Review: Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

Diplomatic Immunity

Author: Brodi Ashton

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Release date: 6^th September 2016

Pages: 368

Genre: Young Adult

Synopsis (Goodreads)

Aspiring reporter Piper Baird decides to write a scathing exposé on the overprivileged students at an elite Washington, DC, school, only for her life to change when she begins to fall for the story's main subject, in this new realistic contemporary romance from Brodi Ashton, the author of the Everneath trilogy.

Raucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity...it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.

Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.

Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program—and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.

The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

I’m still unsure how I completely feel about this book, I fell for the interesting synopsis but there were aspects in it that I didn’t fully connect with at all.

Our MC is Piper Baird who has earned a scholarship to the exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington with an opportunity to compete for the Bennington journalism prize which will ensure her receiving an offer to one of the best schools in the country. She is willing to do anything it takes to win, including writing a piece exposing her wealthy classmates.

Piper is a character that needs to grow on you, she is a little too self-absorbed yet focused, passionate and driven but also blind to the fact that she’d be hurting others, especially Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador and the boy at the centre of the scandals.

Rafael was an interesting character, I quite liked him but I couldn’t work out his motivations when it came to Piper. He was smart, intelligent and funny and I enjoyed getting to know him.

One of the main things that I didn’t like in this book were the stereotypes, rich kids versus the poor and of course the diplomatic immunity in which the privileged were exempt from certain laws. You could tell from the onset the dramas that would arise from Pipers investigations, I honestly couldn’t see how things would work out in her favour.

There is a small amount of romance, it certainly wasn’t at the forefront of the story and for me it wasn’t believable, it felt forced and they weren’t a couple I completely loved together.

This book was well written and kept me interested but I didn’t completely love it, that may be because of the MC or me wanting more from the storyline overall.

Thank you to Balzer and Bray via Edelweiss for the opportunity to read Diplomatic Immunity.