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readlovereviewblog's review against another edition
4.0
This book began with a prologue ten years ago. Rory is eight, and Mascen is ten. They are having fun playing make-believe for Rorys older sister Hazel. On the last day, Rory's life was simple.
Rory's POV currently, she is starting college at the pretentious Aldridge University near Nashville. Rory has quite the temper. She doesn't quite fit in with her new roommate but props for trying.
Masen is a baseball player. He is a junior in college and seems to be out of sorts a bit. He is a rich and jaded jerk. He even admits it to himself.
She and Mascen have a very abrasive first encounter. Them being enemies to each other is firmly established even though they Sue to be friends. Rory and Cole getting along too well are definitely rubbing Mascen the wrong way.
Mascen and Rory seem to circle each other on and off-campus, exchanging barbed insults. Mascen sure has his undies in a bunch over her, but his jerk side comes out anytime he is near. Cole has no clue about his friend's history with the girl he likes. Things get rocky for all the characters.
I can't believe how this book evolves from true enemies with a past to steamy scenes. This book is a rollercoaster as the characters all flounder around, making their own mistakes that often almost end their relationships and friendship. Who will Rory end up with?
For that answer, you will have to read thru this journey. However, I think the author aid it best "our story isn't a straight line but instead one with curves and forks in the road. " It describes this college romance perfectly. This doesn't end happily ever after; instead, it ends happily for now.
I enjoyed this contemporary college romance, the characters seeing young and carefree. Both have issues in their own life or a past that genuinely shaped them and finding each other again. I loved how mentally strong Rory was and how much of a broody jerk Mascen was, as it made the changes in them that much sweeter. We never do get Rory's entire history, but we get enough pieces to learn why she is the way she is and what makes her unique. This author has other books similar to this one with different characters, so if you want to read the entire series, you can.
Rory's POV currently, she is starting college at the pretentious Aldridge University near Nashville. Rory has quite the temper. She doesn't quite fit in with her new roommate but props for trying.
Masen is a baseball player. He is a junior in college and seems to be out of sorts a bit. He is a rich and jaded jerk. He even admits it to himself.
She and Mascen have a very abrasive first encounter. Them being enemies to each other is firmly established even though they Sue to be friends. Rory and Cole getting along too well are definitely rubbing Mascen the wrong way.
Mascen and Rory seem to circle each other on and off-campus, exchanging barbed insults. Mascen sure has his undies in a bunch over her, but his jerk side comes out anytime he is near. Cole has no clue about his friend's history with the girl he likes. Things get rocky for all the characters.
I can't believe how this book evolves from true enemies with a past to steamy scenes. This book is a rollercoaster as the characters all flounder around, making their own mistakes that often almost end their relationships and friendship. Who will Rory end up with?
For that answer, you will have to read thru this journey. However, I think the author aid it best "our story isn't a straight line but instead one with curves and forks in the road. " It describes this college romance perfectly. This doesn't end happily ever after; instead, it ends happily for now.
I enjoyed this contemporary college romance, the characters seeing young and carefree. Both have issues in their own life or a past that genuinely shaped them and finding each other again. I loved how mentally strong Rory was and how much of a broody jerk Mascen was, as it made the changes in them that much sweeter. We never do get Rory's entire history, but we get enough pieces to learn why she is the way she is and what makes her unique. This author has other books similar to this one with different characters, so if you want to read the entire series, you can.
samfranquiz's review against another edition
3.0
cute
I skipped a lot, I honestly had a really hard time getting into this story, and it’s a shame bc it had potential
I skipped a lot, I honestly had a really hard time getting into this story, and it’s a shame bc it had potential
tfpeel's review against another edition
5.0
Molto bello ora aspetto Cole
Merged review:
Molto bello ora aspetto Cole
Merged review:
Molto bello ora aspetto Cole
amberisalwaysreading86's review against another edition
5.0
This was a heartfelt, slow burn story that was hard to put down. I enjoyed the extended epilogue download as well.
nadine_booklover's review against another edition
4.0
After reading my first book by Micalea Smeltzer in 2017, I wanted to read another book by her. I never would have guessed that it would take me 7 years though.
Bad Boys Break Hearts was right up my alley. And if I would have paid closer attention, I would have known that The Boys is a spin-off. I only realized this while reading. Because at one point I really wished I had read Maddox and Emma's story (Last To Know - Willow Creek series book #1) before diving into this book.
Rory's sparkly personality vs. Mascen's broody "I keep everything bottled up inside me" is what makes their banter entertaining. Which is also thriving the story.
I can't say this is a typical bully romance. Hence I wouldn't classify it as such. It is more a coming of age story. A Friends to enemies to lovers romance. A very enjoyable as such.
Bad Boys Break Hearts was right up my alley. And if I would have paid closer attention, I would have known that The Boys is a spin-off. I only realized this while reading. Because at one point I really wished I had read Maddox and Emma's story (Last To Know - Willow Creek series book #1) before diving into this book.
Rory's sparkly personality vs. Mascen's broody "I keep everything bottled up inside me" is what makes their banter entertaining. Which is also thriving the story.
I can't say this is a typical bully romance. Hence I wouldn't classify it as such. It is more a coming of age story. A Friends to enemies to lovers romance. A very enjoyable as such.
n_desmond's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
anastashamarie's review against another edition
1.0
First and foremost, this book needs some CWs that it did not have: 1.) There are graphic depictions of suicide that could be incredibly triggering, especially for someone whose loved one completed the act. 2.) The relationship depicted in this book is NOT healthy. Like it's toxic even for an enemies-to-lovers book.
With that out of the way, I feel about this book the same way I feel about reality TV. I cannot say that it's good or even that I enjoyed it, but I also couldn't stop reading it because the drama sucked me in. Once done with it, I won't seek it out again. But if I accidentally stumble across something similar when I'm bored, it'll have me in its clutches again. There were so many problems with it, but weirdly they also became part of the appeal to finish it. In no particular order:
1) The internalized misogyny is rampant. The MMC is an asshole without much good reason, and the way that the male characters think and talked to each other through the book is cringey. Weird possessiveness in the relationship, and also double standards about sexuality. Also, the MMC is apparently very insecure about liking tea for some reason? Maybe it's my British ancestors coming through, but wtf is wrong with a guy drinking tea? I kept waiting for a redemption arc...
2) So, so many hedgehog name puns were in the first part of the book that I literally had to stop reading because I was giggling too much. This was an unexpected highlight of the book, but also distracting.
3) The characters are childish, made worse my immature characterization. Very public confrontations over things that could have easily been sorted out with a calm conversation. I get that this is a friends-to-enemies-to-FWB-to-lovers(?) sort of book, but I genuinely think both characters made a poor choice by pursuing each other when they both had much healthier options right in front of them. I also think they might be confusing love and lust...but physical attraction and sexual compatibility does not mean that you are a good match for someone. This goes back to the relationship being toxic, and is made worse by the writing. It reads like a Wattpad story by an author who hasn't quite figured out that relationships don't need to just be drama to be passionate and interesting. Idk, man. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this sort of story or maybe the bully trope just isn't for me. But I couldn't buy the relationship as one worthy of framing as positive.
4) There were a weird number Twilight, serial killer, and Joe Exotic references? I just don't feel like these will age well. (I already feel like they haven't aged well?)
5) In general, I just feel like the writing could have used another round of proofreading. There were congruency issues, where characters were laying then kneeling without a logical transition or threw a first pitch and then threw it again. I also noticed multiple repetitive phrases occurring within paragraphs of each other, so obviously that felt like the author forgot she said them the first time around.
I'm sure there are people who would LOVE this book--the reviews on here say as much--and even more, I can see it being a guilty pleasure even if people didn't love it. Just not for me.
*Edit because words are hard.
With that out of the way, I feel about this book the same way I feel about reality TV. I cannot say that it's good or even that I enjoyed it, but I also couldn't stop reading it because the drama sucked me in. Once done with it, I won't seek it out again. But if I accidentally stumble across something similar when I'm bored, it'll have me in its clutches again. There were so many problems with it, but weirdly they also became part of the appeal to finish it. In no particular order:
1) The internalized misogyny is rampant. The MMC is an asshole without much good reason, and the way that the male characters think and talked to each other through the book is cringey. Weird possessiveness in the relationship, and also double standards about sexuality. Also, the MMC is apparently very insecure about liking tea for some reason? Maybe it's my British ancestors coming through, but wtf is wrong with a guy drinking tea? I kept waiting for a redemption arc...
2) So, so many hedgehog name puns were in the first part of the book that I literally had to stop reading because I was giggling too much. This was an unexpected highlight of the book, but also distracting.
3) The characters are childish, made worse my immature characterization. Very public confrontations over things that could have easily been sorted out with a calm conversation. I get that this is a friends-to-enemies-to-FWB-to-lovers(?) sort of book, but I genuinely think both characters made a poor choice by pursuing each other when they both had much healthier options right in front of them. I also think they might be confusing love and lust...but physical attraction and sexual compatibility does not mean that you are a good match for someone. This goes back to the relationship being toxic, and is made worse by the writing. It reads like a Wattpad story by an author who hasn't quite figured out that relationships don't need to just be drama to be passionate and interesting. Idk, man. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this sort of story or maybe the bully trope just isn't for me. But I couldn't buy the relationship as one worthy of framing as positive.
4) There were a weird number Twilight, serial killer, and Joe Exotic references? I just don't feel like these will age well. (I already feel like they haven't aged well?)
5) In general, I just feel like the writing could have used another round of proofreading. There were congruency issues, where characters were laying then kneeling without a logical transition or threw a first pitch and then threw it again. I also noticed multiple repetitive phrases occurring within paragraphs of each other, so obviously that felt like the author forgot she said them the first time around.
I'm sure there are people who would LOVE this book--the reviews on here say as much--and even more, I can see it being a guilty pleasure even if people didn't love it. Just not for me.
*Edit because words are hard.