supporters. I highly recommend this story not only to teens but also to parents who love their teenagers.“

CB, Amazon Reader

Why are boys like buses? None for years, then three turn up at once. Like a game show contestant, Liv has to choose between them.
Terry seems shy and afraid, but on the stage or on ice skates he morphs into a virile, leading man. But is he man enough to cope with Liv’s dynamic personality and ever-present snark?
Nothing could be more romantic than a rose and sonnet from a secret admirer, and the Shakespeare-quoting, super-smooth waiter seems the obvious candidate. But Liv discovers the charming James hides a shady past. Danger and excitement lurk behind this door as her infatuation turns to suspicion.
Drop-dead-gorgeous Ray ticks most of Liv’s boxes. His wheelchair might stop him from doing the Argentine Tango, but so far no boy will indulge her passion for dancing. The universe conspires to keep him away from her; why else would she black out each time he kisses her?
Trouble is, she can’t ask the audience and, when she phones a friend, he tells her things she really doesn’t want to hear. The prize in this contest? Her sanity, her memory and her heart.

“I got so involved with the characters I wanted to jump into the book and have a go at Jude’s dad! How could he not realize the damage he was doing to his daughters self-esteem and their relationship? The complications and obstacles placed on Jude because of her father’s attitude broke my heart. She pushed even her closest friends away to keep them innocent of the lies and manipulations that Jude felt necessary to be able to attend the most important event in her life.“

E, Amazon Readerr

Jude’s a girl on a mission. To win a medal at the national skating competition. But she hadn’t reckoned on the price she would have to pay.
Her Christmas is charmed: One minute she’s singing backing vocals for Purple Tarantula, the next she’s getting up close and personal with muscle-bound Luke at a magical party. But the New Year goes downhill swiftly when she misses an important exam and her dad refuses to drive her to the competition.
Blinded by sporting ambition, Jude alienates her friends, impersonating number one class geek while she hatches her escape plan. Ultimately, she has no choice but to catch the train to Coventry on her own – not her brightest idea. She hadn’t bargained on being alone in a big city at night … what she really needs is a knight in shining armour.
In this fraught adventure, Jude discovers things she never knew about herself, but the biggest lesson of all is the lengths people will go to in order to win.

“A unique and unusual behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in singing competitions. Many of the expected elements were there: I cheered along for the underdog, booed the bitchy popular kids and thrilled as the geeky misfits turned the tables. But having the whole thing wrapped up in mystery really ticked my boxes – I followed every clue, but still didn’t see the final twist. So cool.“

FD, Amazon Reader

Kat’s just a girl who can’t say no. Taking on the Teen Factor competition nearly breaks her, but there’s way more going on than just vote fixing
Everyone wants a piece of Kat – she’s the go-to girl for anything artsy, from backing vocals for a rock band or fabulous artwork for the Valentine’s disco, to heartfelt, tear-jerking performances. She cannot refuse, whether it’s her boyfriend, Liam, her family, or the teachers at her high school.
All her instincts scream “no” when she’s guilt-tripped into competing in a singing contest. The boot-camp is full of bullies, but she finds allies among the misfits. When the combined pressures get too much, something has to give, but the sleazy Teen Factor organiser threatens Liam’s band if she doesn’t cooperate. She never trusted the guy from the start, but then she discovers something sinister about the whole set-up.
Kat glimpses the potential danger from a ruthless, underground organisation. Does she have the courage to continue her risky investigation?

“Sometimes faking it until you make it is the only way to go. Ray has no clue that he is stepping all over everyone in his efforts to succeed. Watching your friends on the brink of self-destruction is hard. This clever tale takes the reader on a journey to find one’s self and encourages one to support their friends through challenging times. May we all be so blessed to have such good friends to help us through our not so stellar moments. A great finish to a wonderful series.”

SR, Amazon Reader

Ray had it all: looks, brains and athletic prowess. Arrogance, much? Two car crashes later he’s minus his mum, his uncle and his legs.
Trapping a young, active body in a wheelchair is no fun for any teen, let alone a potential Olympian. A fresh start at a new school does a grand job of teaching him humility and the value of friendship. He works hard to win the respect and affection of the lovely Liv despite fierce competition.
After a happy accident, he regains his independence with an unfortunate side effect – the arrogance is back. And one of Liv’s suitors is sniffing around, stirring old insecurities. In his quest to reach his previous level of fitness and defeat his rival, Ray’s in danger of losing it all again.
With the pedal pressed firmly to the metal, it will take something catastrophic to stop Ray’s spiral into self-destruction.