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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers an outright masterpiece! Boyfriend Material is everything I'd expect and want in a romance with a well-developed plot, sweet and swoon-worthy moments I crave, enough angst to make your heart squeeze, some seriously witty banter, and all the sexy!!!
IMM has long been a favorite author of mine and I never let a release pass me up that I don’t participate if I can help it. As a die-hard fan who'd want to, amIright? And if you’ve yet to read a book by Ilsa—which I can honestly say is a serious travesty if you are a romance junkie—Boyfriend Material is without a doubt an excellent choice to find a comfortable corner and snuggle in because you won't be putting this one down before you've read the book cover to cover as I did!
Boyfriend Material is the second book in the Hawthorne U series. Told in dual POV, this single parent, fake relationship, sports romance is original and funnier than many romcoms I've read this year. Only, I won't classify this as a rom-com. This one is an ALLLLLLL the feels, sizzling page-turner. From the first page, Julia and Eric's story will pull you in with the angst of unrequited love—although strictly speaking, it is not—and an almost tangible chemistry that makes their romance sizzle.
Boyfriend Material was so much more than I expected. It's exceptionally entertaining. It's easy to get lost in the storyline and finish it in one session while offering readers just the right balance of emotionally heavy plot with LOL antics and banter. You're rooting for Julie and Eric even when it seems like they are never going to be together for real. I love how spicy Ilsa's romance are and Boyfriend Material is scorching hot! Plus, you get to revisit the characters from Boyfriend Bargain, Zack and Sugar as well as the other members of the hockey house!
I don't want to ruin the plot, so I won't say more. Go in blind... don't read a lot of reviews. Don't spoil the book for yourself. I highly recommend this one and honestly, I can’t imagine someone not loving the story or the characters as much as I did! Easiest Five Star review I've ever given!!
IMM has long been a favorite author of mine and I never let a release pass me up that I don’t participate if I can help it. As a die-hard fan who'd want to, amIright? And if you’ve yet to read a book by Ilsa—which I can honestly say is a serious travesty if you are a romance junkie—Boyfriend Material is without a doubt an excellent choice to find a comfortable corner and snuggle in because you won't be putting this one down before you've read the book cover to cover as I did!
Boyfriend Material is the second book in the Hawthorne U series. Told in dual POV, this single parent, fake relationship, sports romance is original and funnier than many romcoms I've read this year. Only, I won't classify this as a rom-com. This one is an ALLLLLLL the feels, sizzling page-turner. From the first page, Julia and Eric's story will pull you in with the angst of unrequited love—although strictly speaking, it is not—and an almost tangible chemistry that makes their romance sizzle.
Boyfriend Material was so much more than I expected. It's exceptionally entertaining. It's easy to get lost in the storyline and finish it in one session while offering readers just the right balance of emotionally heavy plot with LOL antics and banter. You're rooting for Julie and Eric even when it seems like they are never going to be together for real. I love how spicy Ilsa's romance are and Boyfriend Material is scorching hot! Plus, you get to revisit the characters from Boyfriend Bargain, Zack and Sugar as well as the other members of the hockey house!
I don't want to ruin the plot, so I won't say more. Go in blind... don't read a lot of reviews. Don't spoil the book for yourself. I highly recommend this one and honestly, I can’t imagine someone not loving the story or the characters as much as I did! Easiest Five Star review I've ever given!!
I was so happy to get another book from the Hawthorne University world, after having read and enjoying Boyfriend Bargain a few years ago.
Julia and Eric's story was certainly dramatic, painful, sweet and difficult! It seemed like neither character could ever catch a break, for very different reasons. Julia was so darn strong and fierce. Eric was an absolute mess with a kind heart.
The up and down rollercoaster this book took my emotions on was pretty wild! So much took place in such a short timeline, so you just kept waiting on the edge of your seat for the next blow. And they just kept coming! There was a LOT of triggering content in this story. It felt like every major scene was extremely difficult to digest. My heart broke more than once for each main character and what life was throwing at them. But that's what made this story work... the determination and growth of both Eric and Julia throughtout the story.
I just felt like something was missing from the second chance aspect of the story. I would have liked more detail about their initial relationship and how/why it fell apart. Much of the information was left out until the end of the story, which made it feel so much less significant.
Overall I enjoyed the story and thought it was well written. I just wanted a little more from it. A solid 3 star read!
Julia and Eric's story was certainly dramatic, painful, sweet and difficult! It seemed like neither character could ever catch a break, for very different reasons. Julia was so darn strong and fierce. Eric was an absolute mess with a kind heart.
The up and down rollercoaster this book took my emotions on was pretty wild! So much took place in such a short timeline, so you just kept waiting on the edge of your seat for the next blow. And they just kept coming! There was a LOT of triggering content in this story. It felt like every major scene was extremely difficult to digest. My heart broke more than once for each main character and what life was throwing at them. But that's what made this story work... the determination and growth of both Eric and Julia throughtout the story.
I just felt like something was missing from the second chance aspect of the story. I would have liked more detail about their initial relationship and how/why it fell apart. Much of the information was left out until the end of the story, which made it feel so much less significant.
Overall I enjoyed the story and thought it was well written. I just wanted a little more from it. A solid 3 star read!
slow burn
This one definitely had the build up to the heat. I feel like the it focused more on the characters individually but brought them together at the perfect times. This was a slow build but the end was worth it. Not as spicy as the first one in this mini-series, but the love was there!
This one definitely had the build up to the heat. I feel like the it focused more on the characters individually but brought them together at the perfect times. This was a slow build but the end was worth it. Not as spicy as the first one in this mini-series, but the love was there!
This was a case of it's the book slump not the book. This was just fine for me. It was a second chance enemies to lovers after they were in prep school together and after giving Eric her virginity Eric casts Julia aside. 4 years later after avoiding each other for years at the same college Eric helps Julia out when she's in trouble a couple times. They become friends and finally they can't help but want more. But family
obligations, vindictive frat bros and the pressure of the future becomes too much. I have reads lots of books by this author and enjoyed most of them but I couldn't connect with this book. The characters had heavy things going on but it felt very surface level to who they are. We got to know they're problems but not how the
problems defined them. There was little angst but high drama. With Eric always coming in to save the day.
A damsel in distress was fine but Julia was made out to be this super tough take no shit character and
sometimes she just let Eric steamroll right over her. Little grovel after the dreaded 3rd act break up and it was all forgiven way too fast for me. The characters lacked a depth I needed from them to have. Also felt like there was so much drama just the sake to make them more complex characters. Like with all the side characters added in only one or two really had any sort of good story line or help. The ending and epilogue were cute. This book was enjoyable enough to catch my interest and you could feel the connection between the characters but something was missing for me.
3.5/5 ⭐️
2/5
obligations, vindictive frat bros and the pressure of the future becomes too much. I have reads lots of books by this author and enjoyed most of them but I couldn't connect with this book. The characters had heavy things going on but it felt very surface level to who they are. We got to know they're problems but not how the
problems defined them. There was little angst but high drama. With Eric always coming in to save the day.
A damsel in distress was fine but Julia was made out to be this super tough take no shit character and
sometimes she just let Eric steamroll right over her. Little grovel after the dreaded 3rd act break up and it was all forgiven way too fast for me. The characters lacked a depth I needed from them to have. Also felt like there was so much drama just the sake to make them more complex characters. Like with all the side characters added in only one or two really had any sort of good story line or help. The ending and epilogue were cute. This book was enjoyable enough to catch my interest and you could feel the connection between the characters but something was missing for me.
3.5/5 ⭐️
2/5
I really enjoyed Erica and Julia's story, this is a sport second-chance romance, with an enemies to lovers trope. It was good, well balanced plot story, with good characters and a world-building that is very fitting for the story. I liked the way the characters interacted, a bit slow at times when reading, it has nothing to do with the slow-burn romance, that I loved, but I know Ilsa and I know she will pull off at the end. I really recommend it if you like this genre and trope.
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Not bad but not great
I read this in one sitting which is good!
But it was more cause I was in a reading mood and less because I couldn’t put it down.
Both Eric & Julia were nice enough but I never felt I was truly under their skin and those lovely sparks you feel when a couple first kisses was just missing for me for some reason.
Having said that I will continuing reading books by this author because even a 3 star book from her is better than a lot of others out there! She’s kind of an auto read for me!
I read this in one sitting which is good!
But it was more cause I was in a reading mood and less because I couldn’t put it down.
Both Eric & Julia were nice enough but I never felt I was truly under their skin and those lovely sparks you feel when a couple first kisses was just missing for me for some reason.
Having said that I will continuing reading books by this author because even a 3 star book from her is better than a lot of others out there! She’s kind of an auto read for me!
Ilsa Madden-Mills delights us again with another YA hockey romance. I was dying to read Eric’s story and it was every bit as delightful and angsty as Zack’s story!
We’d already met Julia and Eric in Boyfriend Bargain, Eric is Zack’s best friend and team winger in the HU hockey team and Julia was Sugar’s roommate. Zack and Sugar have already graduated and moved to Nashville where Zack is playing with the Nashville Predators. Julia is now living with Taylor and Poppy, who used to be Sugar’s besties and have now adopted her.
As is to be expected, it’s not all happy and unicorns with their lives. Julia’s mother is an addict, she got into debt with a loan shark, and now it’s Julia’s problem to pay it off. She got into stripping because the pay and tips are bigger. So she went from a nerd with hopes and dreams to a stripper who is in a spiral trying to survive. She’s still studying art but it gets more difficult every day.
Eric has family trauma. His big brother Kurt was the family golden boy, great athlete, great scholar, studying law in Harvard, but unknown to his family he’s doing heroin. He was shot during a deal and now his father expects Eric to step into Kurt’s place. Eric is trying to please his father but he doesn’t have the attitude nor the aptitude for what is expected of him. He’s dancing a crazy dance of doing his thing, pleasing his father and trying to find time to be with Julia.
I love how the author presents her young adults with all their family drama and their attempts to fulfill their destinies and also do their best by their families. Eric and Julia had a moment in high school that ended in heartbreak for Julia. Eric is doing the best he can, he wants to fix things and find a way for both of them but there are so many obstacles in their way. They have a strong chemistry and it feels so easy to be together. If feels they belong together if it weren’t for their family trauma.
There are other incidents regarding a fraternity that has deviated from the norm and is now a bastion for binges and sleaziness. Both Julia and Eric are affected by their proximity and I loved this plot twist because it added a ton of drama to the story, which would have been a little bland otherwise. There was a lot of back and forth between Eric and Julia and the story needed some fireworks.
I loved both Eric and Julia, and absolutely loved Reese and Booth and their puck game. I laughed a lot when Poppy and Taylor go with Julia to a hockey game and how clueless they were about the game. I love that these youngsters have hopes and dreams, they live and have fun, but also have direction. It’s not all booze and party, there are obligations and family love and they all turn up when they’re needed. Another great feel-good story!
We’d already met Julia and Eric in Boyfriend Bargain, Eric is Zack’s best friend and team winger in the HU hockey team and Julia was Sugar’s roommate. Zack and Sugar have already graduated and moved to Nashville where Zack is playing with the Nashville Predators. Julia is now living with Taylor and Poppy, who used to be Sugar’s besties and have now adopted her.
As is to be expected, it’s not all happy and unicorns with their lives. Julia’s mother is an addict, she got into debt with a loan shark, and now it’s Julia’s problem to pay it off. She got into stripping because the pay and tips are bigger. So she went from a nerd with hopes and dreams to a stripper who is in a spiral trying to survive. She’s still studying art but it gets more difficult every day.
Eric has family trauma. His big brother Kurt was the family golden boy, great athlete, great scholar, studying law in Harvard, but unknown to his family he’s doing heroin. He was shot during a deal and now his father expects Eric to step into Kurt’s place. Eric is trying to please his father but he doesn’t have the attitude nor the aptitude for what is expected of him. He’s dancing a crazy dance of doing his thing, pleasing his father and trying to find time to be with Julia.
I love how the author presents her young adults with all their family drama and their attempts to fulfill their destinies and also do their best by their families. Eric and Julia had a moment in high school that ended in heartbreak for Julia. Eric is doing the best he can, he wants to fix things and find a way for both of them but there are so many obstacles in their way. They have a strong chemistry and it feels so easy to be together. If feels they belong together if it weren’t for their family trauma.
There are other incidents regarding a fraternity that has deviated from the norm and is now a bastion for binges and sleaziness. Both Julia and Eric are affected by their proximity and I loved this plot twist because it added a ton of drama to the story, which would have been a little bland otherwise. There was a lot of back and forth between Eric and Julia and the story needed some fireworks.
I loved both Eric and Julia, and absolutely loved Reese and Booth and their puck game. I laughed a lot when Poppy and Taylor go with Julia to a hockey game and how clueless they were about the game. I love that these youngsters have hopes and dreams, they live and have fun, but also have direction. It’s not all booze and party, there are obligations and family love and they all turn up when they’re needed. Another great feel-good story!
Eric and Julia “relationship” was different. Julia is a strong girl that has faced so many adversities in her life. She’s strong, fierce and hardworking. She did whatever she needed to do to survive. Her relationship with Eric is complicated. They knew each other since prep school; she was the scholarship kid and he the wealthy one. That never stopped him from pursuing her back then but then he broke her heart. Fast forward couple years and they’re attending the same college and he feels the need to protect her. She’s a bit wary because of their past. Eric was wishy washy with her at times because he had so much going on personally. At times his attitude made me dislike him but then he’ll do things and you realize he isn’t that bad. Julia I loved. She rolled with the punches and did what she needed to do to survive. Eric finally realized that he loved her and finally took full control of his life. Julia was by his side along the way. Their friends were a great group.
Ilsa delivers an epic enemies to lovers college sports romance with Boyfriend Material! I was immediately pulled into with drama angst hot af spice! Eric and Julia take you on an emotional roller coaster but it’s worth every second!!