ARC Review: "ON GUARD" by Kels & Denise Stone

Hello readers!
Today's article is about a new sport romance I read the last month thanks to @valentine_pr who send me the digital arc. Are you ready to be On Guard? 😏

Title: On Guard
Author: Kels and Denise Stone
Publishing Date: April 9, 2025
Publisher:  Between the Sheets Publishing
Pages: 452 (paperback)
Price: 18,99 $
This book is available on KU!

Synopsis:

DANTE HASTINGS
You might have heard of me.

I was the defending Olympic champion—until I used my fist instead of my sabre during a match. Needless to say, I was suspended. Which means no competing for a year…and cleaning up my image.
So, instead of continuing to dominate the fencing world, I’m working on a film that’s poised to be next year’s blockbuster action flick.
The upside? Working with Reese Sinclair, my celebrity crush whose poster was on my wall growing up. Spending time with her will help wash the tabloids of my suspension and convince the league that I’m reformed.
But America’s sweetheart is nothing like I imagined. She’s stubborn, ambitious, and struggling to prove herself in a role that no one thinks she can handle. Still, her determination runs red-hot, and I can’t help but admire her.
When our late-night training sessions turn into something more, I start to realize that I’m outmaneuvered by feelings I never saw coming.

REESE SINCLAIR
The girl next door. The best friend. The love-struck heroine.
I’ve played them all.
But with thirty creeping closer, I need to prove to myself that I can be more than Hollywood’s darling. And this movie is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for, the project I can use to break out of my typecasting.
The problem? I’m not cut out for action-packed stunt work.
Enter: Dante Hastings. He’s hedonistic, insufferable, infuriatingly gorgeous—and my last shot at making this career move work.
I should stay away. His reputation alone could sink mine. But the more time we spend together, the more I see past all his tabloid exploits and rule-breaking. He knows what it means to fight for something.
But a leading lady doesn’t simper over her co-workers, right?
Yet as much as I try to resist, part of me wants to let Dante put the sin in Sinclair.

Review: 

Rate: 3.25 stars ⭐

Family standalone series and sport romance are two of my favorite elements in a novel, and after loving Close Knit so much I was eager to keep going with The Hastings series.

On Guard has new main characters, Dante and Reese, and focuses on several serious topics which include being able to freely express without the restraints created by the image that people or society depicts on us, the woman's right to fight for being respected and treated as professionals; the importance on believing in someone and don't give up on them just because they're "difficult" to deal with, especially if we're talking about children and teens.

I really appreciated how Reese starts to get back her voice and strength not only against misbehavior and sexism, but also against all the lies media can create and weave around a person without a concrete reason. In fact, the book shows clearly how often people start spreading false information about someone just for the chance to stay in the spotlight, no matter the costs their “victims” would pay. Moreover, On Guard stresses the problematic issue of the "good girl" label and the unrealistic expectations related to that. Society created this idea of perfection that includes determined physical appearance, look, way to behave, interests and precise kind of people to be associated with, and choosing something different from that only causes to switch to the "bad girl" label, or similar not very cute nicknames. How unhealthy is that? That’s why I was more than happy to see Reese understands that she could be more than that, and she doesn’t need to fit in a certain category to be appreciated, she can be just herself.

I really suffered for all the pressure Reese and Dante are put under, but they are always mature enough to have each other back, without overstepping. And talking about Dante, his growth path is my favorite: I loved the way his self-centered ego leaves space to his true nature, showing the caring and dedicated man he is. He respects Reese in such a loving way, more focused on her than maybe himself (and in that I missed a little bit of balance, if I have to be honest), and he believes so much in Em she succeeds in expressing her true potential in fencing. After a comprehensible rough start, he was always there for her, challenging her but also trying to keep her away from the wrong track. It was cool seeing him in a coach position, even if Lev remains iconic. It reminds me a little of coach Jensen from the Off Campus series (if you don’t know it, what are you waiting for?).

Plus, Dante exudes charm like a very dangerous weapon, and I love his confidence in certain open doors moments, it indeed made certain moments even steamier. At the same time, I admit I was a little bit confused about his preferences, whether he enjoys have or give control to the partner. That is still an open question for me.

I was also expecting to see more of the Hasting family, but nonetheless the text exchange with Dante and his sisters were so hilarious I really loved them! And that moment with Dante and his parents? It moved me so much.

Furthermore, every mention of fencing and saber's swordplay were absolutely so interesting to hear I would have loved to have more of it in the story than the Robin Hood part. That was cute and I understand its use in the general plot, but I think some moments could have been left out or rewritten in a more captivating way. Especially, I was curious about the water scene, given Reese’s trauma, but in the end it was just mentioned. It was a pity, because it would have been good to see her overcome her fears.

In all truth, if I compare it with Close Knit, I feel there’s something off.

I’m aware that we have two wealthy main characters, but everything seemed to be a little bit exaggerated. And it's not only about Dante’s rich and decadent attitude, because thankfully he is so much more, but the majority of things he and Reese do together is always (or have something to do with) something special, reserved or luxurious. I'm sure that people can go out of their comfort zone or enjoy new things even if not expensive, “prohibited” or peculiar. Maybe what was missing in On Guard is the value of little and small things, while in Close Knit I found more balance in that sense. Same as per the fact of Reese doing bad girl's things. Isn't it a cliché itself, especially while we're stressing the issues around the "good girl label"? Where’s the “bad” in what she does with Dante? Clearly, we’re not talking about tea time with some ladies in a country club and the majority of that was oriented to making media talks, but this whole point felt flat. Plus, thinking about the idea Reese gave me in the initial part of the book, she doesn’t seem a person that has a certain look and aspect only for some third party’s requests, so even if I understand what lead to certain moments, those as well seemed a little bit exaggerated, instead of cherishing her rediscovering herself, embracing all the changes she felt she needs.
So, probably some things could have arranged better, but with its pros and cons On Guard is still a lovable and enjoyable romance I really suggest you to savor and try. I’m sure Dante Hasting won’t disappoint you.

To the next review!

Chiara

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ARC Review: "WILD AND WRANGLED" by Lyla Sage

Hello readers!
I'm back again with another review, thanks for @PRHInternational who is always so kind to grant me advance access to my favorite author's upcoming releases. So, in this case I'm super honored to talk to you about Wild and Wrangled, by Lyla Sage, that will be released today.

Title: Wild and Wrangled
Author: Lyla Sage
Publishing Date: April 15, 2025
Publisher:  Dial Press Trade Paperback
Pages: 368 (paperback)
Price: 17,99 $

Synopsis: Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small-town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right?

But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—she doesn’t even have a place to live. That is until she finds out the house she’s loved since high school is available to rent. There’s only one problem: the neighbor.

Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. And he was okay with that—at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. She was getting married, after all. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put.

Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty Tucker, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping into her favorite jeans. Easy. Comfortable. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings—both old and new—wreak havoc. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever?

 

Review:

*please, be aware I've tried to keep the spoilers as minimum as possible but there's some*

Rate: 5 ⭐

My heart is so full right now, because - even if you will see it on release day -  I've just finished this story and I feel the cracks in my heart for the awareness this series has really come to an end, at least for now. Rebel Blue Ranch books conquered me since the very first book, with their simple but deep stories about finding themselves again, facing fears, doubts the past and the uncertainty of the future, and open ourselves to real happiness, surrounded by the support of people who care deeply and love fiercely. It was like finding a home I didn't know I needed, and being immediately part of a family that grew bigger and bigger with every new book.

 

Here, with Wild and Wrangled, we finally focus on two characters we already know from the previous installments: Cam - Riley's mother - and Dusty, her ex-high school boyfriend. I admit I appreciated Cam, but she wasn't very present in the first three books (and Dusty even less) to already love her, and I really didn't know what to expect from this character. That until I read the little preview at the end of Lost and Lassoed 😏, when my interest sparkled immediately - and not just because the first chapter have all Luke, Gus and Wes in it, but sure, it helped #sorrynotsorry.

Anyway, knowing already a little of their background, even if vague, did make this story predictable? Absolutely not.

First of all, I didn't expect to immediately discover that the relationship between Cam and Graham was everything but romantic. That took me by surprise. So, if you expect a sort of love triangle, you'll be disappointed (I wasn't. I hate love triangles). And since we already know that Cam and Gus tried to be together for a few months but decided otherwise because they understood they weren't made for each other, why did Cam choose willingly this kind of life, instead of searching for real happiness? Was it related to how things ended between Dusty and her or to something else entirely?

This is the main question of this book, and I have to admit that I had general suppositions about it but they were completely wrong. Same as per the reason she and Cam went their separate ways years ago.

The easiest explanation would be a sort of order/blackmail from third parties to not seeing him again and that this separation made an heartbroken Dusty to go away - to be honest, I wasn't never convinced he just left her there to go working around the world. Well, as every Lyla's book, the explanation was simple but more multifaceted at the same time: it's true, Cam's parents were and are still horrible, at least toward their daughter and in a certain way they affected what had happened more than once, directly or not.

They're the typical kind people who are more focused on appearance, reputation and business, unsatisfied by anything or anyone who doesn't match their standards. Cam for them has always been mainly a tool rather than a person to love, and with their dissatisfaction it's clear they instilled a good amount of insecurities in her, especially, I suppose, to not being enough for anyone to fight for and never being able to be out of their control. Her actions were and still are influenced by these two aspects, in addition to the desire to protect Riley and ensure her a good future far from her parents ambitions.

At the same time, it's easy to understand why one of her first bravest decisions for herself at such young age was destined to fail. She hadn't been allowed to really think and focus about her future and her desires and that led her to start something without knowing where to go, while Dusty was already steadier about what he wanted to do with his life. That's why, even loving each other a lot, Cam spiraled into unhappiness and dissatisfaction, and Dusty suffered from that, without knowing what to do. Sure, I didn't expect what happened, and neither that Dusty didn't try to talk to her and just let her go, but again, they were too young and he probably thought she was finally trying to find her place in the world, so even if heartbroken, he didn't want to interfere because he truly loved her. But those never sent messages and letters? They broke my heart and made me think about Eli Mora from Jessica Joyce's The Ex Vows 😭 (if you haven't read it yet, just run). Furthermore, it made me sad to understand that Cam thought her possibility of freedom was over, like she had her chance and, blowing that up, her only option was to come back and follow the strict path her family designated for her and the only thing she could do. 

 

Back to Dusty: I loved him since the very first pages, and I fell for him over and over again with every flashback I read. He's that kind of person who doesn't have to be loud or make grand gesture to show his affection and support, and he's so sweet! I didn't expect that too. He's charming and a little flirt, without exaggerating, and he always makes me the impression to be a steady ground you feel you can put down roots in. I think it's impossible not to appreciate him as much he couldn't stop loving Cam through all those years apart, being ready to let her marry another man if that was what she really wanted.

Luckily for us, this isn't the case, and I appreciated his anger when he discovers she would have done it for other reasons than love, because he immediately understands that even after years she still doesn't fight for herself like she should. And we can say Cam still tries to sabotage their potential relationship more than ones, blocked by the fear to be left alone again and suffer as she did before. I didn't expect this sphere of her personality that made me bump my head against the table multiple times - and Dusty did have a good amount of patience too - but I like how all this made her real to me. Cam isn't perfect, but she managed to raise a child, give her a home and the love she didn't receive from her parents, and her coparenting relationship with Gus is admirable. So, it's been good to see this strong woman let herself choose someone and something she really wanted.

Likewise, I'm wondering how Cam and her parents' relationship will develop in the future, because that part has been left a little bit open - and I'm sincere, I would have loved to see them interact with Amos Ryder (my personal hero of this series) or Gus. Dusty already gave me great satisfactions with that.

And talking about the rest of the family, Riley remains the "sunshine" that brings light in every book. I loved how her relationship with Dusty grows so naturally (the scene where they met out of this house? I can't stop thinking about it) they become fond of each other almost without realizing it. They are so adorable together my heart melted multiple times. We have also a good amount of Gus, and I won't ever complain about that. I appreciated his protectiveness toward Cam, without being too pushy or intrusive in her life and I still smile thinking about him and Dusty cheering at Riley's soccer game.

There's also more Wes and Ada than book three, but this isn't a surprise since we already understand in Swift and Saddled that she and Cam would be good friends even if the development of their relationship hasn't been fully explored, especially because Cam was quite absent from town in Lost and Lassoed. And Wes is a sort of link between past and present, due to the fact that he knew Dusty and Cam since high school. That probably misled me a little, because I expected a sort of bromance like Gus and Luke, instead I swam in that bittersweet moment when Wes talks about feeling a little bit alone until he met Ada (my heart of course melted). In the meantime, the best Dusty's supporter is Amos and I wont ever complain about this. I love how he took Cam and then Dusty in his enlarged family, being a father for them without overstepping the line. He is the core of these four books and thinking about him always makes me so emotional because Lyla was amazing to describe the perfect example of parental love anyone should have in their life. 

And what about Meadowlark and Rebel Blue Ranch? Without extensive descriptions this place has immediately become a second home to me. Its little shops, the Devil's Boot pub, the Ranch, the nature surrounding the town... thanks to Lyla's writing style I always felt like being there among the characters, riding a horse through a mountain trail, having a chat with a townsfolk or wandering through the Ranch watching at Emmy giving riding lessons to kids. It was like Meadowlark was breathing all around me during the reading and it's an overwhelming sensation not every author can manage to generate.

I loved it all. That's why arriving at the end of this series is a real sweet and sour moment, it's like saying goodbye to a dear friend who immediately got under my skin. For this same reason, though, I appreciated the "surprise" you'll find at the end of it - I cried the majority of the time, but they were good tears.

 

Then, before I finish, let me say something about the spicy scenes. I think we have less scenes than the previous ones - and considering the type of plot it has, it makes sense -, BUT I think you'll find them very interesting as much as I did. Good Lord, Dusty🔥🚒 .

 

So, in short, Wild and Wrangled is a love letter for every reader who appreciated the previous installments, giving them the perfect conclusion (for now🤞) for this series with a new sweet story of second chance I'm sure won't disappoint you and some additional adorable moments to cherish in your heart.

 

Because nothing lasts forever, you know. Not even goodbyes. - Lyla Sage, Wild and Wrangled's Authors Note

 I wanted more? Well, yes, because we readers are greedy people, but I know some novellas are coming in the future😍, so I want to focus on that and on the hope they'll include a good amount of bromance scenes I missed a little since book one, as well as some special Emmy and Teddy's moments, because their friendship is one of the thing I love the most in these books.
Plus, Lyla's already announced an upcoming new series in a nearby ghost town and I can't wait to read it!! Stay tuned for updates on my IG account (@booksalwaysinbag) or for other future reviews related to this amazing author here on the blog. 

 

In the meantime, thanks to you, readers, to remain until the end of this review and to Lyla, for this amazing series.

 

To the next review!

Chiara

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ARC Review: THE CHARLIE METHOD (Off Campus Diaries, #3) by Elle Kennedy

Hello readers!
Thanks to Hambright PR I've received an early copy of a very-much discussed new release of this month, that is also the newest book by one of my favorite auto-buy authors! So, here's my review of The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy.

Title: The Charlie Method
Author: Elle Kennedy
Publishing Date: February 25, 2025
Publisher:  Bloom Books
Pages: 528 (paperback)
Price: 17,99 $

Plot:The third in the steamy, hilarious Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy, set in the same world as Off Campus and Briar U.

College senior Charlotte Kingston is living two lives―and she's nailing both of them. By day, she's the perfect sorority girl, a STEM student in biomedical engineering, and the adopted daughter of an overachiever family. At night, she's Charlie: a risk-taking daredevil looking for fun who finds herself chatting on a dating app with two anonymous hotties.

Will Larsen may seem like the breezy boy next door, but his congressman father is a constant thorn in his side. After a scandal hits another Division 1 hockey program, Will's dad is determined to distance his son from it, hiring a journalist to prove how squeaky-clean Will and his team are. Which means the last thing Will wants is for anyone to find out he and his best friend Beckett Dunne―a laidback Aussie shielding secret heartache―sometimes share girls in the bedroom.

When Charlie finally meets them in person and realizes she's been chatting with two gorgeous Briar U hockey players, things get steamy―fast. But all their messy secrets are piling up, and real life soon threatens to shatter the fantasy. With Charlie, Will, and Beckett all coming to terms with what they want and what others want for them, difficult decisions will need to be made.

Especially when lust starts to look a lot like love.

Series The Campus Diaries:
1. The Graham Effect
2. The Dixon Rule
3. The Charlie Method

Review: 

*presence of some spoilers*

Rate: 3.5 ⭐ 

I'm feeling a bit sad right now that this book is over, because this also means The Campus Diaries series has ended. It's been a packed-journey, since I've decided to binge read all the three books together, and I found myself with new favorite characters to add to my favorite ones list in the Briar University's world.
I can't help to be fond of these complicated, sometimes infuriating new adults, with their warts and all. And if with The Dixon Rule I already knew the main characters, because they were both a solid presence in The Graham Effect, when I started The Charlie Method I still had to know the third element of this trio: Charlie.

I immediately connected with some aspects of her personality, especially the urge to be always someone their parents will be proud of, or someone people would love to have around and not being talked about their backs. Her anxiety's attacks were well described and relatable, as much as her need to blow off some steam to stomach all the stress she endured. I didn't expect, though, it would be by driving car on racing tracks 😂That was an awesome surprise and I totally adored wild Charlie mode! It was refreshing and also entertaining to read, same as per her sassier side. This girl knows what she wants and isn't afraid to verbalize it. Then again, as Faith says, she has indeed an "onion personality", because she's a character with a multitude of different shades to discover. For example, I super appreciated her being a true reference point for Blake (even if we just see a glimpse of their relationship), her absence of fear dealing with Mitch's snarky and mean comments as well as Agatha's outbursts, the natural way she cares about not hurting people's feelings, her absolutely interest in STEM, and her fears about being loved less because she isn't her parent's biological child.
I think that the most successful part of this novel is related to her decision to track down her family roots, discovering she has an older brother, with whom she tries to built up a real relationship. Her feelings were totally believable, and I wanted to hug her multiple times when she was dealing with Harrison's sourness and resentment, attempting not to be crushed by the guilt related to the way better life she ended up with, or by the fear that her adoptive family would stop loving her if they discovered she was seeing him. Handling Harrison wasn't easy since the very beginning, and even if I understood him I can't say I like him, that's why it was a relief to see that Charlotte didn't believe all his words related to her adoptive parents. At the same time, I appreciated the steps he made to make amend, even if it's not clear at the end of the book whether their relationship has developed more or they're just acquaintances.

Another thing I really welcomed were the different cameos that appeared randomly during the book. They often made me laugh - especially Hollis 😂- , but they also made me feel the urge to have some more novellas about my favorite characters from the previous series. It's true, we see Garrett and Hannah in The Graham Effect in multiple scenes, but I would love to have them and the others as main POVs again, with a direct look in their lives as grown men and women - Yes, it would be a massive book of novellas BUUUUT can you think about it, Elle? PLEEEASE.

Plus, a praise for Beckett's interactions with his parents. It's not so usual to see a son speaking this directly with his father (without being disrespectful), and I truly appreciated the way Beckett made him reconsider some decisions he made; then there was also the discussion with his mother related to the eventuality of going back to Australia. I really felt his longing for "coming back home", like there was a direct connection with a place he knew took his heart. Furthermore I loved his growth during the whole book, even if maybe a little bit hidden by other events. For me Beckett is the one who ground the trio together, always sure of Charlie and Will, ready to joke but also to face more serious discussions. At the same time, he conquered me with his own frailties, and I adored seeing him starting to open himself to the others again and also searching for his own path in life - even if I was a little bit sad to know he won't pursue an hockey carrier as defensman.

And talking about hockey, I think this is probably the less sport related Briar U book I've ever read, and I kind of miss it, you know? Yes, we have some scenes here and there, Coach Jensen is always the best, but hockey was one of the pillar of these series, where guys (or girls) bond and grow together and, well, so freaking hot and entertaining to read. Here, I really felt its absence.
Truth is, the usually perfect balance I always find in Elle Kennedy's novels, kind of slipped in The Charlie Method. I don't know if it's because there were too many things to focus on and following three main points of views and personal journeys isn't an easy task to accomplish, but something of this story was off.
From a certain point of the book, almost every encounter Will, Beckett and Charlie had turned into a sex scene, with very little time for them to show properly their relationship and feelings growing and consolidating into something more than a fling or a temporary arrangement.
Let me be clear, sex isn't the problem - but some scenes seemed too similar; I appreciated the little increase of this kind of scenes in this last series (and the kinky aspect was an interesting addition for sure), but besides some exceptions, what did they do together to make the readers understand they were in love? It was like the majority of times it was all off page. Plus, I can't say I really came to know Beckett and Will as much as I know Charlotte. I ended the book with the feeling I was missing almost two entire worlds, when usually at the end of any of Elle's story I know almost everything about who the main characters are, what they want, how they react, etc. That took me by surprise because Elle is usually amazing in these kind of things, instead I finished the book a little bit confused.

I suppose the fact that these three main figures didn't have the same number of chapters as POV didn't help, especially regarding Will's part. Sometimes he seemed a little bit left behind, and it could be ok if this wasn't a polyamorous situation. Regarding that, I'm not a fan of love triangles in every one of their possible outcomes, but I was willing to see if Elle could give me a key to consider it believable. Unfortunately, my thoughts at the end of the book are that I love all of them, Charlotte, Beckett and Will, and they are even cute together, but I really struggle to see how this situation will work out and last in the future. I agree that everyone should do what feel right to them, but every practical question asked (by more than one character) received almost no concrete reply, with lots of "I don't know". And that perplexed me, because Charlie is clearly a rational person, with her own proper Method to evaluate every problem in her life, and in this case after some doubts and concerns, she just goes with the flow, only worried about what people would think about it, and even this question resolved itself in a too simplistic way.
Then we have Beckett's past trauma that is kept hidden for the majority of the book and then has been resolved in an instant with just some reassurances, and there's Will, who from book two changes his own ideas multiple times, arriving at the epilogue with no specific answers about which conclusion he came to regarding how to handle their love situation. I didn't even seen clear moments that showed their strong friendship, and that's a pity. It's like they remained a sort of secondary character in their own book too.
Moreover, while in every one of Elle's books the "Briar found family" is always there for the main characters, the rest of their friends is almost nonexistent. And it's even weirder if we consider that The Charlie Method's timeline partially overlaps with The Dixon Rule's one. I though I would have re-experienced some important (and tough) moments of the previous book from the eyes of Will and Beckett, since Shane and Diana are their friends, instead everything was just... mentioned, like they were not so significant. We don't even see Ryder's goodbye to Beckett after graduation, when they should be close friends. Why?😔

So, there are little or bigger details that left me a little puzzled about this novel. And allow me to say that the use of drugs isn't something to consider even if it's just a one-time thing and under a "controlled situation". I appreciated Beck and Will's behavior related to that but... no.

In conclusion, I'm really torn because I can't say I didn't love the book at all, but it missed some of the usual Elle's magic I love so much. I really hope that the next series (because I'm sure it will arrive) will give more explanations about what happened, and also clarify what is happening between Blake and Isaac. I'm still trying to decide if I have to be worried about them or not 😂

If you read it, what do you think about it?
Let me know in the comments! In the meantime, thank you for giving some of your time to read my review.

To the next one!

Chiara

 

 

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ARC Review: "ONE ON ONE" by Jamie Harrow

Hello readers! How are you?

Any sports romance's fan here? If the answer is "yes", let me present you an amazing novel you should immediately add to your collection! Are you ready to enter in the high competitive basketball world?🔥

 

Title: One on One
Author: Jamie Harrow
Publishing Date: September 24, 2024
Publisher:  Quercus Publishing
Pages: 402 (paperback)
Price: $14.95 (*price seen on Amazon.it)

Plot:They call it March Madness for a reason: Anything can happen on the way to a national championship.
Eight years after graduation, Annie Radford is not happy to be back at her alma mater in her old job with the Ardwyn Tigers’ basketball team. Worse, her coworker from back in college, Ben Callahan, is still on the Tigers staff, and he’s annoyingly wholesome, hot, and clinging to a grudge against Annie for abandoning him and the team their senior year.
But as Ardwyn becomes the season’s Cinderella Story, things start heating up between Annie and Ben, too. And while neither of them can deny this could be something special, Annie’s afraid to tell Ben the truth about why she left basketball—the thing she loves most—in the first place. She’ll have to learn to trust him if they have a shot at being together.
In addition to being funny, romantic, and sexy, One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus.
For readers of The Hating Game and The Ex Talk, a workplace, enemies-to-lovers debut for anyone yearning for a courtside romance, perfect for anyone who can’t get enough sports rom-coms.

Review:

Rate: 4.5 stars!⭐

I deeply thank Quercus Fiction for sending me a free copy of this book, and also to Jamie Harrow for creating an amazing story I didn't want to end.

I've never read a sport romance about basketball before and I'm not a fan of this sport, but I was totally hooked anyway, probably hyped by Annie's love for this sport and her amazing videos. I obviously couldn't see them concretely, but believe me when I say that I could easily imagine them and get involved in the Ardwyn Tigers' team as the real viewers. It was so vivid in my head it was like I could listen to the music playing on the background, or imagine pictures or videos continue on the screen encouraging the players and foster the love and attention of the fans. It was like I was again in Madison Square Garden, waiting for the match to start!

Anyway, the first thing I have to warn you is that in this novel the game itself isn't the focus, because neither of the main characters is a basketball player, but it was interesting to see different jobs related to it, that could affect its results (videos, interviews, analytics, etc.). At the same time I loved the fact that basketball was the way Annie and her dad interacted and bonded, and how his presence in the team and in Annie's thoughts was vivid during the entire story even if he passed away years ago. It was a very delicate and respectful way to represent grief, together with the message that it's ok if a person we loved wasn't perfect and made mistakes toward us. We can remember not only the good things, but bad ones too, because this doesn't mean we love or miss someone less.

And then there's Ben. What I think I appreciate the most is the fact that for multiple aspects Ben isn't a stereotyped MC. He's kind and an adorable cinnamon roll, that's for sure, but at the same time he didn't worship her or did whatever she wants without prior thinking about what he thinks about it. Moreover, he wasn't afraid to express his feelings and his thoughts, and even when, at the beginning, he was disappointed by Annie abrupt leaving them years ago and wasn't happy to see her again, he showed it with politeness (nope, no drama reaction or snarky comments). Plus, he was always ready to express his ideas and believes in a simple but steady way, because he wasn't afraid to do it - and he could be, due to his family background, another interesting aspect I would have wanted to explore even more.
Anyway, I liked also how he and Annie bonded again, without rush. I think their is the perfect example of an healthy relationship I would personally love to have and live too. And the chemistry? The tension...? Jaime Harrow has absolutely raised the expectation bar, and that's a real problem.
Last but not least: the work/school harassment theme. I appreciated (and hated, for Annie to have experienced it) how this was handled, in a sort of indirect way where you gradually unveil what happened in the past. And even if it wasn't an "on page event", I could feel Annie's emotions clear as water and I empathized with her immediately. When this happens it only means one thing: the writing was really good.

So, can we ask Jamie to write another novel with this character? Because I'm sure you're gonna love it.
Maybe with Ben's sister as MC...?

 

 

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[REVIEW] Why did "FUNNY STORY" by Emily Henry win the Goodreads' Choice Awards' Romance Category?

Hello readers! 

I discovered I've never posted yet my Emily Henry's annual review😱, so what better time to do it after her double win at the Goodreads Choice Awards?

As always, I have to thank @prhinternational for the arc and the chance to read this beauty in advance, and to Julia Whelan because I've already re-read it in audiobook format (my first one!!) and it was an amazing experience. So, why is this story so good to win again in the romance category? After the usual information you'll find my opinion about it.

Title: Funny Story
Author: Emily Henry
Publishing Date: April 23, 2024
Publisher:  Berkley
Pages: 384 (paperback)
Price: $19.85 (paperback - large print)

Plot:

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Review: 

Rate: 5 stars!⭐

Emily Henry never disappoints me. I've said that. I'm usually very superstitious about saying things like that because disappointment could always hit, but this author (as Mariana Zapata and very other few ones) owns my heart. It's like she knows exactly what story narrate to me and when. But, let's be honest, it's always the right time for an Emily Henry's romance, because I always find some connections with myself or my life. This book is no exception.

Funny Story is one of those novels that catch your attention from the very beginning. I adore every one of her incipit because they're crafted with a meticulous attention worthy of an artist, and that helps entering in the story like you just got inside a parallel world where those people really exist. I think that's why, for me, reading one of her works has the same feeling as coming home again. You can feel her characters breath, and you live their ups and downs beside them.

Here we meet Miles and Daphne in a very low moment: Peter and Petra, their partners respectively, left them few months before Daphne and Peter's wedding, discovering just now, after an entire life as best friends, they love each other.
So, since Peter expected that, after their romantic escape, Daphne would find another place to live, she decided to ask Miles to be his roommate, since she had no other place to go and her mother lived away.
At first they might seem too different to be even friends, but it was simply amazing to discover how easily they started to get along and really know each other, with a so natural chemistry I was swooning for them even before the 20% of the book. I liked the spontaneousness of their relationship and how they fit together as they were just meant to be. I've seen very few romance couples express this exact feeling with such a strong intensity without great acts or dramas to overcome, but Miles and Daphne are just two puzzle pieces that match together, it can't be otherwise. You can't stop smiling reading their scenes.

Another interesting point was how an almost immediate attraction became a slow burn one, held back by their both attempts to not ruin their new friendship (besides others matters). And, in addition, there's the fake relationship trope. It was fun to read how this started and how Emily used it to push them together, but at the same time turned it into an obstacle to really understand that their feeling for the other one were real and reciprocated.

I didn't expect to be so connected with Daphne. Well, we both love books, and that's always a good starting point, but I totally understood her struggle to make friends. She's a quite type of person, who opens herself only with someone she really trusts, always feeling a little bit clumsy and not very interesting for people to stick around. I totally relate with her fears to "not be enough" for others, and being easily replaceable when someone more cool appears around (same for Georgia in The Ex Vows). Plus, I also deeply understood Ashleigh's speech about Daphne being a we girl. I think it's good to be someone who does things with people we love or care about, but it's essential to still be independent of our other half, because when this "we" becomes too much, we risk to loose our identity, or personal group of friends, and it's not right. That's not how an healthy relationship works.

That's why I loved even more when Daphne took a chance to open up with Ashleigh, and her relationship with Julia. It was adorable to see her creating her place in the community, and how people included her without a second thought. She gained back herself, and the sweetest thing about that is that Miles helped her without taking control of it. 

Moreover, it was (painful but) interesting to see Daphne's relationship with her father. Their versions related to past events didn't always coincide, sometimes at large measure, others with slight but significant differences, and Emily has been a master to make us notice that her father was hurt by that too. That means that sometimes people don't want to see when we failed others, and without expressing that, they wouldn't understand that what they are and were doing is wrong. Communication still remains the foundation of every relationship, and not only romantic ones. One of my favorite phrases (from Miles) is: 

"Do you want to know why your dad doesn't stick around? [..] Because you see him. And he can't stand it."

Because it's also true that sometimes is easier not to think about other people and their feelings, and just following our desires, but that will mean that someone will suffer for this. I appreciate how Emily always makes us face with those overlooked realities that, actually, creates more problems, issues and hurts that others.

Let's move on to Miles. There will ever be a Emily Henry's male character I won't like? No, probably not. I super appreciated this caring, sensible man, that has empathy but at the same time is absolutely honest, without being mean. He was my hero for always being polite with Peter, even if he didn't deserve it. And he really, really didn't deserve it. Miles was steady and supportive when Daphne needed it, respecting her space, and I loved how Emily balanced it showing his own uncertainties, that made my heart ache. His complicated relationship with his parents hasn't been developed too much, but it was enough to understand his (and Julia's) emotional background.

At last, the side characters. I found them a little bit deepened than the previous books. After all, Funny Story isn't just the story of Daphne and Miles, but also Ashleigh's, that found a new friend and maybe will start to have more faith in people, and Julia's, who at the end I'm sure had strengthened her relationship with her brother. I also adored Daphne's mother, not too present on pages, but their dialogues always warmed my heart because their connection was clear and strong.
Then, we have the "main antagonists" of this story: Peter and Petra. It was easy to not like them, considering their behaviors towards the protagonists, but at the same time it was clear they weren't completely bad people, so I couldn't despise them with all my heart. Well, at least when love was not concerned, because in that matter they clearly needed help and should start not being so selfish.

Anyway, each one of those characters has their own complexity and it was a pleasure to read about them. This is the case I would have loved the book had no end, because I didn't want to leave them. I still don't want to leave them! 😂 I hope we will see them in the future, in some mini novellas as Layover or in other books. 

P.s. Is it only me, or we had a Beach Read's Easter Egg?

So, that's why I totally voted for it at the Goodreads' Choice Awards and I was so happy about Emily winning again - but there were multiple books that I equally adored, I have to say that. A pity you can pick just one.

Again, thank you, Emily, with all my heart for this beautiful book (I know she won't ever read it, but in case) 💗, and to @prhinternational for this free copy. 

And what about you, readers? Have you already read it? What did you think?

Let me know!

To the next review💖

Chiara

 

 

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