Maya HughesReseñas

This was sweet. This book came as a recommendation from bookstagram and it had been on my tbr for a while.

Gentle and sigh-worthy story
5 stars

I am a huge fan of Maya Hughes and while I definitely remember mentions of Ezra in the Fulton U series, I can’t really remember Willa. And obviously Ezra has been in the two previous Fulton U Rivals / STFU books as the series focuses on a group of guys who play American Football together for their college, as well as living together and being friends. Despite all that, I’d confidently say that you don’t need to have read any other book to read, understand and enjoy this story. There will be cameos and references you won’t get - bet then you can just go back and read the other books after you’re done with this one.

Our hero, Ezra, is a big, gruff and silent type. He’s a beast on the football field and due to his childhood experiences, has severe trust issues. He’s my favourite type of hero - a big guy who doesn’t feel he deserves love - but all but yearns for it. Basically, a guy I just want to hug and hug. I liked how, even after meeting Willa, he still repeated patterns to push her away or self-sabotage. He just felt like a real person and he was easy to root for. And if I had to imagine my perfect Ezra - that cover model is it to a T.

Willa could be described as something of a sunshiny character - but she does have a little sass to her that keeps her from being too bubbly. She’s friendly and kind but I could definitely feel her frustration over the way she was coddled by her family. It was understandable, although I admit to being a wee bitty freaked out by why her family acted that way - and I wasn’t completely on board with them even at the end. But as with Ezra, Willa was hugely likeable and completely relatable.

As a couple, Ezra and Willa were realistic perfection. Ezra was learning about what love really is, while Willa was finding her freedom. There was a lot of running and hugging, must-have-you-now moments and I’ve missed you after 2 hours, type of things that make my heart happy. Sweet heat as there was definitely an emotional as well as sexual connection.

Ezra had a difficult childhood and that story comes to a conclusion throughout the book. It was a little brutal and, well, I didn’t like it for Ezra’s sake. It made me sad. Willa has a different trauma in her past and while that was discussed more in the book, and was sad, too, I wasn’t broken by it which is always a good thing. I prefer my angst to be a simmer rather than a full-on boil!

As always, when you read a Maya Hughes story you’re in for a delicious, emotional treat. This book has all the elements that make her one of the best writers of new adult, college romance - the heat, the heart, the relationships, a little angst and a lot of romance and redemption. I loved every minute of it - definitely a worthy addition to the STFU series and deserving of the full 5 stars.

Enemies to lovers was never so delicious
5 stars

This is only the second book in the STFU series and yet I feel it’s the book we’ve all been waiting for. We first met Cole and Kennedy in the first book in the series, Kiss and Tell, and the hate. Was. Palpable. I was there for it in that book and was here for it in this book, too. But don’t worry if you’re new to the series and this is your first book - it stands completely alone and everything you need to know is explained in this book.

We start off with the kind of enemies to lovers story that other books wish they were. Cole and Kennedy hate each other but we can immediately tell that there’s an undercurrent and the ‘why’ is never quite clear. While they’re still at odds with each other, there’s that delicious anticipation that makes the book come alive. I was almost vibrating in excitement while reading.

Then there’s a major shift in their relationship with the bargain and the start of their “fake relationship” that feels anything but fake from the get go. It felt like we, as readers, could see everything clearly where Cole and Kennedy were too caught up in things to realise.

Kennedy is the kind of girl that you can’t help but love. She’s feisty, sassy and has worked hard to be comfortable with her curves. She still has her hang-ups - especially when it comes to Cole and their history - but she was eminently likeable and easy to root for. Aside from with Cole, I loved her relationship with her sister and her all-round planner, in-charge, thrifty nature.

Cole may have his moments but ohmigosh he is the secret cinnamon roll hero of your dreams. I adored that man boy! It is clear that he adores Kennedy and really wants to be his best self for her. He’s also a little broken which, if you know me, you’ll know is my absolute cat-nip for heroes. I’m a sucker for an emotionally damaged man. Sigh. But honestly, it’s pretty upsetting to see Cole and to get to understand why he feels the way he does and why he acts the way he does. He’s not worried about getting emotional, though, which is definitely another plus in his column for me.

As a couple, I loved Cole and Kennedy. Sometimes I find that enemies to lovers stories lose a spark when the couple in question get together and although Kennedy and Cole definitely behave differently once they strike their bargain, you can still feel that electricity between them that you get when they’re fighting. As always with Maya Hughes’ books, there’s a good amount of heat and sex, but it felt appropriate for our couple, especially once you understand their history together. I liked it. I felt it. So I was happy.

We get to know the other guys from the STFU football team in this book, too, and I can see myself falling just as much in love with them as I did with the Fulton U guys and the Rittenhouse Prep guys. There’s also more to hear from the odious Coach Mickelson and while there were revelations that I guessed in book 1, he was still able to fall in my estimations. Horrid man.

I really enjoyed Kiss and Tell but I adored this book even more and would say it’s one of the top books I’ve read this year. If I wasn’t already, this book has got me hook, line and sinker into the world of St Francis University, the football team and their friends. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series (which is where the STFU and FU worlds collide! Squee!) and if you’re not already a fan of Maya Hughes, I promise you will be after reading this book. 5 very worthy stars.

3.75 stars

I'm mixed on this book. While I loved parts of it, I struggled in other areas. At times the transition was not as smooth as I would have liked and other parts, I wanted fleshed out more. I did keep reading in order to find out the ending, so that is a plus for this author.

Great start to a new college series
5 stars

I’m a huge fan of Maya Hughes and her writing and was really pleased when I heard that she was bringing out a new college-set American football series. This time we’re at St Francis University (aka STFU) in Pennsylvania. This team were the main rivals to Fulton University, from Hughes’ previous series. This is a completely clean break from those books, however, and this one stands alone with its own HEA.

Leona is our heroine and I liked her from the moment she ran into Reid. She was a nerdy heroine who was sociable, fun and had the right amount of hangups to make her relatable. She was also a teeny, tiny bit unsure of herself which was definitely endearing. She had problems, sure, but she was never a whiner. She also stood up for herself when the chips were down - and I couldn’t help but admire her for that. She was someone I was rooting for from the moment she stepped on the page.

From the time he first bumps into Leona - literally - Reid is smitten. It was actually kind of adorable how flustered and tongue-tied he becomes around her, especially since it’s a completely foreign experience for him. Reid is all about football and is practically a God on campus which he’s definitely used to his advantage. He’s not a player but he definitely has more experience than Leona. Despite that, it’s Reid that’s more nervous in their encounters which again, was really sweet.

With all the sweetness, you might be surprised to hear that Reid and Leona together were electric. They had enough chemistry to give me that lovely ‘butterflies in the stomach’ feeling every time that they were together. It didn’t hurt that their relationship was secret, so there was a lot of quick grabs, throw each other against the nearest surface, kisses and encounters. My favourite kind, if I’m honest!

I liked that the reasons why Reid and Leona couldn’t - or should’t - be together were completely believable. It would have been easy to go with a flimsy reason but this one felt solid. There were also little extras to do with the backgrounds of both Reid and Leona - mainly to do with their families. There was nothing overly consuming and it helped build up a better picture of our main characters.

As this is the beginning of a new series, we get to meet most of our main players for the rest of the books. This can feel like a lot of characters and information but things started to sort themselves out as I read. I can see why some readers might find this book lacking in comparison to the Fulton U books, but I loved it and I really do think that once the rest of the series comes out, coming back and reading this story will give people more love for Reid and Leona as we’ll hopefully continue to see them in the other guys’ stories.

I love Maya Hughes writing - she gives me just the right amount of drama, romance, sex, love and angst to ring all my bells. She has a way of writing characters that feel so alive that I almost feel I’m reading about friends rather than people from someone’s imagination. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Maya Hughes or this will be the first read of hers, I would highly recommend this book. It’s got everything you need for a satisfying, first in the series, read.

The perfect conclusion
5 stars

I have been working my way through the audio books of this trilogy and I was so happy to get to this conclusion of Bay and Dare’s (I’ll still call him that for this review) story. The first book is The Art of Falling For You, the second The Sin of Kissing You, and now this one. You MUST read these stories in order or they will not make sense.

Now we know Maya Hughes wouldn’t do us wrong by not giving us the HEA that we deserve almost as much as Bay and Dare themselves, do. We’ve all been through a lot together and while we know it’s all going to be alright, there are still some obstacles to overcome and some nails to be gnawed before we get what we’ve been waiting for.

Where the first book was the the start of Bay and Dare’s journey together and the cataclysmic fallout and end of said relationship, the second was Dare reaching his breaking point and hitting rock bottom. In this story it’s Bay’s turn to get to that point. It’s still told in dual viewpoints and has thoughts and experiences from both our characters, but that’s the dynamic I got from this book.

What I’m loving about listening to audio after reading the ebook of a story is that you actually notice a lot more, or perhaps the narrators just give more nuance to the words as much as they inject much more emotion. Tim Paige and Emma Wilder have been with us throughout the trilogy and to me, they now are Dare and Bay. What I specifically noticed in this audio is the sheer skill that goes into the different voices - male and female - that each narrator does. So when in Dare’s viewpoint, Tim Paige reads conversations between Dare and Bay and I actually found myself forgetting that there weren’t two people talking back and forth. And it was the same with Emma Wilder.

For fans of Maya Hughes, this book also gives us delightful cameos from LJ and Marissa, Berk and Jules - and a quick update about (but no page time for) Seph and Reece. There’s also a quick overlap of the SWANK and Fulton U worlds, which will merge further when Maddy (Bay’s manager) gets her own story with SWANK’s Everest. Many yays for that coming to my kindle and ears in the hopefully near future!

While I knew what was coming (having read the book previously) the story still packed an emotional punch. What made things even more delicious is that when they were together, in some ways, our couple were cute and teasing and like a couple of teens in love. It worked so well, merging together their past with their present and then future.

While I’ve read a number of books where I feel satisfaction at an ending, it’s rare that I feel so uplifted alongside that. I wanted to keep reading - even if it was just the mundane aspects of Bay and Dare’s lives together. And without sounding like a kook, this story left me feeling upbeat and hopeful. If Bay and Dare can find their way to love, happiness and forever together, there’s hope, too, for the rest of us. I’ve loved every tear-stained, angsty, nail-biting, book tossing minute of their adventure together and feel Dare and Bay have been brought to life more fully from these audiobooks. The perfect conclusion to the Fallen Trilogy and definitely 5 stars.

Even better in audio
5 stars

I read and adored this book before trying the audiobook and even though I wasn’t sure it was possible, I enjoyed the story even more in audio.

To get the important details out the way first, this is not a standalone novel. It’s the middle story in a trilogy chronicling Bay and Dare’s romance / love story. If you haven’t read the first in the trilogy, The Art of Falling for You, you will not understand what’s going on in this story. And this story does not end with a HEA. That will come in the third and final book of the set, The Hate of Loving You.

In this book, Tim Paige and Emma Wilder reprise their roles of Dare and Bay that they took on in the first book in the series, The Art of Falling For You. As with the first book, they both excel at the voices and really give life to our star-crossed lovers.

I loved Bay and really felt for her in this story. She was cute, kick-ass and determined but very real with her emotions. She made the realisation that she was being selfish and was honest about how she couldn’t stop her feelings for Dare - and how their relationship ultimately wasn’t healthy. It might not have been evident from the start, but when Bay started allowing her feelings to resurface, it was clear that she adored Dare with everything she had and it made my heart fit to burst.

Emma Wilder has a raspy quality to her voice that was perfect for Bay’s songstress vibe. Further more, she really brought the emotion to this performance. I found myself really feeling every little thing that Bay did and when the ending came, I was crying like a baby. It was awesome.

What I liked about this story was how we get to watch Bay and Dare grow both as people and as a couple. Dare especially learns a lot about himself and he wore his feelings for Bay on his sleeve. My own heart broke for him as much as his beat for Bay. He was so desperate to right his wrongs - and took Bay’s previous parting words that he would never be loveable, to heart. He was trying so hard to be a better man but it was so obvious to us - and Bay - that he still had so many issues. I wanted to scream at him to stop his destructive behaviour but I also wanted him to learn. Gah!

Tim Paige as Dare was excellent. He’s got a manly voice but still quite youthful. I believed him 100%. He was very emotive and also did an excellent job of portraying the female voice of Bay during conversations that sounded realistic and didn’t pull you out of the story. He even managed to differentiate between different females and kept those voices consistent throughout the narration. Extra points for that.

Despite the fact we know it’s not going to end well just yet - Dare and Bay were so obviously perfect for each other. They just worked. Both were able to just be themselves around the other and I loved that the spark hadn’t died after 4 years of being apart. I still laughed with them and cried with them and screamed at them to get their stuff together and figure things out. Frankly, even when they were being idiots, I still love the pair.

Even knowing the outcome of this story - and the whole trilogy - I was surprised to still feel the delicious angst that is synonymous with Maya Hughes’ writing. She still managed to suck me in and mess with my head and emotions so much that I had to pull back every once in a while and remind myself it will all work out okay.

I love the way that listening to an audiobook having read the ebook previously, you pick up on so much more detail and really get the emotion from the characters that the author likely intended. I find myself falling in love with these characters as the themselves fall in love. Sadly, that also means that when they break, I break too. I can’t wait to listen to the final book in this trilogy but on its own this truly is 5 star audio romance.

new-adult, read, read-2021, sexual-tutoring-or-adjacent

The thing about virgin characters in romance, you see, is I usually want them to have sex with someone else before a HEA. Unless it's an extraordinary book and I can buy the one and done. This isn't.

Another stunning winner
5 stars

I love Maya Hughes. Her books always run me through the whole gamut of emotions leaving me wrung out yet ridiculously satisfied - and this story is no different.

This is the second book in the SWANK series but it features a completely new couple from the first book and stands completely alone with its own HEA. While Ms Hughes is probably best known for her (ah-may-zing) new adult romances, this is an adult romance.

Hunter is the go-to guy for anything that anyone could ever want or need. He’s a sexy and private man who revels in his own space and in his image. So when Sabrina barges into his apartment and into his life - he doesn’t know how to act. Oh wait - yes, he does - he gets grumpy! Mmm - love me a grumpy hero. The fact that he’s also a little bit troubled just makes him an even more perfect hero.

Sabrina was equally perfect as our heroine. She’s at a low point in her life but she’s never down on herself - or not more so than anyone else in her position would be. I love the way she was so determined to better herself and never stop trying. And the fact that she took bubble baths and ate snacks to relax - well, I fell in love with her right then and there.

Together, even through the fighting (or maybe partially because of it) Hunter and Sabrina are explosive together. When they finally got their act together and kissed, it was very much a grabby, throw each other up against the wall and ravish, kind of thing. My absolute favourite. Oh and the bath time shenanigans? 100% here for it. (In a book. I would be worried about water sloshing all over my floors in real life!)

There was some secondary things going on in this book such as Sabrina’s job, Ryder, Sabrina’s best friend, Cat, etc. Which reminds me, there were some seriously laugh out loud moments in this book. When Hunter thinks he’s figured out what Sabrina does for a living? Hilarious!

Ms Hughes’ writing grabs you and brings you into the story with such ease that before you realise it you’re hooked with the characters and their tale. There’s a reason she’s one of my most favourite authors and has never written a bad book, in my opinion.

As I mentioned, this is the second book in the SWANK series about a group of friends who now own an events company (called SWANK). The group of friends appear in this book (although as a fan, I would love to have seen more of them), as do several others from previous Maya Hughes’ books. Next up in the SWANK series is Everest and Maddy’s story - which blends a few series’ and makes me so excited I can barely function! Oh and Ms Hughes - I would LOVE to read a story between Cat and that deliciously angry, grumpy Russian, Ivan.

Whether it’s new adult or adult, Maya Hughes always brings it and she always kills it. If you’re a fan, or just want something fun and sexy to try out, I would recommend this book to you. 5 stars for another winner.

Uplifting and satisfying conclusion
5 stars

Ah! It’s here and I can finally breathe! And then hold my breath again as Bay and (I’ll still call him) Dare try to make this the right time and the right place for their love to last and for the pair to be together. Will this be the right time or are they doomed to be apart forever?

Now come on, we know Ms Hughes wouldn’t do us wrong by not giving us the HEA that we deserve almost as much as Bay and Dare themselves, do. We’ve all been through a lot together and while we know it’s all going to be alright, there are still some obstacles to overcome and some nails to be gnawed before we get what we’ve been waiting for.

Although I didn’t realise it at the time, I see now that the second book in this trilogy (The Sin of Kissing You) was Dare reaching his breaking point and hitting rock bottom, now it’s Bay’s turn to get to that point. It’s still told in dual viewpoints but that’s what I got from the story.

Which reminds me, this book is NOT a standalone. It’s a HEA, sure, but you do need to read the first two books to get any kind of understanding and satisfaction from this final story as all three books deal with the same couple.

And satisfying is exactly the right word for this book. As I read, I wondered if I would feel any sort of conclusion and truly believe that Bay and Dare would make it this time. So when I got to the end I was delighted that you could see that this time was forever. Never a more perfect couple were Bay and Dare and I loved every tear-stained, angsty, nail-biting, book tossing minute of their adventure together.

For fans of Maya Hughes, this book also gives us delightful cameos from LJ and Marissa, Berk and Jules - and a quick update about (but no page time for) Seph and Reece. There’s also a quick overlap of the SWANK and Fulton U worlds, which will merge further when Maddy (Bay’s manager) gets her own story with SWANK’s Everest. Many yays for that coming to my kindle in the hopefully near future!

This story didn’t wreck me as much as the first two books in the series and as much as I had feared. Both Bay and Dare were more mature and more aware of their limitations and their boundaries. What made that even more delicious is that when they were together, in some ways, our couple were cute and teasing and like a couple of teens in love. It worked so well, merging together their past with their present and then future.

While I’ve read a number of books where I feel satisfaction at an ending, it’s rare that I feel so uplifted alongside that. I wanted to keep reading - even if it was just the mundane aspects of Bay and Dare’s lives together. I would pass my kindle and smile as I remembered the story I’d just read, getting a hit of that happiness each time. And without sounding like a kook, this story also left me feeling upbeat and hopeful. If Bay and Dare can find their way to love, happiness and forever together, there’s hope, too, for the rest of us. 5 very satisfied stars.

STOP - if you did not read Book 1, The Art of Falling for You, you MUST read that first. This is a trilogy, in order, no skipping stuff.

Okay, you read it? Let's move on.

Maya Hughes wrecked me.
WRECKED. ME.

This is one of the most emotionally involved trilogies I have ever read. It is engaging, steamy, wishful, and heartbreaking. As a reader in book 1, you are happily wishing these opposites attract and stick. In book 2, you are hopeful that fate has them finding each other and stick. I know Maya is going to provide us a HEA and have it stick in book 3. But wow, my heart is a mess after book 2.

Both main characters are dealing with demons of their pasts that molded their childhood, impacted relationships and formed these young adults. But is just 'growing up' enough? Is it marking off the calendar of life enough to be the person you need to be to truly take care of the heart gifted to you?

Book 2 answers that. Is time the answer to have our star-crossed lovers stick? Or has fate crossed their paths for a brief, explosive moment to their final destination?

READ this book. Be prepared for your emotions to be all over the place. And wait for stars to cross again for Dare and Bay.

Such angst-filled deliciousness
5 stars

Up front, right off the bat, this is not a standalone novel. It’s the middle book in a trilogy chronicling Bay and Dare’s romance / love story. If you haven’t read the first in the trilogy, The Art of Falling for You, you will not understand what’s going on in this story. And this story does not end with a HEA. That will (hopefully) be in the third and final book of the set, The Hate of Loving You.

Okay, now that the public service announcements are out of the way - onto the book review, which will likely contain spoilers if you haven’t read the first book.

We start off 4 years from the close of the last book and the explosive break up of Dare and Bay and the revelation that seriously knocked me for six. Bay is spending summer looking after the university halls of residence when Dare appears for training camp as part of the pro-football team he’s drafted to after college. As you can imagine, after the way things ended, Bay is less than pleased to see him.

Although this is the story of Dare and Bay, as this is the middle book in the trilogy, I always kept in the back of my mind that this was more of two paths intersecting rather than coming together. It felt like Bay’s path was on the way up while Dare was having a more difficult time.

I really liked Bay, even if she was a little harsher towards Dare than I would be under the same circumstances. She was cute, kick-ass and determined - and I loved her. The way she used her hang-ups to spend more time with Dare, then realised what she was doing and started looking out for him - it was both realistic and made my heart happy. It might not have been evident from the start, but when Bay started allowing her feelings to resurface, it was clear that she adored Dare with everything she had.

Dare on the other hand was 100% all in from the get go. He wore his heart on his sleeve and my own heart broke for him as much as his beat for Bay. He was so desperate to right his wrongs - and took Bay’s previous parting words that he would never be loveable, to heart. He was trying so hard to be a better man but it was so obvious to us readers - and Bay - that he still had so many issues. I wanted to scream at him to stop his destructive behaviour but I also wanted him to learn. The end almost killed me. *Sad angst-ridden sighs.*

Despite the fact we know it’s not going to end well just yet - Dare and Bay were so obviously perfect for each other. They just worked. Both were able to just be themselves around the other and I loved that the spark hadn’t died after 4 years of being apart. I still laughed with them and cried with them and screamed at them to get their stuff together and figure things out. Frankly, even when they were being idiots, I still love the pair.

Throughout the book I had a nervous energy that wasn’t entirely pleasant for me. I didn’t know how this part of the story was going to end and there were so many houses of cards in this book that I was waiting to fall, that I was both desperate to continue reading and didn’t want to read another word. I’m so absorbed in this world and this story, dammit!

I adore Maya Hughes and her writing. She manages to suck me in and mess with my head and emotions in a way that is so painfully delicious and always has me desperate for more. She’s one of the very (very) few authors whose books I would actually read if they have a cliffhanger - in fact, this is probably the first time I’ve intentionally read one! I actually detest them! The fact that I even read one let alone gave it 5 stars probably tells you all you need to know.

I cannot wait until the final instalment of this trilogy hits my kindle and yet I’m also terrified. The angst is almost too much to bear but it’s so addictive that I just can’t help myself. 5 stars.

It’s a cliffhanger but I don’t care - I loved it!
5 stars

Cliffhangers are normally a hard pass for me - I’ll usually even black list authors who write them. So the fact that I even read one is amazing - but the fact that I actually loved one and would highly recommend it is a pure miracle. And it speaks to the fact that Maya Hughes isn’t just a great author - she’s one of the best.

This is Dare and Bay’s story and from the first I loved them both. Bay is the girl that most of us probably were in high school. She’s not part of the cool group but not edgy enough to fit into one of the other groups either. She just does her own thing, tries to keep her nose clean and mostly fades into the background. I also loved the way she reacted when Dare started to pay attention to her - she didn’t fall at his feet, didn’t sass him - too much, anyway! - but she reacted with suspicion. She made me laugh and I liked her immensely.

Dare was, in some ways, a very similar character to Bay - except he was definitely part of the cool groups, being the high school hero football player that he was! Yet he was actually quite a loner - and in some ways was just as overlooked as Bay was. He was an angry man but with completely good reason. And that reason was heartbreaking. A strong young man who is actually hiding a tortured and damaged soul - so someone I want to wrap up in a huge hug - is my hero catnip. The fact that he could do a bad thing and I still loved him showed me how much I loved the guy.

While excellent individually, together is where Bay, Dare and the book as a whole, shines. They both come out of their shells both as friends and then as lovers and are really their authentic selves with each other. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a love story where the couple can finally be themselves, and find that another person accepts and loves them just as they are. But there’s also a lot of teasing and banter between our couple - and that definitely made me smile.

As I mentioned, this is the first book in a trilogy telling Dare and Bay’s story. Next up is The Sin of Kissing You and finishing up with The Hate of Loving You. This book tells Dare and Bay’s story starting from several months before graduation in their senior year of high school. So I suppose that technically makes this a young adult book, even though we know this is happening prior to “present day”. There is kissing and some sex in the book but it all fits in with the story and not gratuitous. Perfect.

Since I’m such a suspicious person who loves true crime, I would say that in a book, it’s hard to surprise or shock me. But this book managed just that - and with the last line of the book. I don’t want to spoil it by saying too much but my eyes must have bugged out like a cartoon character when I realised…and then I found myself going over every part of the book muttering “well, of course!”

Yes, this is a cliffhanger but I’m secure in the knowledge that the next book is coming out very soon. I’m still not going to change my stance on them as a whole, but if you’re a fan of Maya Hughes or absorbing and involving new adult romance, give this one a go - you will not be disappointed. 5 stars.

Exactly what we’ve been waiting for
5 stars

I feel like I’ve been waiting FOREVER for this book and I couldn’t wait to get my hands and eyes on it. For those new to Maya Hughes or the Fulton U series, this is the fourth book (after The Perfect First, The Second We Met and The Third Best Thing). Technically, it does stand alone but characters from the previous books appear heavily in this one and I’m pretty sure The Third Best Thing (Berk and Jules’ story) is happening simultaneously to this one. Simply, you *can* read this one first but you *are* going to want to read the first three books after reading this one so you might as well head to the start and read them in order!! (There’s even a teeny tiny crossover with Liv and Ford from Fearless King.)

LJ and Marisa have appeared on the fringes of all the previous FU books. The two best friends who are adamant that they’re friends and only friends. However, as soon as we start this story we realise that, of course, it’s not that simple.

What follows is a delightfully emotional and engrossing tale of the changing of friends into lovers - and all the highs and lows that come with that change. It’s such a joy to read. Not too angsty although I did shed a tear regarding the relationship between Marisa and her father. There are also funny parts that had me laughing out loud - and some where I was cringing right along with our characters.

LJ and Marisa have a built-in deep relationship due to their life-long friendship. I sometimes read friends-to-lovers stories where the minute there’s a change in the relationship, the chemistry goes flat. Not so with our couple here. I got butterflies in my stomach at the merest of touches, looks and smiles between them. And the fact that they still kept their banter and teasing as a couple also gave me a multitude of happies

It goes without saying that I loved both characters - but LJ really stole my heart. He is so good and so sweet. He deserved his happily ever after and that he got what his heart had always desired was the icing on this perfect story cake.

For me, Maya Hughes proves she’s the queen of new adult romance with another gorgeously woven tale that sucks you in, wrings you out but still leaves you satisfied at the end. I really hope that Keyton gets his own story next - I just can’t let this series go quite yet.

This is the first book I finished in 2021 and it’s set the bar very high for the rest of the year. I already know it’ll be one of the best of the year. 5 stars from me and very highly recommended.

My sweet, precious babies!! Both Jules and Berk have this strength in their vulnerabilities that made me love them as characters but also absolutely cherish them as a pairing. My favorite book in this series by far. By far!!

def cute and introduced me to Fulton u but I will say that I really don’t like the premise/ trope of this book and it just never really clicked for me

A wonderful hate-to-love romance
5 stars

I’m a huge fan of Maya Hughes but this is the first contemporary romance of hers that I have read. She is the queen of new adult romance so I had high expectations but also some anxiety towards this book. Would I love her contemporary romance as much as I do her NA?

Well, yes. Yes I would!

Ah - this book is everything I hoped and more. Ms Hughes is the kind of author that makes me feel completely immersed in her worlds and with her characters, so much so that I myself feel the happy sort of giddiness of love that’s in the books right along with the characters. Maya Hughes is a happy place for me.

This book kicks off a new series (The SWANK series, or Cupcakes and Cocktails as I’ve also seen it called) I’m presuming/hoping will be about all 5 childhood friends of which Leo, our hero in this book, is one. As it’s the start of a series, there are quite a lot of characters to learn all at once. It’s a wee bit hectic for a while as you try to sort everyone out, but by the end I loved all the guys and am looking forward to all of their stories. Well, maybe less so for Everest, but I’m sure I’ll get over it in future books.

I love, love, love me an enemies to lovers romance, especially one where our couple are truly antagonistic towards each other, and who don’t suddenly change personalities as soon as they begin to like each other. Zara is a bit of a control freak, a scrapper and determined to do the best at her job that she possibly can for herself and her brother. I really liked her, despite the fact that I can totally see why Leo was ridiculously infuriated with her behaviour. That made it all the more delicious to watch their angry interactions thinly veiled with sexual tension, especially when they had to pretend they were in love.

Leo was an absolute doll. He was a little bit broken - just a little bit, mind - and a little bit confused, but he was such a sweetheart. And an alpha, cocky jerk to boot. Which made him perfect, too. He wasn’t innocent in the back and forth with Zara - in fact, I’m pretty sure he started the whole thing - but he was the kind of guy you’d want in your corner. Or more accurately, standing beside you.

As with only the best enemies to lovers stories, once that angry, simmering tension exploded, it exploded gooood! It gave me that lovely, jumpy feeling in my tummy every time the pair got down to business. While it was great when it was hot, it was also great in the quieter, sweeter moments like a hug, a kiss on the head, or a cupcake smooshed in your face. It’s in those moments that you can really see and feel our couple falling in love. Happy sigh.

I can tell this is going to be an awesome series and I’m so looking forward to the next book and all the others to come. And I hope we get to see more of Zara and Leo in the future, as they are proper couple goals and reading their hate-to-love story really made me smile and swoon. Perfection. 5 stars.

The fifth and final book in the Kings of Rittenhouse series was an emotional rollercoaster for more reasons than one. Heartless King is the final glimpse into the lives of the Kings of Rittenhouse and a fantastic wrap to the series.

Colm Frost is the last of the core group of Rittenhouse Prep hockey gods to find love – not that he much cares after being betrayed by his best friend and little sister who had the nerve to fall in love. Well, the old, responsible Colm is gone, and to prove it, he and a room full of strangers are going to drink her inheritance – that’ll show her. Drunk out of his mind and having just recovered from an injury that has kept him off the ice for months, Colm is stunned when a blast from the past arrives at the bar in the form of the beautiful, selfless woman he shouldn’t want. But man does he want her. And it seems like she wants him, too – at least for the night. After a spectacular night together, Colm is sure she’s it for him. Always quick to love, Colm is certain that this was only the beginning for them. Unfortunately, love is seldom that easy.

Three months after their incredible night together, Colm has reinjured himself and lost all desire to be part of the human world. His friends are desperate and, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. It just so happens that the woman Colm can’t seem to forget has been coerced into helping him with his recovery. The two are forced to overcome their past to make way for a beautiful future – something hard enough on its own much less when life throws them another curveball in the form of a positive pregnancy test. Now they must decide once and for all if their relationship is worth fighting for.

I’ll admit that I struggled a little bit with Heartless King. Maya Hughes did not disappoint – her writing was on point, her characters were wonderfully developed, and you felt a connection to Colm and his leading lady. My problem was that Colm had to grow on me. I spent a good chunk of the book wanting to slap him. A lot of that had to do with the way things ended in the previous book (Fearless King) and with some of the spectacular jerkish moments he had in Heartless King. As someone who admits more than once throughout the course of the book that he gets intense too fast in relationships, he doesn’t seem to have a lot of patience when it comes to his significant other wanting to slow things down. However, he wasn’t an all-bad character and his development felt natural – he didn’t just flip a switch and become a different person. I could appreciate that.

Ultimately, Heartless King was a wonderful book to round off an even more wonderful series. I’m sad to see the Rittenhouse boys go, but hopefully we’ll continue to see more glimpses in Maya Hughes’s other fantastic series, like Fulton U.

Fearless King, the fourth book in Maya Hughes’s Kings of Rittenhouse series, was one I was very much looking forward to reading. Hughes’s previous works have shown me her ability and willingness to write characters that are beautifully flawed and who possess a past that has left them scarred but not broken. Needless to say, I was anxious to see how she continued this theme with a new King couple.

This book centers around the strained relationship between Ford Atherton, the quietest member of the Kings, and Olivia “Liv” Frost, the younger sister of Colm aka Ford’s best friend. As the tagalong little sister surrounded by gorgeous, charismatic hockey players, it’s no surprise that Liv spent most of her childhood crushing on the quietly enigmatic Ford. The only problem is, he’ll never see her as anything more than a little sister and an extension of Colm, whose overprotective tendencies and inability to acknowledge her adult status is more than a little frustrating. But that hasn’t stopped her from looking at Ford with hearts in her eyes nor, apparently, has is stopped Ford from beginning to see her in a different light.

Declan and Mak’s wedding was more than just the joyous union of soulmates – it was also the beginning of the messy, complicated relationship between Ford and Liv. No matter how hard he tries, Ford just can’t shake the feeling that Liv is so much more than a little sister. In fact, she’s not his sister at all – she’s a certified grownup and too beautiful to handle. But after a huge misunderstanding leads to heartbreak before they can even really get started, it seems unlikely that Ford will ever get to be with Liv. Throw in a domineering (and slightly hypocritical) older brother and the unrequited love Grant (Ford’s younger brother) has for Liv, and they’re in one heck of a pickle. But when the stars – if not the timing – align, Ford and Liv are powerless to stop their feelings from growing.

I loved Ford and Liv’s story. It was a relationship that happened against all odds. After all, what’s more taboo than lusting after your best friend’s sister? It felt like Liv and Ford faced more obstacles for the sake of their relationship than the rest of the Kings. That’s not to say that the other couples of the Kings of Rittenhouse didn’t face their respective firing squads, but in Fearless King, Colm’s status as Liv’s older and way too pushy brother, Colm’s lack of trust in Ford, Grant’s longtime crush on Liv, Colm's expectations of Liv, and Liv and Ford’s age difference all worked against them. That’s a lot of landmines to step carefully around.

Fearless King was angsty without being too angsty and it felt like the angst, for the most part, was warranted. As always, the majority of Liv and Ford’s problems could have been resolved with open communication – between them and Colm, between Liv and Grant, and between Liv and Ford themselves. But Hughes managed to make this more of an unfortunate byproduct of ‘love is blind’ syndrome rather than an annoying point of contention. I was more exasperated with Grant and Colm – especially Colm.

I was glad that after everything blew up (it always does in these types of situations), Grant and Liv got to have a frank conversation about their feelings. Although Grant had been crushing on her since the tender age of nine, it didn’t mean Liv owed him the same feelings. (view spoiler)

I spent the majority of the scenes Colm was involved in wanting to pull my hair out. He’s just so stubborn, not to mention hypocritical and ridiculous about Liv and medical school. He gets to live his dream but Liv can’t? As much as I’m not a fan of relationships breaking up siblings, in this case, Colm is to blame for his own heartache.

Despite all the road bumps, it was gratifying to see Liv and Ford get their shot at love. Fearless King was emotionally charged, well written, and an overall lovely read.

Ruthless King is the third installment in Maya Hughes’s popular Kings of Rittenhouse series, which are perfect reads for anyone who enjoys sports romances, happily ever afters, and serious chemistry between the main characters.

Emmett Cunning and Avery Davis have a history, as much as Emmett would like to forget it. After their instant connection on the first day of sophomore year at Rittenhouse Prep, everyone (including them) thought their love would be one for the books. And it was – until disaster struck, leaving an angry Emmett and a devastated Avery in its wake. Four years later, Emmett’s lingering anger at his ex-love is still going strong and he’s developed a strategy for love – no more than twelve weeks with a woman before pulling the plug. Unfortunately, he’s about to go toe-to-toe with Avery and find out that not everything is what it seems.

Avery has devoted the last decade or so of her life to caring for her sister and covering for her father. But now that Alyson has graduated high school, she can move on with her life, which she fully intends to do. However, life throws her another curveball when she reluctantly decides to spend two weeks with her friends and their significant others (the Kings themselves) and a certain King crashes the party. Emmett and Avery intend to spend those two weeks avoiding one another, but when certain truths come to light and sparks fly, they may find that some loves are forever.

Ruthless King was a wonderful mashup of two of the biggest tropes in the romance genre – enemies to lovers and second chance romance. The characters were engaging even when they were frustrating. Emmett was hardheaded and a bit of jerk for a while and his inability to believe Avery when she was trying to tell him the truth was maddening. Likewise, Avery’s decision to give Emmett the truth in little bits and pieces instead of all at once and her choice to remain silent instead of defending herself made for some unnecessary angst. But despite that, you could tell that the reason both of them were so hurt was because of the depth of their feelings. When they finally overcame the obstacles in their way, it was magic.

I’ll admit that I was especially anxious to get to Ruthless King because of the couple the book is centered around. My first Maya Hughes book was actually The Third Best Thing, which, although not technically part of the Kings of Rittenhouse series, has some serious overlap. That is where I was first introduced to Emmett and Avery as a couple. So, going into Ruthless King, I knew roughly how it would end, but man was I excited for the journey. I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

I absolutely fell in love with the boys, nay Kings, of Rittenhouse Prep in the first book of Maya Hughes's Kings of Rittenhouse series, and I was excited to return their world in the second book.

Reckless King centers around the most laid-back member of the hockey-loving Kings, Heath Taylor, who's not as cool and composed as you might think. Heath was introduced in the first book as the peacekeeping, botany-obsessed member of the group and it was nice to see his story develop. Like Declan, Heath is determined to graduate with his botany degree before finally taking the plunge and starting his career as a pro hockey player. Because of this, he's willing to do whatever it takes to get that diploma in his hands - including taking a couple of independent study courses. Seems easy enough – take a few courses, graduate, go pro. But life doesn’t always go as planned – something that is made abundantly clear when his independent study TA is none other than the woman he’s been sleeping with and very well might be falling in love with.

Kara’s life hasn’t always been easy. Although her adopted parents are wonderful, her early life is tainted by the disappointments from a childhood spent with an irresponsible, alcoholic mother. But as a master’s student and prospective PhD candidate, she’s determined to put all that behind her. When Heath enters the picture unexpectedly and blinds her with their instant and undeniable attraction, it seems like everything is falling into place. Only it’s not. Because Heath’s grade depends on her (even if only technically) and indulging in their feelings is a one-way ticket to the ethics committee for Kara and an instant fail for Heath. But can they deny their chemistry?

While I liked the second installment in the Kings of Rittenhouse series, I can’t say I loved it as much as Shameless King. Kara and Heath certainly had chemistry and both characters were captivating in their own right – no one could argue that they didn’t have compelling, if not painful, backstories – but I found myself struggling a little to finish their story. It was a little angsty and it felt like much of it could have been avoided by just being upfront about their relationship. Their slightly taboo relationship was only really a problem because they were hiding it. If either of them had initially gone to Heath’s professor (or even someone higher up) and informed them of the conflict of interest, so much of the drama and heartache could have been avoided. Alternatively, they could have followed through with their decision to stay away from one another until graduation. Regardless, the drama involved and the somewhat awkward pacing made this a good read rather than a great read. That being said, I love Maya Hughes’s work and the Rittenhouse boys and enjoyed seeing another glimpse into their lives.

Shameless King is the first book in Maya Hughes’s Kings of Rittenhouse series, which centers around a tight-knit group of hockey-playing friends meeting their matches.

Declan McAvoy and Makenna Halstead can’t stand one another. Always have, always will – or at least that’s what they think. Having witnessed Declan’s arrogant attitude and tendency towards laziness first hand whilst attending the expensive and elite high school known as Rittenhouse Prep, Mac knows not to expect much when partnered with the hockey god in the Sophomore Seminar class she’s being forced to take after transferring from Stanford her senior year of college. Likewise, Declan knows that prissy, uptight Makenna is just waiting for him to fail and confirm that he falls into the ‘dumb jock’ category. But what starts as a reluctant partnership between the two for the sake of Makenna’s med school eligibility and Declan’s future as a professional hockey player turns into much more. As their relationship progresses, Declan and Makenna begin to realize that not everything is as it might first appear. In fact, it’s not at all what it appears to be.

Shameless King was a wonderful enemies to lovers romance chock full of sizzling chemistry, steamy sex scenes, and enchanting characters. Makenna and Declan are arguably as different as can be and suffer from their own heartaches and responsibilities but it’s clear that they belong together. Mak is headstrong and determined, but entirely too hard on herself. Declan in a hard worker and a touch irresponsible in the beginning, but he cares. He pushes Mak to do what’s right for her but accepts her need to excel. In turn, Makenna forces him to realize his full potential. It was refreshing to see a male main character who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable or put everything on the line to get the girl.

I loved Declan and Makenna’s journey and their love story was beautiful. I greatly enjoyed watching them find love and happiness.

I just finished this book and I literally couldn’t wait to review it – it was that good. This book was everything I was hoping for and more. Protective and humble hotshot football player? Check. A guy unafraid to share his emotions and bare his heart? Sign me up! Two people, who have been chewed up and spit out by life, overcoming their fears? Yes, please.

The third book in the Fulton U series gives readers a look into the lives of Berk, an attractive and goofy but surprisingly vulnerable football player, and Jules, a sweet-as-can-be baker who has been crushing on Berk for what feels like forever. Through a series of sexy letters and delicious baked goods, what starts as an anonymous pen pal romance turns into a beautiful relationship between the girl who doesn’t feel like she fits in and the boy who would give her the world.

Berk and Jules’ relationship is incredibly sweet and, as the book progresses, you get to see just how deep their relationship goes. Jules and Berk as characters are wonderfully developed and you can’t help but feel connected to their struggles. Their relationship never feels artificial or fake and though they avoid discussing some of the harder issues they each deal with initially (i.e., Berk’s life as a former foster kid, Jules’ secret identity as The Letter Girl, her mother’s cruel criticism), it still feels like they connected on a deep enough level that those details are just window dressing.

I think what I enjoyed most about this book (aside from the perfection of Jules and Berk’s relationship) is seeing how Jules’ struggle with her image and body confidence changed her. It was refreshing not only to see a female main character who wasn’t ‘model perfect’ but also one who acknowledged that loving yourself is a process. In the end, Jules emerges from it stronger and more confident than ever. I loved in the end that Jules could laugh at her insecurities and mean it. Berk has never made her feel anything less than beautiful and sexy and it feels so good when Jules finally sees it too.

I literally can’t say enough good things about this book. If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy romance between two perfectly imperfect characters, then this is it for you. This the first book in the Fulton U series that I have read but I plan to rectify that immediately.

*Thank you so much to Goodreads, Maya Hughes, and Some Kind of Wonderful Publishing for the giveaway copy that allowed me to read The Third Best Thing and give an honest review!

So many feels
5 stars

Maya Hughes has a way with words that really brings you into the story. But it’s her skill with the angst that really pulls at your heart and makes you feel all the things and then some with whatever book she writes.

This is the 5th - and last - book in the Kings of Rittenhouse series. Each book follows a different couple, but since they’re all such close friends, if you’re looking to pick up this book and haven’t read those that have come before it - pick the first four in the series as well as getting this one! And we’ve obviously got to know the Kings, their Queens and their backstories - so I feel we’ve been building up to this story for a long, long time!

Colm has had his share of heartache in his life yet he’s always been the responsible one in the group. I’m not sure quite how Ms Hughes makes us feel so sorry for him even when he’s being a monumental douche - especially at the beginning. I just wanted to hug the poor man and tell him things would be okay. The fact that he was big, brash, broken and grumpy - and still a little bit of a control freak - just makes me love him more. Colm is my kind of hero even before you find out he’s so vulnerable - especially to Imo. He’s a big ol’ teddy bear.

I think that’s why Imo was so perfect in my eyes. She was the perfect foil for him - a calm to his chaos while also drawing the calm from him when she felt more chaotic herself. Imo also had a pretty heavy past and while I don’t normally go for stories where either of the main character’s have had a previous love of their life - in this case it works just fine as we ultimately know that Colm and Imo are soulmates.

The pair definitely give off that soulmate vibe - despite all the ups and downs that they go through. Fear not though, the angst is real, my friends. There’s no silly drama or convoluted points to move the story forward. Every word is so real - and you’ll race through the story with the power of Ms Hughes’ storytelling abilities. So as well as the soulmate vibe, the two also have hella chemistry. It’s the kind that clutches your stomach and makes the butterflies swirl in delight. So sexy. So, so good.

As I said, this story is so well written, with such rich and vivid details on the lives of these characters that they start to mean so much to you in the short time it takes you to fly through this book. It makes you laugh, cry, but ultimately makes your heart soar with all the feels.

Maya Hughes is an absolute goddess of the romance world. She writes with heat, heart and in a way that makes me feel like I’m coming back to meet with a well-loved friend, every time I pick up her books. And the fact that this is the end of an epic series - and I’ve come to know and love this bunch of hockey players and the women they fall for - makes it all the more emotional for me as a reader. And all the more satisfying along with it.

As with the previous Rittenhouse King novels, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. You get everything you want from a love story - all the feels and enough angst to make the HEA all the more satisfying when it comes. A very worthwhile 5 stars.

Maya Hughes’ Heartless King is an amazing conclusion to the Kings of Rittenhouse series. This is NHL Center Colm Frost and physiotherapist Imogen Walsh’s story.

I adored this novel, and I am devastated that it is the last book in the series. Colm is a good guy. He took care of his younger sister, Liv (from Fearless King, Kings of Rittenhouse #4) after his parents died. He is the responsible friend. His life implodes after suffering two injuries. Imogen is a sweet heroine. She takes care of everyone. She lost her parents and her boyfriend. Colm and Imogen are both broken. They understand what it means to lose loved ones. They both have issues to resolve. I appreciated that they make each other feel alive and give each other a purpose again.

Maya Hughes did an outstanding job with this book. It made me laugh and cry. My heart went out to Colm and Imo. I felt invested in all the characters. I loved the epilogue. I am hoping there will be a next-generation series with Abby and Lucas. Heartless King can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the entire series. The group of friends are in all the books of the series. They are loyal group of friends whom all have thought-provoking stories. I recommend this book to people who love sports romances. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.