Devney’s college football series which began with Coach is continued with Blitz and damn is this book dripping in forbidden. He’s a football coach and she’s a star volleyball player, they can not explore any sort of relationship. What ensues is a slow burn, with so much tension, and I will guarantee that any reader who likes a taste of forbidden will enjoy this one.

I am a Devney Perry review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

A forbidden, small town, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry.
 

A coach. A student. The rules were concrete. We broke them anyway.
 

The night I met Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lie. He was a Treasure State football coach. I was the star of the volleyball team. Coaches and students were forbidden. My future was on the line, so I told myself it was only one night.
 

That was the first lie. They got easier to tell after that. The lines blurred. The boundaries shifted. Our relationship became a game of its own.
 

A chaste smile. A knowing glance. A veiled touch or a hushed kiss. We hid in plain sight. We were invincible. Or so we thought. Neither of us saw the blitz coming until it was too late.
 

Game over. The night I left Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lose.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Toren and Jennsyn are the main characters of this story. Fans of this series may remember Toren as Ford’s best friend and assistant coach. Torren grew up and attended Treasure State, his dream was always to come back and help coach the team he played for. It’s hard not to fall for him quickly, he’s noble and kind. Jennsyn threatens that nobility, she’s a transfer student to Treasure State, but she and Toren hook up in the summer and never share the key details that would have had them clue in to the forbidden nature of their relationship. Jennsyn will be relatable to any reader out there who struggles with balancing parental expectations with doing what actually makes you happy. Jennsyn’s past reveals itself throughout the story (I think some of the reveals could have happened earlier, I don’t like how long she kept pieces of her past from Toren), but nonetheless, my heart broke for her and I loved her character journey.
• Setting: As with all of Devney’s stories it is set in Montana. Treasure State is in a little college town called Mission, and it has that very US college town feel. Toren and Jennsyn are neighbours so much of the book is the longing glances and the sneaking out late at night and early in the morning. I think Devney writes college very well and am very excited for more books in this series.
• Pacing: The timeline of this story was super interesting as it is told concurrently with the previous standalone, Coach (Millie and Ford’s story), which I really liked. I find most often romance series tell one story after another in chronological order, so it was a nice change. It also gave a nice insight into Toren’s thoughts on Millie and Ford’s relationship. I flew through this book, I literally read it on a plane and half my flight just went by in a blink cause I was so entranced by it. I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending, it felt like it was like an abrupt end and here’s an epilogue. I would have liked a bit more exploration of their relationship once more people knew about it.
• Romance: Ooooh Devney crafted a delicious slow burn here, the payoff is so worth it. The story naturally opens up with them meeting the night Toren hosts a party and Jennsyn is compelled to check out what her new neighbour is up to. You don’t get the story of that first night right away, rather you get it in flashbacks and I loved this. After that night they do attempt to steer clear of each other, but their undeniable chemistry breeds some emotional and romantic moments. That build-up also meant that when they could no longer keep their hands to themselves the characters and the readers alike were giddy. 

Blitz receives 4.5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Amazon Worldwide | Paperback | Hardcover

Follow Devney on all her social channels…

Website  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Newsletter

Thank you again to Devney and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Devney Perry’s Blitz ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have been excited about this book ever since Giana first teased it! All I have to tell you is that this is a dark academia, sapphic, Medusa retelling, that should be enough to get you to look at this twice. I loved this book, and even if you think it is not for you, trust me give it a try and get ready to be whisked away to Archeron University with Lex and Luna.

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Giana Darling comes a sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling about a woman who was wronged by her idols and refused to pay the price without getting revenge…

I was born a woman.
Raised by women.
In love with women.
Until I enrolled at Acheron University, I’d never known much of men. I certainly didn’t know enough to fear them.
Then one stormy autumnal night, Professor Morgan tried to destroy me.
And when we were discovered by the university President, it was me who was punished for the unwanted seduction.
But they left me with two valuable lessons.
I would never let another woman be hurt by men again if I could help it.
And when someone hurts you, betrays you, and tries to rip out your soul, there is only one remedy for the pain.
Revenge.
And mine takes the form of the President’s very beautiful, very virginal, very straight daughter, Luna Pallas.
Before the end of term, I’ll destroy her innocence just as her mother and Professor Morgan destroyed mine.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Lex and Luna are the main characters of this sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling. Lex Gorgon is Archeron University’s Medusa. Lex’s story is dark and heavy, warning everyone now that there is sexual assault depicted quite early on in the book and that assault along with many others are discussed throughout the story. Lex’s character has such a magnetism, with a rage that draws you in and has you cheering for her revenge journey. If you love a little feminine rage you will love Lex. Now Luna Pallas, when you meet her you think here is the goody two shoes headmaster’s daughter, and throughout the story, she grows more defiant, and I loved every moment of it. Her development is also a sexuality awakening story as she goes from someone confused about herself to growing into who she is, a bisexual woman. Both of the gals have their own unique strengths and vulnerabilities, I loved them individually but loved them even more together. Lex’s sisters are a perfect addition to this story too, loved the Man Eaters.
• Setting: The story is set in the world of Acheron University, with whisps of dark academia especially at the Gorgon house readers will find it easy to immerse themselves fully in this world.
• Pacing: The book is seamless with just how fluid and beautiful Giana’s writing is. For those who love retellings and literature (all the English majors), you will adore the reference and reverence shown throughout the story. I was hooked on the plot of the Man Eaters and their quest for revenge, and I really loved how Giana went about navigating it and how she brought so much care to how she wrote about sexual assault.
• Romance: Giana pulled off writing a relationship that was heartwarming, earth-shattering, and so damn filled with tension. Lex and Luna had me giggling over their banter, and then swooning as they read poetry to the other. But fear not this book is also incredibly hot, from their first interactions the sexual tension melts from the pages. There is so much emotionality, they are navigating so many roadblocks in their way from others’ homophobia to processing trauma to seeking revenge, many times I was brought close to tears by this relationship. This out-of-the-world attraction and chemistry are balanced against how they are perfect for each other, Lex brings a bit of darkness to Luna, and Luna is Lex’s light. Truly it is such a special sapphic romance and powerful story.

Serpentine Valentine receives 5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Follow Giana on all her social channels…

Website | Facebook | FB Group | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter

Thank you again to Giana and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Giana Darling’s Serpentine Valentine ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

It still doesn’t feel real that this is a real book! My favourite thing about this story was just how nostalgic the reading experience felt. But that nostalgia was balanced with an original story that all hockey romance fiends are going to love!

Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.

Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.

Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word
with her dad.

The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Gigi Graham and Luke Ryder are the main characters of The Graham Effect. Gigi is the daughter of Hannah and Garrett the main characters from The Deal, the first book in the Off-Campus series. Gigi is just a mini-Garrett Graham, and I loved her for it! She’s got his sass and I loved how she held her own in every situation this book threw at her. Her determination is commendable too, as throughout this book her quest for a spot on the Women’s Olympic Ice hockey team is unmatched! Ryder is her love interest, and you won’t be able to help it he’s so easy to fall for. Another hockey player which I loved as both characters could bond over their shared love. Now I must say the cameos are one of the best parts for the loyal Elle Kennedy readers out there! I loved seeing Hannah and Garrett as parents, along with meeting Gigi’s brother Wyatt and a few of the other characters at Briar U.
• Setting: It felt so nostalgic to return to Briar University! I have such a soft spot for hockey romances with college settings, they are probably some of my favourite college romances to read. There is an additional setting near the end of the book that takes the plot on a sharp left turn, I’d say you have to read it for yourself because Elle sure takes the entire Graham family on a journey.
• Pacing: Fans will be delighted that you will have a sizeable Elle Kennedy hockey romance to escape into. For being a slightly larger book, it is paced incredibly well, and the plot never slows so I was hooked into the story at all times. I found the ending a tad rushed, but that did not deter from the fact that I loved the pacing of the buildup just so much.
• Romance: Gigi and Ryder hate each other when our story starts, but their undeniable chemistry has them catapulted into a friends-with-benefits arrangement. From that FWB dynamic to them being unable to keep their feelings to themselves. Fear not this is not a situation where neither of them share their feelings for a while, rather they are so communicative, and I loved that! Now in the past, I would not have added Elle Kennedy to a list of best smutty scene writers, I always enjoyed her spice, but she did not write the kind of scenes you go read again and again. In this one though there are so many iconic scenes from the shower to the library that will live on in this fandom for infamy! Needless to say, if you like your college hockey romance with spicy heat but also heartwarming you will love this.

The Graham Effect receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

Thank you again to Bloom and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Elle Kennedy’s The Graham Effect ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I binge-read the first three books in this series last December, so I jumped at the chance to review the conclusion of this fun and sexy series.

Colin Novak is the big man on campus. Huge—if the rumors are to be believed. Nearly every girl at Davidson University has had a ride on him . . . everyone, except me.

Which is fine. This frat boy may be irritatingly hot, all carved muscle with a deceptively wholesome smile, but that’s irrelevant. He’s a Sig.

When I catch his fraternity cheating at the Greek Week tournament, he denies it—causing our rivalry between houses to escalate. Colin and I may have started the mud fight, but it grows into an all-out war, and ends with us expelled from our houses.

Now I’m homeless and it’s all his fault.

So, while answering an ad for a leading role at an adult film company wasn’t part of my career path, the work comes with a lot of perks. Steady salary. Accommodations close to campus. A safe place to explore my fantasies.

Except when I show up for my audition, my partner is none other than my new archenemy—Colin. And our sexual chemistry is explosive.

We hate how attracted we are to each other, and I despise that I want every scene to be with him. Because the longer we live together, the more I see he’s not who I thought he was.

This frat boy was so easy to hate . . . but what if he’s even easier to love?

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: The protagonist is sorority girl Madison and I really loved so many elements of her character. She is an incredibly passionate character. As the story progresses her passions for so many things grow, from getting more in touch with her sensual side. Her passion was evident even in the small part of this book that was about the school we found out Madison was an accounting major. Her passion for numbers really comes in handy in some scenes that longtime fans of this series will love. Madison’s love interest is fraternity boy Collin. When we meet this frat boy he has been sleeping around and being a jerk to so many. He goes on a really interesting journey in this book. As he got to know Madison better he began to shift from the insensitive frat boy to a nice guy to even a supportive boyfriend.
• Setting: We don’t actually spend much time at the university, instead we are in everyone’s favourite Nashville Neighbourhood. I loved all the cameos from the characters of the previous instalments. There is a particularly stellar scene at the end that felt like an ode to this series and a beautiful send-off.
• Pacing: This story opened in such an exciting fashion! From the beginning, the premise is established so well, and you cannot help but keep reading. This story kicks off fast and never slows down. All I wanted to do was keep reading it, I may have even put aside prescient things to finish it.
• Romance: This book is extremely sexy, hot, and every other adjective in this vein that you can think of. I loved how we got two concurrent stories, the love story of the key couple and their romance. But readers who love scenes will multiple partners will fawn over this story, if you are a fan of this series I have no doubt you are one of those readers. The Frat Boy has M/F/M, F/F/M, M/F/M/F and lots of voyeurism and exhibitionism. The standout is the physical part of Mads and Collin’s relationship, but the emotional throughline of the budding relationship is still there. One of my favourite scenes was them having a deep conversation late at night in bed. It was low-key super relatable to me, are my boyfriend and I the only people who have deep convos way too late at night when we can’t fall asleep? I just wish these moments of connection happened slightly earlier in the story. If you want a fun bingeable series full of taboo tropes pick up the Nashville Neighbourhood!

The Frat Boy receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

Thank you again to Nikki and the Valentine PR team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Nikki Sloane’s The Frat Boy ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I was mourning the end of the World of True North, but then Sarina decided to gift us all with this phenomenal story.

“A new hockey player to steal your heart this fall…

The dreamiest player on the Moo U hockey team hangs a flyer on the bulletin board, and I am spellbound:

Rent a boyfriend for the holiday. For $25, I will be your Thanksgiving date. I will talk hockey with your dad. I will bring your mother flowers. I will be polite, and wear a nicely ironed shirt…

Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to introduce your long-time crush to your messed-up family. But I really do need a date for Thanksgiving, even if I’m not willing to say why. So I tear his phone number off of that flyer… and accidentally entangle our star defenseman in a ruse that neither of us can easily unwind.

Who knew that Weston’s family was even nuttier than mine? He needs a date, too, for the most uncomfortable holiday engagement party ever thrown.

There will be hors d’oeuvre. There will be faked PDA. And there will be pro-level awkwardness…

Boyfriend is a full-length book for Weston and Abbi!“

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Abbi is our heroine. She is incredibly hardworking, very independent and incredibly stubborn. She comes from a complicated family situation and quite remarkably made the best of it. She is graduating early with a business degree, so naturally, between school and work, she has had no time to date. I loved Abbi, I loved how despite how her head was in the books but she had enough time to develop a bit of a crush on Weston. Weston is our hero and I loved him too. He is a college hockey player but only plays for fun. It was nice to have a male protagonist in the Moo U series who never saw themselves as destined for the NHL. It felt way more realistic that Weston played for fun and was able to use it for a scholarship. Weston was pre-med and he also has a complicated family situation. His parents’ divorce is messy and he navigates it the best he can. I found him quite relatable because I would be just as nervous to have my parents in the same room post-divorce.
• Setting: The story is set at Burlington University. Which is affectionately called Moo U! We spent a lot of time at the Biscuit, the bar the hockey players frequent. It also happens to be where Abi works. Reading scenes at the Biscuit feels like coming home. Could not have been happier with all the time we got to spend here.
• Pacing: I almost read the whole book in one sitting. I had to put the book down so I could sleep after reading to almost 1 am. The pacing was riveting, I was hooked from the very beginning and I never wanted Abbi and Weston’s story to end.
• Romance: I loved that this relationship started with fake dating. They helped each other out, but after their respective favours, they could not stop thinking about each other. I loved how as their relationship got more serious they really began to re-evaluate their life, their decisions and where they wanted to go. I really relate to that because that is how my relationship progressed, that we began to start making life choices together and diverting plans for each other. This book was pretty steamy too and I loved their chemistry.

Boyfriend receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s Boyfriend ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I am a huge fan of The Hellfire Club series! So I was super excited to finally get my hands on Aurora’s story.

I am a member of the Dangerous Press review team, but I stand by my reviews remaining honest and true.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“It’s no secret that Aurora Lincoln-Ward hates Phineas Yates, but what most people don’t know is the reason. Last summer, Phineas broke Aurora’s heart in the worst way, and she promised herself then and there that she would never fall prey to the sinner of Pembroke Prep again.

But now sin is in the air, and the Hellfire Club’s number one sinner has his sights set on her…”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Aurora Lincoln-Ward is one of my fave protagonists in this series so far! If you have been reading the other stories you would recognize Aurora as Lennox’s twin sister. She is a Liechtensteiner princess. What I loved about Aurora is that her journey in this book was more than a romance. Ruined Sinner is about finding your own agency in your life. Aurora is navigating an overbearing mother, family expectations, imposed proposal, fake relationship, and recovering from trauma. Phineas Yates has had a crush on Aurora from the moment she walked down the halls of Pembroke. I love the contradictions Phin’s character presented. He had such a fuck boy reputation, but as the story progressed his true nature came across. I loved how he was loyal, caring, and incredibly smart.
• Setting: The majority of the story is set at the Pembroke, the boarding school the Hellfire club dominates. I love having the book set at the school. The school setting brings with it sneaking into each other’s dorms and fooling around during class. I absolutely adore this setting. Being set at the Pembroke we do get a lot of scenes with their friends. Lennox really comes across as this overly protective brother and it was wonderful to get to read more about his sibling dynamic with Aurora. Sera and Rhys do pop up as well and they do seem to be the only two left so I am very excited to see what a future book holds for them.
• Pacing: I engulfed this story. The pacing was spot on. There was a perfect mix of plot and sexy scenes. Not too much or too little either. Honestly, these books are such fun, total escapist, easy reads.
• Romance: This story is Becker Gray’s take on the fake relationship trope. I loved how they executed it. Phin taking charge and whisking in to “save” Aurora. When really he has just been pining over her for so long and lost his best shot. Now that he has been granted another one, he will not let it go to waste. The best part of the fake relationship trope is when it bleeds into a real one. It was definitely the hot hookups and steaming sexual tension that led Aurora and Phin down that path. Another A+ instalment in this sexy, steamy high school series.

Ruined Sinner receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3x9liPf
Amazon INTL: mybook.to/RuinedSinner
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3ratc9T
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2UeXNH9
Kobo: https://bit.ly/36Kw43z
Google: https://bit.ly/3id2r0m

Thank you again to Becker Gray and the team at Dangerous Press for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Becker Gray’s Ruined Sinner ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I am sad that we have reached the end of Moo U. It has been my fave series amongst The Word of True North. I will miss getting to binge a bunch of hockey and college stories. Read all my World of True North reviews here.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“Winning games has always been his focus, but will winning her heart become the ultimate goal?

Everyone at Moo U knows the party doesn’t start until Paige Underwood arrives. Not only is she beautiful, she’s fun and charming too. Guys want to date her, and girls want to be her best friend. All Paige wants is to have a good time and make videos for her beauty channel–and maybe get that girl down the hall to do her eyeliner correctly. Is that too much to ask?

According to her parents, yes. They’ve said the party’s over and that it’s time to get focused.

Spencer Briggs knows all about focus. He’s had one goal since he set foot on the ice as a kid: make it to the NHL. After years of hard work and endless practice, he’s the starting goalie for Moo U and mere steps away from his dream. He can’t afford distractions, and isn’t interested in relationships. And he definitely can’t afford to flirt back with the gorgeous girl in his lit class.

He needs to stay serious. She needs to get serious. But now serious sparks are flying . . .”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Paige is passionate, loveable, easy-going, supportive, and friendly. I related to Paige through her love of makeup. Paige is a beauty blogger but is feeling the family pressure to go to law school. She has a stressful family situation and a set of expectations that other readers may find quite relatable. Spencer is the starting goalie for Moo U. He has already been drafted to a future NHL team and he feels immense pressure to maintain his spot. He is just another hockey player with daddy issues. Another one whose self-worth crumbles when his dad comes to town. It was a great depiction of how it can look like you have it all together on the outside but inside you are a nervous wreck.
• Setting: I love Moo U and I will miss it so much. As I lost my last year of in-person university (thanks to pandemic). So Moo U felt like my school away from school. I also went to a commuter school so I loved getting to read about college town, USA.
• Pacing: I loved the pacing of this story. Specifically, the pace at which these two got together and fell in love.
• Romance: Paige and Spencer had an easy kind of chemistry. They really felt like they were made for each other. They were equal parts steamy and sweet. Despite their easy chemistry, the relationship and the love did not come easy. They both had deprived themselves of something like this, an epic kind of love that trumps everything else in life.

Goalkeeper receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

https://geni.us/AmazonGoalkeeper

Thank you again to Andi, Sarina, Jenn and the rest of the team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Andi Burns’ Goalkeeper ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I am so excited to be reading a story from Melanie Ting. She is a local author, and I love supporting local and provincial authors. Read all my World of True North reviews here.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“She needs Prince Farming . . . but she got me instead.

Sure, life’s been easy for me. Growing up in an oceanside house in SoCal, playing top-level college hockey, driving a luxury car with a generous allowance—sounds like the dream, right? Turns out what I didn’t have was freedom. And when I decided to transfer to Moo U for my last year of hockey, my controlling father cut me off.

No money, no car, no friends. I’m just another student struggling to make ends meet. The only place I can afford to live is the Meyers’ farm, where I’ll work in exchange for room and board. Farm work is so exhausting that I don’t even have time to wallow in the crappy turn my life has taken. Zoe Meyers is a hot blonde Amazon with all the energy of a chipmunk on crack. And her positivity is making me realize how lucky I really am, even though I’m broke. Too bad she’s not impressed by a guy who can’t figure out which end of a goat to milk.

Because suddenly I want to impress her. I want to do a lot more with her too . . . if I can get her out of the barn and into my arms.”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Zoey puts up this hard exterior and it is all to hide her more broken side of herself. It was refreshing to mix it up, as more often than not in romance novels it is the woman who heals the broken man. This time it was the man who helped the woman seek the tools to begin to heal herself. I will not spoil the extent to which Zoey is broken, just know this girl has some major self-doubt, especially when it comes to her hockey-playing abilities. And how can we not all relate to that? Noah is our male lead and he is the son of an NHL veteran and an Olympic figure skater. His mother is Japanese American and Noah is quite in tune with his heritage. It was nice to have a peek into the world of Japanese cuisine and culture through Noah.
• Setting: The setting is of course Moo U, or more formally Burlington University in Vermont. It had been quite a while since we had a story set on a farm so I was excited when Noah began to live on Zoey’s family’s farm. The side characters were really rich and interesting in this story. Especially the girls, I loved Rocky and I loved to hate Helen. Melanie Ting gave us one of the best looks into the dynamics of the girls’ team.
• Pacing: The pacing was really good. I really loved that this romance started with them establishing a great camaraderie, a really great friendship was such a nice foundation to build upon. When they had their struggles I found that nothing was resolved too fast or too easily, a perfect depiction of how hard it is in life to fix things.
• Romance: This romance creeps up on our characters and the reader. Zoey cannot help but make assumptions about Noah and everyone around her feeds into them. But really he is thoughtful, kind, and charming. Not some coastal elite snob, rich boy. His love language is definitely acts of service because he continued to be the best farmhand her could be. I found myself much more invested in the romance than the steam factor of this story. Yet don’t let that dissuade you, this story is important and meaningful. It is one of my faves from Moo U and one of the best in the entire World of True North universe.

Snowballed receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

https://geni.us/AmazonSnowballed

Thank you again to Melanie, Sarina, Jenn and the rest of the team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Melanie Ting’s Snowballed ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Time for the final stretch of Moo U stories. I am very excited to get a love story between two hockey players again. Read all my World of True North reviews here.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“There’s no faking it in love or hockey…

Transferring to a new school under false pretenses is harder than I expected, especially when my cocky new housemate, Callan Thomas, annoys me at every pass. He’s treated like a god and revered by everyone on campus. Too bad he made me feel like a rejected fool the first night we met.

But that doesn’t stop me from accepting his offer to become his fake girlfriend, because he has skills that I need. Only Callan can help me improve my game and make the USA women’s hockey team.

I try to keep despising him, but he keeps proving my first impression was wrong. And the more time I spend with him, the more complex my feelings become. I need to tell him the truth about who I really am before anyone finds out and things go too far.

Problem is, I think they already have..”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Aria is a female hockey player with Olympic team aspirations which makes her quite the determined spirit. That was something I loved about her character, yet I loved how multi-dimensional she was as she was keeping a secret and it weighed down on her. It made her anxious, to the point of sleepwalking which brought alive anxiety in a way that gives the reader a glimpse of what living with severe anxiety is like. Callan is the hockey god at Moo U. His father played in the NHL but in doing so it tore his family apart. This very strong-willed man struggled to distance himself from the little boy whose father never attended games or was there for important milestones in his life. It even makes Callan question what playing the NHL would do to his future family, a retrospective that was refreshing to see a male protagonist making.
• Setting: The story is set at Burlington University in Vermont. Lovingly known as Moo U! I am more used to the hockey house as a setting but it was refreshing to see a different living situation. To get more of a feel for the women’s team through all the side characters. And of course, I loved getting to see some of the men of the previous installments again.
• Pacing: The pacing was great. The reveals happened at the right pace for the story.
• Romance: The relationship in this story progressed in such a great way. They had such an adorable meet-cute equal parts harmonious and awkward. Along the path were so many humorous moments like how they found out they were sharing the same bathroom is a hilarious scene. I loved the fake relationship aspect of this story too. A few times come up where they are thrust into circumstances where they have to pretend to be dating. Once they made a pact to keep up the fake dating, I knew it was a matter of time before all of this combusted into the real thing. The story was steamy, yes. But I loved even more how they navigated being honest with each other and how to plan for a future together. Some really great stuff in this romance.

Playmaker receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

https://geni.us/AmazonPlaymaker

Thank you again to Sierra, Sarina, Jenn and the rest of the team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sierra Hill’s Playmaker ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

A classic trope, the virgin who is fed up carting around that card. She sets her sights on the man who will help her remedy her problem. How does he react? What will he do? You gotta read Darkroom to find out.

Check out all my World of True North Reviews here.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“Indi

I’m not gonna lie, being a twenty-one-year-old virgin is ridiculously embarrassing, bordering on pitiful. And if there’s anything I hate, it’s being pitied. So I’m getting my V-card punched this semester. It’s time to stop dreaming about being swept off my feet. Instead, I’m planning a down-and-dirty one-nighter with a certain hot hockey player I’ve been eyeing.

Hudson

As a top draft pick from a family of hockey royalty, I’m under so much pressure that I’m losing my edge on the ice. I need something to snap my brain out of this self-destructive stress-loop. Like a hot night of fun. That’s where Indi Briscoe from my photography class comes in. She’s flirtatious and funny one moment, sweetly shy the next. But then she wants me to pop her cherry.

Jesus. Did I mention the pressure thing? Am I crazy for starting something with her? Or would I be a fool for saying no?”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Indi is a hardworking student with medical school aspirations. She was adopted by a White couple after she was abandoned by her parents and left in an orphanage in China. She was born with a port-wine birthmark that covers the upper left area of her face. Hudson is your classic really really trying to be the nice guy. Hudson comes from NHL greatness, as his father was a Hart trophy winner with nineteen years of playing in the league. Hudson is a big softie though, he loves animals and even has a pet hamster. For someone with the immense pressure to make it to the big leagues, he hasn’t let it consume him. He is still incredibly thoughtful and values the education he is getting, something that not everyone in his family understands. I really really liked his character. I connected less with Indi, but granted the baggage she is dealing with is riddled with things I never had to deal with. Her rejection of her ethnicity is not something I connected with, as I hold onto mine for dear life. So when it comes to Indi I found her character quite fascinating as she is going through a unique set of struggles that no previous Moo U heroine is going through.
• Setting: Of course the story is set at Moo U, and yet again introduces more awesome side characters. I definitely want to see AJ, Hudson’s roommate get his own love story. The way he fell so fast and hard for Indi’s roommate Ruby just to have his heartbroken. I want to understand more about him and why he is so quick to love.
• Pacing: The pacing was good. Some heavy secrets are being kept and I thought the reveals were done at the right time and pace.
• Romance: Indi and Hudson have a much rockier start than previous Moo U couples. It was actually refreshing cause things do not always fall into place as easily as they did for previous couples. Especially for Indi, she’s got some serious abandonment issues and a really poor outlook on her self-worth. I know many people think you need to love yourself before you can love someone else. What Indi goes through, and it is something I personally connect to is that you begin to love yourself more as you begin to understand how you are worthy of love. That only happens once Hudson enters her life and is the first guy who is there for her. He is not scared off by her baggage and her flaws, something that Indi has never experienced before. I absolutely loved that this is the basis for their relationship. Hudson while being support is not a crutch, forcing Indi to go through her own character development separate from her relationship with him. This installment is much more about individual growth than some of the other ones, so it will definitely be the one to pick up if that is more your jam.

Darkroom receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

https://geni.us/AmazonDarkroom

Thank you again to Kate, Sarina, and the team at TWOTN for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Kate Willoughby’s Darkroom ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.