Although it may sound slightly contradictory, this book was somehow way too smutty and way too sappy all at the same time. The result e|| 2.0 stars ||
Although it may sound slightly contradictory, this book was somehow way too smutty and way too sappy all at the same time. The result ended up being pretty boring and far from engaging.
I’m pretty disappointed. I was honestly looking forward to reading this one quite a lot, and it did not live up to my expectations. May|| 2.5 stars ||
I’m pretty disappointed. I was honestly looking forward to reading this one quite a lot, and it did not live up to my expectations. Maybe it’s partly my fault for having hyped it up in my head so much, but I think that even regardless of that, I would not have enjoyed this book all that much.
First of all, I want to point out that I really did like the idea and premise of this story. It’s a second-chance romance about two boys who fell in love when they were 18, but because one of them was unable to come out and constantly wanted to be in hiding, they broke up after a few years of being together. The pain and misery became too much, but they never stopped loving each other. Now, it’s six years later, and Remy and Lawson reunite again. There are hurt feelings there, but also a lot of unresolved feelings and everlasting love. After dancing around each other for a bit, they eventually get together again, try to work through their issues and become happy once more.
I think one of my main issues with this story was that it all felt a lot like telling rather than showing. Remy and Lawson constantly talk about how much they love each other and how deep their bond is, but in reality I didn’t really see it. Even before their break-up I saw a lot of resentment and bitterness in their relationship, and after they reunited they were kind of just awkward together. There was a constant string of love declarations, but aside from that, they didn’t really do anything together. I have no idea how they truly interact with one another or what makes them feel like they are so perfect for each other. I mean, Lawson only ever talked about Remy’s creativity and stuff like that, while Remy just seemed to be happy to have someone who wanted him deeply for the “real” him. I honestly didn’t really see what made them work well together; it seemed that all that tied them together was the sex and the idea of how much they loved each other. Anyway, maybe I’m being a bit negative about their situation, because I do believe they both truly loved each other, but I just personally didn’t really get to see that and thus, I wasn’t a big fan of them as a couple. I wasn’t as sympathetic towards their situation and hardships as I could have been had I felt more connected to them or their relationship. It just all fell a bit flat for me. And, in all honesty, I was often bored with it all. I was especially bored with all the sex scenes.
Regardless, my favourite part about this book was when Remy came out publicly. It was absolutely beautiful: I was honestly moved by his words, his strength and his underserved misery. I wish I would have felt more emotions like this throughout the rest of the book, but this was really the only time it hit me.
This book was really quite beautiful. Although it could be heart-breaking at times, it also felt oddly peaceful and wholesome.
It felt || 4.5 stars ||
This book was really quite beautiful. Although it could be heart-breaking at times, it also felt oddly peaceful and wholesome.
It felt so right and euphoric to see two people who have had such devastating misfortunes in life find someone who was just absolutely perfect for them. Someone who cared about them so much, and saw them for the person they truly were inside. It was an exemplary case of the hurt/comfort trope.
Seeing Nolan and Dallas quietly support each other and heal with each other was so heart-warming. Nolan truly listened to Dallas even though he couldn't speak, and it was obvious how much that meant to Dallas.
Seeing them find their homey and undisturbed happily ever after, taking care of all the hurt animals in their sanctuary, was very soothing and uplifting. They got through so much pain and betrayal, to eventually find happiness with each other and have most of their dreams come true.
This book left me with a really warm feeling.
'Pelican Bay' series: 1. Locked in Silence - 4.5 stars 2. Sanctuary Found - 3.0 stars...more
This book has a ton of pining and a sexual awakening for one of the main characters. It’s pretty smutty, and there’s not much of an act|| 3.0 stars ||
This book has a ton of pining and a sexual awakening for one of the main characters. It’s pretty smutty, and there’s not much of an actual plot.
This was fucked. I hadn’t been this wound up about someone in—well, ever. And the first time it decided to happen was with a straight guy? Isn’t that just fantastic.
The two main guys have plenty of chemistry and tension between them. Unfortunately, their entire ‘connection’ was based on lust, and almost all of their interactions were sex-oriented. The relationship definitely could have used more depth and actual love.
Viper being obsessed with Halo and him thinking Halo was like a perfect angel, was definitely my favourite part of the book.
This book is more than just a romance. Instead, I think it's also a very interesting story about manipulation, oppression and destructi|| 4.0 stars ||
This book is more than just a romance. Instead, I think it's also a very interesting story about manipulation, oppression and destruction in the music industry. This angle is worked out surprisingly well and really had quite the emotional punch.
The reason it worked so well is because all the characters are truly developed and given unique personalities. I not only felt for the main characters, Zach and Ruben, I also felt everything along with Angel and Jon: I was outraged on their behalf, and was really hoping for the best outcomes when it came to their career and, most importantly, their well-being.
I do have to say that the ending slightly disappointed and felt lacklustre in that sense, as it's really more of a HFN than a HEA. Nothing is really wrapped up and everything is sort of still left in the open. I was hoping for the ending to be a little bit more satisfying in that regard.
I think the actual romance in this could have also been a little bit more developed. It began really strong; there was tension, there was true friendship, there was pining, there was understanding and respect. However, once Zach and Ruben officially 'got together', I felt like there was no longer much detail or attention to how they interacted with each other. It became a bit bland, which I thought was such a shame, and could have been done a lot better.
Nonetheless, I was truly invested in this novel and all four of these characters. The friendship dynamics, the family situations, the music industry's abuse, the romantic relationship, the emotional distress; it all left me with a lot of feelings. These feelings ranged from sadness, anger and happiness: it was very diverse, and not at all flat or monotonous.
Long story short, this book isn't the best if you're only looking for a romance, but if you're looking for an interesting and angsty plot with well-rounded characters, I think you're in the right place....more
Well then.. I must say that this was definitely a bit anticlimactic. This novella started out really freaking great, but sadly went rel|| 3.0 stars ||
Well then.. I must say that this was definitely a bit anticlimactic. This novella started out really freaking great, but sadly went relentlessly downhill in one quick moment.
I'm a sucker for pining, and that is 100% what Thorne was doing when it came to Seb. I also really liked that Seb was entirely oblivious to this, and didn't yet reciprocate these feelings. He had quite simply never considered Thorne as an option before, because he thought Thorne was straight. And instead of being totally in love with a straight guy, he just thought they could be good friends and care for each other. I liked that, it felt believable and sweet. Unfortunately, this whole concept is ruined when Seb immediately jumps to the conclusion that he is in fact completely in love with Thorne and has been for all this time. It would have been so much better if his feelings could have grown over time, letting the tension rise between them, etc etc. But noooo, that wasn't meant to be. Seb jumped in head over heels, and it was disappointing to say the least.
The reason I still wanted to rate this three stars is because I did really like the beginning, and just because it went downhill after that, doesn't mean it suddenly did not bring me a whole bunch of enjoyment at the start. And, also, the pining. Thorne pining for Seb was my favourite thing, and it pretty much stayed around for the entire novella. I just love pining so much. Sorry not sorry.
Awww, this was so sweet! I did not expect that at all. I was hoping it’d be an okay read, but I definitely didn’t expect to like this n|| 4.0 stars ||
Awww, this was so sweet! I did not expect that at all. I was hoping it’d be an okay read, but I definitely didn’t expect to like this novella as much as I did. In fact, I wish this wasn’t a novella at all, but rather a full-length novel. I could have spent plenty more hours with this story and these characters.
Locke and Cash fell in love when they were 17 years old, but had to break up when Locke went to college while Cash went to L.A. to make it big in the music industry. Now, at 28, they finally meet again, and it was everything you want from a second-chance romance. Cash had been pining for Locke all this time, and I swear, this man is truly desperately IN LOVE with Locke. He seems to adore the ground he walks on and wants nothing more than to be with him. You can’t tell me that that is not absolutely adorable, because it is. These two also have great chemistry and banter together. They just felt natural as a couple. Oh, and there were some pretty hot scenes between them as well, which I wasn’t complaining about.
Of course, there aren’t ever any highly emotional moments and every conflict is resolved entirely too fast, but seeing how short this story was, I think it did the best it could and it did it well. The content was absolutely great, and for a novella it’s honestly about as good as it can be. It's just that I'm personally more of a fan of longer stories that can truly suck you in and keep you there. Therefore, I definitely wish Locke and Cash got more time. I just know they could have completely knocked it out of the park then.
Nahhh, I'm sorry, but this book just wasn't it. I'm a bit disappointed, actually. I was really expecting it to be better than this.
Righ|| 2.5 stars ||
Nahhh, I'm sorry, but this book just wasn't it. I'm a bit disappointed, actually. I was really expecting it to be better than this.
Right off the bat, I just did not like how Jordan was constantly comparing Blake to his past hook-ups, and how he was constantly thinking that Blake was basically no different from them. This whole thing would have maybe been fine if we eventually at least got to understand why Blake was in fact different on a deeper level, but it really ended up feeling like the only reason Blake was "different" was because he didn't leave Jordan and wanted to stick it out. It literally might have well been any other guy, as long as that guy didn't leave. I mean.... No, thank you. That's not very romantic. There just wasn't a deeper connection between Blake and Jordan. At first that wasn't too bothersome, because, after all, nobody has that connection instantly, but it also never came later in the book, so that sucked.
Blake is a sweet guy, don't get me wrong, but his characters definitely fell a bit flat. There wasn't much about him that made him stick out, and I find it hard to describe him as anything other than a pretty nice guy. Jordan (who we already briefly met in the 'Fake Boyfriend' series with It's Complicated) was kind of sweet as well, but also super insecure, and sometimes it was a bit annoying, because honestly.. If you're that insecure about being with guys who labelled themselves as "straight" before you came along, then... WHY is that what you continue to go for??? Literally just get with someone who is already bisexual or gay, what is so hard about that? I genuinely couldn't feel sorry for Jordan's insecurities because of this, as I honest to God felt like he did it to himself. If it happens once: okay, sure, you don't pick who you fall in love with. Twice? Yea, of course, can happen. Three times? Hmm.. Maybe picking up on an unhealthy pattern.. But every single guy you have ever been with???? No, sorry, but that is on you.
There was also quite a bit of focus on the rest of the guys from Eleven in this story, and although I did like that, I do have to admit that I never quite found their friendship to be all that great. I'm not really picking up on a lot of love between them, and their banter also isn't that fun. This was honestly something that I found lacking throughout the entire series, not just with this final book. It's really too bad, because I think it could have been cool to play more with their band-dynamic in a fun and interesting way. Unfortunately, it just didn't really work out all that well.
Hmm, there were times I thought I really liked this book, and there were times I just wasn't feeling it at all. I think the reason for || 3.0 stars ||
Hmm, there were times I thought I really liked this book, and there were times I just wasn't feeling it at all. I think the reason for this is that the concept and premise is right up my alley, especially with the long-term friends having a fall-out after one of them has been in love with the other for like forever, buuuuuuut it sadly just wasn't executed all that well. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It's very.. average.
I also feel like these characters weren't super interesting or were developed all that properly. After all, there was plenty of angst and drama, and a lot of difficult situations they had to deal with, but.. I just didn't really care.. Oops. There were also a lot of sex scenes and that got incredibly boring incredibly fast. I did like how in love Denver was with Mason, and I am always a sucker for pining, so that was probably my favourite part of their story, but I don't think that's enough to create a truly good romance.
This series has really been giving me a different vibe and storyline every single book, which is interesting I guess, but I unfortunately think this one was my least favourite. The worst part about that is that this one definitely had the potential to be my favourite, but just did not live up to it, so yea... Sad. Here's to hoping the final book will be a true banger, because so far, all the other three books have been entertaining, but nothing special.
'Famous' series: 1. Pop Star - 3.5 stars 2. Spotlight - 3.0 stars 3. Fandom - 3.0 stars 4. Encore - 2.5 stars
I really liked the beginning of this book: the love-interests had good banter, chemistry and even some tension. It was also very slow-b|| 3.0 stars ||
I really liked the beginning of this book: the love-interests had good banter, chemistry and even some tension. It was also very slow-burn, which I appreciated. However, once Ryder and Lyric got together and started to give into their emotions, the story started to drag a little bit, get repetitive, and sadly, also seemed to have lost most of its spark.
I liked all of the characters in this book, but I didn't love any of them. They were okay, just not all that special or even super interesting. I did kind of love the little kid though; Kaylee was very cute, I can't deny that. I actually would have loved it if she was in more scenes, especially with her dad, Ryder.
The romantic relationship also wasn't all that great, and like I said, was more entertaining at the start than near the end. I believe Ryder and Lyric genuinely liked each other, and I do think they'd be good together, I just don't think we got to see much of them actually being a good couple. When they were together, they mostly just had sex, and most of the rest of their interactions happened off-page. That was a bit disappointing, and probably also the reason why I didn't like their vibe as much after they got together.
Weirdly enough, I thought the overall vibe of this book was very different from the first book, which is maybe kind of weird, since they both focus on people who used to be in the same boyband. Nonetheless, it's very different: Whereas the first book was more action-packed and had more of an actual plotline, this second book focuses more on the family-dynamic of a single-dad, his young daughter and their nanny/boyfriend. Both of these books focus on music though, so they do have that in common. However, the fact that these books are so different isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does make me wonder what the next book in the series will be like. I now feel like it could be anything. I'm curious, and I hope it'll be the best one yet, because although this series has been entertaining so far, nothing has really stood out for me.
'Famous' series: 1. Pop Star - 3.5 stars 2. Spotlight - 3.0 stars 3. Fandom - 3.0 stars 4. Encore - 2.5 stars
I was really debating on giving this 4 stars or not, but I eventually figured it just wouldn't be fair. Although I really enjoyed readi|| 3.5 stars ||
I was really debating on giving this 4 stars or not, but I eventually figured it just wouldn't be fair. Although I really enjoyed reading this novel, I think a lot of it had to do with me being in the right mood for it. After all, nothing about this book is particularly special, but it's just so.. fun and cute.
And I do really adore this author’s writing style. I already love so many of her books, and this series does not appear to be any different. After reading this, I can already tell I will probably read all of the other books in the 'Famous' series straight after, and I'm genuinely excited about it. Honestly though, this author seems to have a never-ending supply of sweet, fluffy and fun romance ideas. I do wish that her stories would sometimes have a little bit more drama and angst, as this novel once again had hardly any of that, but she does really rock the whole 'I am so in love with you, and we are literally soulmates' thing without it feeling like insta-love or being just flat out superficial. It always feels sweet and makes me smile.
With this particular book, Harley and Brix are each other’s love-interests, and they were a genuinely good fit together. Harley needs a guy like Brix, and Brix needs a guy like Harley. It works perfectly. However, I would have loved it if there was a little more tension or pining between them. Everything was pretty smooth-sailing and.. simple.
I was personally a bigger fan of Harley as I found him to be quite funny and sweet with his little quirks, but Brix was, of course, also a total sweetheart. He was just a little bit less developed as a character, which led me to feeling less connected to him. I liked both though, I just enjoyed Harley a lot more.
The setting of this story kind of has two sides to it. It has a music/pop star side (which will continue with Spotlight) and a bodyguard/secret military agency side (which will continue with Iris). Both of these sides were fun, and the mix of the two made sure that there was more variety in the story than there would have otherwise been. I do think I preferred the bodyguard side the most, and then especially the one concerning the stalker. Near the end, I was genuinely interested in finding out how the stalker was doing everything, and I was really into the whole 'who is the traitor? who can we trust?’ shtick; I actually wouldn't have minded if that was given a little bit more thought and attention throughout the story, but I guess this isn't really supposed to be a mystery or suspense book, so I'm already happy with what we did get.
Long story short, it was a fun book and I enjoyed it plenty.
'Famous' series: 1. Pop Star - 3.5 stars 2. Spotlight - 3.0 stars 3. Fandom - 3.0 stars 4. Encore - 2.5 stars
This is really excruciatingly difficult to say because I love these couples, but… this book was kind of boring to me.
Don’t get me wron|| 2.5 stars ||
This is really excruciatingly difficult to say because I love these couples, but… this book was kind of boring to me.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s always cute to see when characters all get their happily ever after in the long run, but I feel like we already got to see that in Hat Trick, but then paired with an amazing plot surrounding other things too. So now, this last book seems to be a bit pointless and not adding anything new.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy reading again from the perspectives of some of my favourite characters (*cough* *cough* I’m obviously talking about my love, Maddox), and focusing on these older couples once more, but I don’t know.. It’s a bit boring, because you know nothing is going to happen. There’s no tension, no twists and turns. It’s all rather straight-forward, because each couple gets only a short amount of time and everything obviously has to end on a happy note.
Anyway, speaking of these couples, I’ll describe in more detail what I thought of them all separately in this novel:
-Not much was different between Matt and Noah from how it was in Trick Play, which was already a dynamic I didn’t really love back then. I still cannot quite see their connection well and I’m not so sure they have such a good/healthy relationship even if they do claim to want to do everything for the other. Maybe Noah is giving a bit too much, no? He’s like obsessed with Matt, but I’m still not even sure why, since he is without a doubt the most bland character in this entire series. In the end, I’m just not really feeling what I’m supposed to be feeling from these two and I guess I have accepted that flatness.
-Now, Maddox and Damon. Ugh. My favs. It’s not strange that I still love these two the most considering their novel, Fake Out, was also my favourite book in the whole series. Maddox is still as lovable as he’s always been and he sure does crack me up. He gives off such good vibes, I can’t even really explain it. Pair him with a somewhat grumpy and serious guy like Damon, and you’ve got two people who bounce off of each other amazingly. We didn’t get to see that as much as I would have liked in this novel, but their spark was definitely still there and my love for them as a couple is strong as ever.
-When it comes to Lennon and Ollie I was actually kind of disappointed. I expected better from them. Their love wasn’t as palpable and neither was their chemistry. I had really enjoyed the tension between them in Deke, and I knew that wasn’t going to be here anymore because they’re supposed to be a stable couple now, but they didn’t appear to be that stable to me, which was disappointing in its own right. Long story short, I wasn’t feeling them together as much as I had in their own book, and I think they could have been presented better than they were. Wasted opportunity.
-Blindsided was one of the lesser books for me in this series, but that has never been because of Miller and Talon as a couple. I just thought their story wasn’t worked out all that properly, but their connection has always been apparent and I really like them together. This time around, it wasn’t much different. They are still obviously in love and they have great chemistry. The plot to their story was cute as it was centred around their wedding, but it’s more so the love they have for each other that makes it interesting. They’re both complete and utter goofballs, and their relationship seems very fun yet also strong and healthy.
-Jet and Soren’s little story was definitely my favourite in this novel. I loved seeing their relationship develop in Hat Trick, but this book made it apparent that their love still never wavers. Their dynamic is perhaps not the most conventional, but I love it so much. I never get tired of reading about how much Soren loves Jet or the other way around. They add so much to each other’s lives and I just adore them together. They were a great way to finish this entire series off.
I am definitely going to miss these couples, but I know it’s time for it to end. I loved reading these books and even if this last one wasn’t exactly necessary, I’m still glad I read it.
'Fake Boyfriend' series: 1. Fake Out - 5.0 stars 2. Trick Play - 3.5 stars 3. Deke - 4.0 stars 4. Blindsided - 3.5 stars 5. Hat Trick - 4.5 stars 6. Final Play - 2.5 stars
➛First read: August 2021 | ★4.5 stars ➛Second read: December 2022 | ★4.5 stars
Okay, what the hell? I did not expect this book to be this|| 4.5 stars ||
➛First read: August 2021 | ★4.5 stars ➛Second read: December 2022 | ★4.5 stars
Okay, what the hell? I did not expect this book to be this freaking good, but oh my, was I in for a pleasant surprise!
I knew I was going to love Jet from encountering him in previous books, but his epic love with Soren came totally unexpected. They were so cute together and I adored how much they were into each other. The way Soren kept fighting for Jet and how he desperately wanted to be with him had my heart flutter damn near uncontrollably. It was just so adorable. It wasn't all fluff though, because there was plenty of tension and drama in their story. Not everything went particularly smoothly, but it made for some pretty good moments with plenty of emotion. It had me interested from start to finish and I was extremely invested in the whole thing.
The humour in this was also really good, especially at the start during the whole Fiji vacation. Most of this is due to Jet's amazingly funny personality, but all the other characters bounce off of each other super well too.
I really loved how we got so much interactions with the characters from previous books. Their little found-family dubbed 'the gay brigade' is heart-warming and I always enjoy seeing these couples be together. Soren and Jet have taken a place as one of my favourites among them, but I seriously love every single one of them.
'Fake Boyfriend' series: 1. Fake Out - 5.0 stars 2. Trick Play - 3.5 stars 3. Deke - 4.0 stars 4. Blindsided - 3.5 stars 5. Hat Trick - 4.5 stars 6. Final Play - 2.5 stars
This book frustrated me to no end and I am convinced I would have strangled Ridge if I had the chance. I hated his self-entitlement and|| 4.0 stars ||
This book frustrated me to no end and I am convinced I would have strangled Ridge if I had the chance. I hated his self-entitlement and self-righteousness when it was him who was the asshole in the situation, no one else. I hated how weak Sydney was with him and how she jumped through hoops to defend everything he did. Unfortunately, all these feelings I got from this book are what makes it so good. This is reality. Life is filled with assholes who convince sweet and weak girls who are way too good to them to love them and settle for being 'the other woman'.
Other things that are sadly also far too real in this novel are the people around them like Warren, blaming Sydney instead of Ridge; getting angry at her for not moving out (instead of asking himself why the hell Ridge didn't ask her to move out) and when trying to apologise for it, saying stuff such as “I owe you an apology. I didn’t think you were good enough for him, Sydney. You are. You and Maggie both are.” EXCUSE ME? How about the fact that it’s Ridge who is not good enough for either of them. It was incredibly enraging to read shit like this, but once again, very real. Too real. Because somehow the girl always gets blamed when it’s really freaking unfair. Meanwhile, everyone jumped through hoops to excuse Ridge of any blame. Saying this, I have to admit, I might have been a little too happy when Warren started to see the error of his ways and finally put the blame on Ridge where it belonged. I know it’s a low bar, but it was at least something.
Oh btw, SPOILER, but Ridge turns out to be deaf. I wanted to mention that, because I found that to be quite a cool twist. Not only did I not expect it at all, it was also interesting to see the main love interest not being able to hear as it made for some different situations than usual.
The relationship with Ridge and Sydney was good, do not get me wrong, I can understand their mutual attraction and why they fell for each other. I don't even think Ridge was a bad person for falling for Sydney. He was a bad person, however, for his inability to own up to his own feelings and choices. He needed to take responsibility. And he never does. Both Maggie and Sydney deserved better.
In the end, I knew it was futile, but I kept holding out for Sydney to stand up for herself. The one time she pushed him away, I was hoping she would keep him out. Make him realise what he had lost by being a weak and rude prick, and never make him forget it. Of course, she doesn't. She gives in. The miracle in this, however, was that I kind of understood.. The hard part was over for them by then: they could be happy now. If she wanted him so badly all that time, why would she now draw the line, when she never did before? I don't think I would have made the same choices Sydney did, but I can understand it. And I do think they can and will be happy together by the end of it all. I suppose there is something to say for her not letting pride get in the way of that. Maybe.
Long story short, this novel really made me think, you know? And it really made me feel. Granted, a lot of those feelings were ones of pure frustration, but there were definitely feelings. It didn't leave me cold. And it weren't the characters that made me care either, because all of them were either smug bastards (e.g. Ridge) or weak saints (e.g. Sydney). It really was the story that made me care. The funny thing about that is that I'm not even sure if the way I interpreted the story was how Colleen Hoover intended it. Maybe she meant it as a heart-breaking romance about two people who couldn't be together because of things holding them back such as another girlfriend who also happens to be deathly ill. It doesn't really matter though, because the way I read this book definitely made me think highly of it and I don't know what I would have thought of it otherwise. So, I'll just stick with my interpretation of this book in which it is meant to be a portrayal of the realities of cheating....more
➛First read: July 2020 | ★5.0 stars ➛Second read: June 2021 | ★5.0 stars
I absolutely loved loved LOVED this book! I would go as far as s|| 5.0 stars ||
➛First read: July 2020 | ★5.0 stars ➛Second read: June 2021 | ★5.0 stars
I absolutely loved loved LOVED this book! I would go as far as saying that the first half was sheer perfection and I would not change a damn thing about it. Admittedly, the second half did start to drag a little bit. The ending, however, was incredible again and I was overall extremely satisfied and entertained by this book.
To be fair, how could I ever not love this book, though? It has the absolute best trope: the two main characters go from enemies-to-friends-to-more than friends-to-lovers. AHH, I love that so much! Added, both of the MCs are awesome: Hannah is strong and smart, but is also more than capable of being vulnerable and doesn't look down on people or things for no reason at all. Garrett is funny and playful, but has a heart of gold. He is such a good guy, but without being creepily nice; he can be a bit of a jackass too (in a flirtatious way). Basically, he is totally melt-worthy. Neither one of them ever does something that makes you roll your eyes or does something that is entirely out of character just to create more drama. They are both steady characters with believable and consistent character-growth. So, yeah, Hannah and Garrett are both great characters on their own, but their chemistry is also completely through the roof! Their relationship is definitely a slow-burn (which I much prefer over insta-love), and you can understand why they'd like and eventually fall for each other. Their interactions are so humorous and cute; I swooned constantly.
Apart from the MCs, you have the side-characters who aren't lacking in any way either. The friendships they have with either Hannah or Garrett feel authentic and fit nicely into the story. I wouldn't mind finding out more about a lot of them, which, if I understand correctly, is something that will happen in the sequels of the this series. I'm definitely going to continue reading and start with The Mistake next!
'Off-Campus' series: 1. The Deal - 5.0 stars 2. The Mistake - 4.0 stars 3. The Score - 3.5 stars 4. The Goal - 2.0 stars