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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
I adored this book!!
He falls first, fake dating, found family - I could go on but these tropes are just it for me and of course; there’s spice here and there too!!
James stands up for what he believes in and isn’t scared to do so, Bex is unsure of what her future holds, torn between her head and heart.
I really loved this story & on a more serious note I think the way that Grace incorporated the Darryl issue and how it was handled was really well written, in terms of the consequences of his actions, support from those around Bex and her not being afraid.
4 stars purely because I was so mad about the final game of the season, it let the character down and made him look immature!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!!
He falls first, fake dating, found family - I could go on but these tropes are just it for me and of course; there’s spice here and there too!!
James stands up for what he believes in and isn’t scared to do so, Bex is unsure of what her future holds, torn between her head and heart.
I really loved this story & on a more serious note I think the way that Grace incorporated the Darryl issue and how it was handled was really well written, in terms of the consequences of his actions, support from those around Bex and her not being afraid.
4 stars purely because I was so mad about the final game of the season, it let the character down and made him look immature!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!!
Quotes:
“Let’s go to sleep,” I murmur, stroking my hand through her tangled hair. “Otherwise, Santa won’t come.”
“Let’s go to sleep,” I murmur, stroking my hand through her tangled hair. “Otherwise, Santa won’t come.”
She cups my jaw. “One day you’ll tell our kids that.”
“Bex,” I say helplessly. Fuck, she’s so pretty it makes my chest ache. Those beautiful brown eyes look at me in my dreams, and every day I wake up grateful I get to see them for real.
“I love you,” she whispers, so quietly I think for a moment I imagined it.
But she keeps looking up at me with confidence shining in her eyes, and I know she really said it.
“Fuck, I love you.” I gather her up into a hug, fisting my hand in her hair. She digs her nails into my back. We stay like that for a long moment, breathing each other in. When I pull away, she has a tear tracking down her cheek. I brush it aside tenderly and kiss her.
-James and Bex (Ch. 34)
“One day I will tell our kids that,” I whisper. My heartbeat quickens at the thought. “Because I’m yours, forever.”
-James (Ch. 34)
“I love you, Bex. I love the way you scrunch up your nose when you’re concentrating. I love your laughter. Your talent with a camera. I love your passion and your loyalty and how fucking smart you are. You’re everything to me. If you asked me to stop playing football, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
-James (Ch. 46)
“I know that everything will be worthwhile if I get to call you mine.”
-James (Ch. 46)
“You’re my princess, you’re worth the whole world.”
-James (Ch. 46)
“Beckett. From the moment I first saw you, I wanted to know you. And when you kissed me—”
I can’t hold back a little sob, half amused at the memory of kissing him at that stupid frat party, half so overwhelmed by love I can’t stand it.
“—I knew where I wanted us to end up. It took a little while, but I wouldn’t change the path for anything. Not when it led me to you.”
“James,” I whisper.
“I want every moment with you, good and bad. When I think of my future, you come to mind before anything else. I mean it.”
“I know you do.”
He holds out the ring. I glance down at it, taking in the gleam of the diamond and what looks like sapphires, before settling my gaze back on his face. He could propose with a piece of seaweed and my answer wouldn’t change.
“Will you do me the honor of marrying me?” “Yes.” I pull him close, breathing in the smell of his cologne, digging my nails into his skin. We tip backward onto the sand; I kiss him like that while we both laugh. He slides the ring onto my finger, pressing his lips to my hand. I know that his family is right there, I can hear their exclamations and congratulations, but in this moment, the only living thing in the world I’m truly aware of is James.
No longer my boyfriend—my fiancé.
He helps me to our feet, picking me up and spinning me around. “I love you,” he murmurs.
-James and Bex (Ch. 59)
If you’re finished reading all Elle Kennedy has to offer and want something with similar vibes to her Off Campus series, look no further!
James the football star is living with his brothers Cooper and Sebastian and looking for a tutor for his Creative Writing class when he meets Bex at a party. Who kisses him and then runs away, for James to later find out that she’s his buttface teammate’s ex girlfriend. They agree to a fake dating ploy in exchange for Bex tutoring James so as to try to get Buttface Darryl to accept the breakup and leave her alone. Interestingly, the tutoring plot was lost quite quickly once these two developed real feelings and their fake dating (surprisingly easily) developed into real dating. The couple had blatant chemistry and some steamy scenes, too!
What bothered me most was the toxic masculinity traits that James showed. He could be mildly possessive at times, which could have been manageable on its own, but James went over the top when Bex was threatened by Buttface and nearly cost himself his career. Then he decided he was willing to throw away everything he’d worked for for so long for a girl he met maybe 5 months ago. Yes, he loved her, but it should have been Bex who needed to decide if she was the one willing to make the sacrifices to follow James’ career, not him contemplating giving up football to stay with Bex. Bex knew from the very beginning that James was more than likely going to get drafted and play pro, she KNEW that she needed to make a decision, and James should have realized that if she chose not to follow him then they weren’t meant to be. I didn’t like the cop out way that this plot line ended here, since it took the decision off of Bex and we never got to know what she truly would have chose.
James the football star is living with his brothers Cooper and Sebastian and looking for a tutor for his Creative Writing class when he meets Bex at a party. Who kisses him and then runs away, for James to later find out that she’s his buttface teammate’s ex girlfriend. They agree to a fake dating ploy in exchange for Bex tutoring James so as to try to get Buttface Darryl to accept the breakup and leave her alone. Interestingly, the tutoring plot was lost quite quickly once these two developed real feelings and their fake dating (surprisingly easily) developed into real dating. The couple had blatant chemistry and some steamy scenes, too!
What bothered me most was the toxic masculinity traits that James showed. He could be mildly possessive at times, which could have been manageable on its own, but James went over the top when Bex was threatened by Buttface and nearly cost himself his career. Then he decided he was willing to throw away everything he’d worked for for so long for a girl he met maybe 5 months ago. Yes, he loved her, but it should have been Bex who needed to decide if she was the one willing to make the sacrifices to follow James’ career, not him contemplating giving up football to stay with Bex. Bex knew from the very beginning that James was more than likely going to get drafted and play pro, she KNEW that she needed to make a decision, and James should have realized that if she chose not to follow him then they weren’t meant to be. I didn’t like the cop out way that this plot line ended here, since it took the decision off of Bex and we never got to know what she truly would have chose.
2.5 stars
I’ve read similar books and this was okayish. It started to drag halfway through and it ended up being quite boring. Looking forward to reading the next one tho, hopefully it’s better…
I’ve read similar books and this was okayish. It started to drag halfway through and it ended up being quite boring. Looking forward to reading the next one tho, hopefully it’s better…
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Listened to the Audiobook and it was cute but I wasn't fond of the female narrator so it was a bit to get through. The story was well written and I love that his family was a blended family of brothers. The story progressed well and I enjoyed the main character interactions and the sleezy ex. gave me the ich feeling. He defiantly got what he deserved.
I would say this is probably 2.5-3 stars but there were a fair amount of instances where the emotional development just didn't click with me and the writing style was jarringly informal in places. I enjoyed reading the book while I was on a flight, but I noticed enough cringey things or less-than-perfect aspects of the writing that I don't think I can give 3 stars.