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imme_van_gorp's review
3.0
|| 2.5 stars ||
This is a second-chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, hidden identity, sports romance set in college. It obviously has a whole bucketload of tropes, and they’re pretty damn good ones too!
The premise is that of a boy and a girl who meet online when they are only 15 years old, and they form a deep connection together unlike any they have felt before. They go to the same school, but whereas Mary knows who Leo, the popular handsome football player, is, Leo has no idea that the girl he’s falling for is the weird girl in school nobody even knows the name of.
It all goes wrong when Mary finally decides to approach Leo to tell him who she is, only for him to shut her down immediately. Mary thinks he rejected her because of her looks despite the emotional bond they formed together, but in reality, it was just one big misunderstanding since Leo didn’t realise what she was trying to tell him in the first place! He just wanted her to go away because he knew his friends would tease her relentlessly if she didn’t (which, unfortunately, did happen, since his friends bullied her a lot afterwards).
After the whole situation Mary blocks Leo on everything, and she goes on hating him for the next seven years, and Leo goes on thinking he has been ghosted by the only girl he ever cared about for no reason at all.
Skip forward seven years, and Leo and Mary are next-door neighbours. Mary has a lot of resentment towards Leo, but she still won’t tell him who she is. Leo, on the other hand, is hardcore crushing on the beautiful bad-ass girl across the street, and he desperately tries for her to give him a chance.
Honestly, I have to say that when Leo was persuading Mary to finally open up to him, I am embarrassed to admit that I would have folded like a house of cards after only a day or so. Seriously, he was way too charming and way too sweet. Like, I couldn’t possibly keep on thinking he did what I thought he did. There was just no way. And Mary was honestly a little silly for not realising that sooner. Then again, I did love how she really made him work for it. She didn’t just fall at his feet immediately, and it definitely made for a very entertaining chase!
Leo was definitely my favourite. He was such a simp for her in the best way possible. Literally, if she said “jump”, he’d only ask “how high?”
Nonetheless, despite the good parts of this book, I have to admit I got very bored after about the halfway point. The build-up between them was great, but once they finally got together they lost their spark. It actually felt a little awkward and forced to me. Like, it suddenly occurred to me that they really didn’t have as much depth to their relationship as I would have liked. The fact that they jumped straight into bed after all that definitely did not sit right with me either.
Not to mention, their sexual chemistry was uncomfortable to me as well; the dirty-talking legit had me gagging.
Also, last but not least, the “I’m not like other girls” thing is pretty present in this book as well, which is just not my favourite at all.
This is a second-chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, hidden identity, sports romance set in college. It obviously has a whole bucketload of tropes, and they’re pretty damn good ones too!
I used to think I loved him.
But that was before I hated him.
The premise is that of a boy and a girl who meet online when they are only 15 years old, and they form a deep connection together unlike any they have felt before. They go to the same school, but whereas Mary knows who Leo, the popular handsome football player, is, Leo has no idea that the girl he’s falling for is the weird girl in school nobody even knows the name of.
It all goes wrong when Mary finally decides to approach Leo to tell him who she is, only for him to shut her down immediately. Mary thinks he rejected her because of her looks despite the emotional bond they formed together, but in reality, it was just one big misunderstanding since Leo didn’t realise what she was trying to tell him in the first place! He just wanted her to go away because he knew his friends would tease her relentlessly if she didn’t (which, unfortunately, did happen, since his friends bullied her a lot afterwards).
After the whole situation Mary blocks Leo on everything, and she goes on hating him for the next seven years, and Leo goes on thinking he has been ghosted by the only girl he ever cared about for no reason at all.
Skip forward seven years, and Leo and Mary are next-door neighbours. Mary has a lot of resentment towards Leo, but she still won’t tell him who she is. Leo, on the other hand, is hardcore crushing on the beautiful bad-ass girl across the street, and he desperately tries for her to give him a chance.
“Damn it, woman,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m mad about you! Can’t you see that?”
“You were once before and you don’t even remember!”
Honestly, I have to say that when Leo was persuading Mary to finally open up to him, I am embarrassed to admit that I would have folded like a house of cards after only a day or so. Seriously, he was way too charming and way too sweet. Like, I couldn’t possibly keep on thinking he did what I thought he did. There was just no way. And Mary was honestly a little silly for not realising that sooner. Then again, I did love how she really made him work for it. She didn’t just fall at his feet immediately, and it definitely made for a very entertaining chase!
“How do I prove to you that I’ve changed?” Leo lifted his eyes back to mine. “That I’m more than what you think I am, what I used to be.”
Leo was definitely my favourite. He was such a simp for her in the best way possible. Literally, if she said “jump”, he’d only ask “how high?”
Nonetheless, despite the good parts of this book, I have to admit I got very bored after about the halfway point. The build-up between them was great, but once they finally got together they lost their spark. It actually felt a little awkward and forced to me. Like, it suddenly occurred to me that they really didn’t have as much depth to their relationship as I would have liked. The fact that they jumped straight into bed after all that definitely did not sit right with me either.
Not to mention, their sexual chemistry was uncomfortable to me as well; the dirty-talking legit had me gagging.
Also, last but not least, the “I’m not like other girls” thing is pretty present in this book as well, which is just not my favourite at all.
nadine_booklover's review
4.0
Hail Mary is a great finish to the Red Zone Rivals series. I loved Leo, he's such an adorable hero and Mary is a special heroine, I was connected to both instantly and their love story was a very enjoyable ride.
emilychumbley's review
5.0
Mary and Leo’s story was truly a once I started reading I couldn’t stop until I had read the very last page. I was hooked and obsessed. Their story line honestly was so different than other sports romances and I loved it.
katsbookfixation's review
4.0
mary is stronger than me because i would’ve folded the minute he got on his knees
books_with_frankie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️
This was such a good book to finish the series off! It was such a bitter sweet feeling coming to the end of the Red Zone Rivals as there were background character that I really wished had their own story too.
How do you act when the boy who broke your heart at 15 years old doesn’t know who you really are and is now your roommate? Honestly I’m not sure, but Mary sure does when she has to act like she’d only recently met Leo and pretend he didn’t crush her. Mary and Leo first met when they were playing video games one summer break. They both developed feelings but when Mary finally built up the courage to tell him exactly who she is, he rejected her. In front of everyone. Now she hates him, and he’s doing everything he can to get her to like him despite not remembering her. What happens when past feelings begin to resurface and secrets can’t always been hidden?
I’ve been ready for Leo’s story since the first book. He’s the cocky, charming football player that we all know we’ll love and boy did he not disappoint! The way this boy grovelled for even an ounce of her attention, even before knowing who she was, was just too good! I also loved Mary equally! She was strong and edgy yet such a girls girl. I really felt her emotions throughout this book, and was so happy when she gave her heart a second chance!
Overall, I’m sad. I’m sad this series has ended. It was an easy, feel good read and it makes me excited to dive into more of Kandi’s books! Petition to receive Braden and Kyle! Also thought this book would make me like Kyle?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes Include:
* Second Chance
* Enemies to Lovers
* Roommates
* Hidden Identity
* Forced Proximity
This was such a good book to finish the series off! It was such a bitter sweet feeling coming to the end of the Red Zone Rivals as there were background character that I really wished had their own story too.
How do you act when the boy who broke your heart at 15 years old doesn’t know who you really are and is now your roommate? Honestly I’m not sure, but Mary sure does when she has to act like she’d only recently met Leo and pretend he didn’t crush her. Mary and Leo first met when they were playing video games one summer break. They both developed feelings but when Mary finally built up the courage to tell him exactly who she is, he rejected her. In front of everyone. Now she hates him, and he’s doing everything he can to get her to like him despite not remembering her. What happens when past feelings begin to resurface and secrets can’t always been hidden?
I’ve been ready for Leo’s story since the first book. He’s the cocky, charming football player that we all know we’ll love and boy did he not disappoint! The way this boy grovelled for even an ounce of her attention, even before knowing who she was, was just too good! I also loved Mary equally! She was strong and edgy yet such a girls girl. I really felt her emotions throughout this book, and was so happy when she gave her heart a second chance!
Overall, I’m sad. I’m sad this series has ended. It was an easy, feel good read and it makes me excited to dive into more of Kandi’s books! Petition to receive Braden and Kyle! Also thought this book would make me like Kyle?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes Include:
* Second Chance
* Enemies to Lovers
* Roommates
* Hidden Identity
* Forced Proximity