3⭐️ 2🌶️ 4🎧

- MF
- NHL Player
- Serial Killer Survivor
- Thriller
- Insta-Love
- Tragic Past


Wow! There was so much going on in this book and I’m not necessarily sure if that was a good thing. I feel like there were a few too many genres thrown into this book and I had whiplash trying to keep up.

I enjoyed the characters a lot. I liked Brett the stoic and aloof player who had a tragic past but has a soft spot for charities. His instant attraction to Billie didn’t really seem in character for him, but I was ok going along for the ride. I loved how he was able to get through Billie’s panic and make her see reason. It was also pretty relatable that he wasn’t able to be as logical when it came to his own life.

I really liked Billie too. I understood why she build up the walls she did and why she kept so many people at arm’s length. While her instant attraction to Brett seemed out of character, she knew that and she made the conscious decision to pursue it anyways. All of this was great.

Where things started to fall apart for me was the sheer amount of family drama going on in both of their lives. Not to mention the addition of a love triangle, bikers, and we better not forget the chickens.

I really enjoyed the first plot twist. It was great and made sense.

But the second one that was only confirmed at the very end confused me so much that I have spent the last several hours trying to figure out what I missed because the logistics make no sense.

Teddy Hamilton and Andi Arndt did a wonderful job narrating. I love both of them and can count of them to provide a great performance and I was not disappointed.

Billie had a tragic childhood. She is the sole survivor of a notorious serial killer. And days after her best friend's entire family was murdered while she was sleeping over, her mom and brother died in a car accident. She lived in foster care throughout her teenage years.
Now, many years later, she lives a fairly solitude life. She is very close to her last foster family, but otherwise interacts with very few people. When she agrees to appear on a talk show, she runs into Brett Broudou, an NFL player also appearing on the talk show. She feels an immediate pull towards him. He feels it too. Brett also had a bad childhood- his twin is in prison, he grew up poor and around drugs. Soon, both of their pasts come into the present.

I enjoyed this- some suspense, some romance. The characters were not super young (30-ish). I liked that they were both damaged, but being together strengthened them. <spoiler> I love that there wasn't a third act breakup- though Brett tried, lol</spoiler>

There is a plot hole though. <spoiler> When Billie's mother and brother died- how did they presume the brother dead without the body?! That is the only reason I didn't figure that portion of the story out- dead people can't murder anyone. I assumed the serial killer was her dad and figured the new killer was somehow related, but missed that one due to believing the brother was dead. </spoiler>

The audiobook is narrated by two of my favorites- Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton. I definitely recommend listening to this one!

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars rounded up.
The sexual tension & intimate scenes were HOT.
I have a love-hate feeling for insta-love and the fiercely protective “this is how it will be” kind of man.
The final epilogue was not a shock. I would’ve loved for Billie’s relationships with her foster (adoptive?) family to have been given more page time.
All in all, I do believe I will be visiting some of Tijan’s other writings.

She lives her life in hiding. He’s a football player in the spotlight. When a chance meeting at a local news show sparks an instant attraction between them, their lives are changed forever.

I was instantly hooked by this sports romance meets romantic suspense story. He’s the star defensive player for the locally based professional football team. She was the child witness who helped put a serial killer behind bars. Both have their own kinds of fans and fanatics that follow them. His come along with his job description, but hers are the type a person wants to avoid.

Will being back in the spotlight put a target on her own back and on those close to her? Will he be able to protect her while dealing with his own problems?

I enjoyed watching their love story unfold and seeing how they complement and support each other. Tijan portrays their attraction as an excellent mix of chemistry and tenderness. I liked that there is a growth arc for both main characters in the novel and that the romantic aspects are balanced out by plenty of suspenseful moments that kept me on edge.

This one is written in dual POV. In the audiobook, her chapters are portrayed by Andi Arndt and his are done by Teddy Hamilton. Honestly, this is one of those dream team audiobook narration duos for romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed their performance.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Where to begin with this one?!
I think people will eather love it or hate it. There is no middle. This book is too extra.
What I mean with than?! Well, there is too much of everything, love, hate, sex, abuse, killing...
It is overemphasized... There are too many stories in one book. A story about a football player, A story about surviving victim of a serial killer. Story about perant abuse. Story about drugs, story about family.
Does he - Brett needs to be a famouse athlete for this book to work, No, not reallly. Does he needs to be from a screw up family, No, not really. Bu,yes I know - if he was not famouse they would not have they meet cute Yes, I know of he was not from a screw up family , he maybe he would not want to be with Billie....
This was an ARC audio book, and it is long! I am not a fan of audio books, I love to read a book. The charcters sound different in my head.
Brett did not sound like that in my head.... For me this was a little off-putting.
And whats the deal with chickens?! I didn't really care about chickens.
Romance part of this book, was not the strongest.
It was little more about the sex, than romance
But true crime in this one was spot on. I didn't know how much I needed a book like this, until I read it.
It is freaky as hell.
Yes, it was a everything and more, but it was good.
I would not recommend this book to people as an easy breezy book, nope, this one is heavy doody book.
If you want too feel only love, this book is not for you. If you want darker story, full of pain and hard stuff... Stuck around with this one...
If some of this are triggers for you, please do not read this book. This book is not for people with weak stomach.
There are no explicit scenes, but your mind goes there...
I read dark romances, before, but, yet again, this was not a romance. Not really. Everything, except a "romance" part was dark.
I love how Brett was Billie's' sunshine and vice versa. They were each other brightest thing.
And at end... It was a good book, great even. I will think about it for days...

4.5 stars

If you're a Fallen Crest High fan, I know you were as excited as I was to hear Brett Broudou was getting his own book. I've been wondering what happened to that dude since the FCH series ended. Now, I know. A lot has happened.

Brett has left his rough past mostly behind. He plays professional football with Stone Reeves from Enemies and against Mason Kade. And, finally, he's been given his chance at love with Billie, the one woman who escaped a serial killer as a child, who avoids both the media and other serial killers who may want to take her down. Billie is pretty much a hermit with a close circle of her friends and family until she has an adorable meet cute with Brett on live TV. Brett's celebrity status should scare her off, but she can't stay away from the guy and her lusty feelings for him.

Brett and Billie's romance was a wild ride filled up hills, valley, twists, and turns. It was classic Tijan with the slightly rambling writing and narration that has become like home to her readers, but it was also much more. It was probably one of the darkest Tijan books I've read. The serial killer plot was grittier, more suspenseful, and intense like her mafia books. The romance was just as addictive but lustier than most of her others, which is saying a lot. Brett and Billie were endearing, but also might just be Tijan's horniest couple yet. I loved their connection and devotion to each other.

The side characters were also great. I loved Billie's family and friends. They added some important moments in Brett and Billie's story. I also enjoyed getting to know more about Brett's family and where they were now. Plus, there were some cameos FCH and Enemies fans will love as much as I did.

I do have to admit there were a couple of things that weren't my favorite that popped up in this book. Tijan has a habit of her heroine's feeling a migraine coming on at least once in every book it feels like. Usually it happens multiple times, but luckily it was only once here. I wouldn't mind her moving on from that trend. Same with all the aching references. But maybe I would miss those if they weren't there. I don't know. I wasn't a fan of Brett calling Billie "Little Billie" as a nickname in passionate moments. It might not have bothered me if I had read it over hearing it said. It just sounded weird and not very romantic. It gave me the "ew" factor. I could easily look past these things, though. They didn't hinder my enjoyment much. Oh! One last little thing... I would have loved even more Brett chapters.

Overall, I had a great time being in Brett Broudou's world. The audio was a great way to enjoy it. I enjoyed his and Billie's love story and all of the drama that went along with it. I can't wait to find out what's next from Tijan because I'm already missing her characters.

Tijan is an author i’ve heard amazing things about. I’ve been wanting to read a book from them for years now, so when i saw this book on netgalley i thought this would be a perfect place to start. I didn’t care for the romance, it just started off way too fast. I would have liked more building of the characters relationship before they got rid
tether, but that’s just a personal preference.

I really love the mystery element to it. I went into this book thinking it was just a sports contemporary, since i went in blind. That wasn’t what i got but i loved that. Tijan does a good way of adding the mystery with the romance. so enjoyed the plot twists in the book and the chicken scene iykyk.

The writing style took me a bit to get into, but the narrator really helped with that.

Great book. Fast paced. Thrilling romance and a great one at that.
LOVED the narrators.
Only downsides to me were the insta love type vibe and the miscommunication (just a little)

4.5/5

4.5 Stars! Early on in this book I definitely thought it would be 4 stars because I am not a fan of love triangles. It's typically not something I enjoy. I've read this author before so I kept my faith in them. For the most part the love triangle was over 25% into this book, and honestly it gave you food for thought throughout the rest of it. The twists and turns that Tijan put in this book kept me on my toes. When I thought I knew how everything was going to turn out or was leaning in a certain direction I was wrong. I've read thousands of books so at this point to find a unique story like this was a treat. Of course there is a HEA and the multiple epilogues were perfect!

I finished it quickly and stayed up late into the night because I couldn't put it down. The audiobook is over 14 hours and there was no point in the story where I felt like it was trudging along or that I wanted to skip ahead.

The narration on this audiobook was excellent. Having am male and female narrator is my absolute favorite way to consume audiobooks. These two helped bring it to life and make it feel so rich with depth.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in return for my honest review.

This was a DNF for me. NOT because it wasn’t good, but because it was triggering and, unfortunately, there were no trigger warnings. I made it through 40%, so I can say the cast of characters are well rounded and well written. I listened to the audiobook and the narration is also excellent. There is a thriller undercurrent to the story, and reference to violent crime, which I did not enjoy. Also, domestic violence is a part of the mmc’s background. I found it interesting that the main characters had and acted on insta-lust, jumping immediately into a serious relationship, which is very often a component in intimate partner violence.

I highly recommend that a trigger warning be given and that thriller be added to romance as the genre. This is the only reason that I gave the book three stars.

I love Tijan's books. I've been gradually reading her backlist, and when I saw the audiobook for My Anti-Hero was available, I jumped at the chance to listen to it. If you're unfamiliar with Tijan's books, her books are on the darker side--not "dark romance," but romantic suspense, with characters who've seen some sh*t.

Billie is the lone survivor of an infamous serial killer and she's kept a low profile for over half of her life. She finally agrees to an interview, where she literally trips and falls into the arms of a defensive lineman, Brett Broudou. The football nerd in her geeks out over his stats, but her body responds to his like it never has with anyone else. Their connection is electric. When he learns her story, his protective instincts kick into gear. Their insta-love may not feel believable to some readers (as someone on the ace spectrum, it's definitely not been my experience), but I also believe that some people just make us feel safe--and Brett was that person for Billie, and her body knew it before he heart did. Brett has some skeletons in his own closet, and he's afraid Billie won't feel safe with him when she finds out, but turns out nothing was coming between them--ever.

I loved the narrators. Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton are two of my absolute favorites, and like normal, they delivered amazing performances. I would honestly listen to Teddy Hamilton read the phone book. This is on the longer end of romance audiobooks, clocking in at over 14 hours, but if you like romance with suspense and a bit of mystery to it, as well as some truly satisfying steam, then consider adding My Anti-Hero to your TBR.

Quick Summary: An epic romance with the disturbing tones of a dark thriller

My Review: My Anti-Hero by Tijan is a general fiction novel that is all encompassing. It was a romance, but it was also a mystery/suspense/thriller. It was absolutely fantastic! It had non-stop action, curious details, deep emotions, and more.

About the Book: A very private, very guarded football star and a reclusive woman with a tragic past are drawn to one another. Sparks fly, choices are made, and shadows emerge. Before either knows what’s happening, a killer, a fanatic, and an unexpected stranger from the past make themselves known in a big way.

About the Narration: The narrators did a superb job. They moved the story along in such a way that I was glued.

My Final Say: My mind is blown. THAT WAS INSANE! I loved it. Once I started listening, I could not stop. I was not disappointed at all. Zero percent. There was so much to this one. Readers/listeners will not be able to put this one down.

Other: The ending and the extras were just the right touch. I was satisfied, while at the same time, I was left wondering…

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Audiobook: Yes
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐️
Narration: 👍

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to review this exciting title.

🏈🐓Anti-Hero🐓🏈
If you like:
✨General Fiction/New Adult/Romance
✨Instalust
✨Angst
✨Grumpy/Sunshine
✨Broody, Possessive, Loner, Football Playing, Bad Boy MMC
✨Strong, Quirky, Reserved, FMC (endearing and relatable with all the random word vomit facts)
✨Opposites Attract
✨Football/Suspense/Thriller Romance
✨Push/Pull
✨Fast Paced
✨Chemistry/Teasing
✨Found Family
✨Character Growth
✨Splash of True Crime
✨Stalker/🥣🔪
✨All The Twists & Turns
✨Great Supporting Characters
✨🌶️🌶️
✨Teddy Hamilton & Andi Arndt (always phenomenal with narration)
Then you’ll love Anti-Hero.
I ate this book up. Once I started I could not put it down. Tijan reels you in and keeps you guessing and wanting more. The combo of true crime and sports rom worked well and helped breakup the monotony of all the other sports romances being cranked out now, and really helped this book stand out. Would definitely recommend a listen (Teddy and Andi score a touchdown with this one). Anti-Hero is part of the Fallen Crest series, but can be read as a standalone.

Thank you Netgalley and dreamscape media for the free ALC. I really have enjoyed the previous tijan books ice read however this one had way too much going on and to keep track of and didn't really connect to either the the main characters.

TW: parental abandonment, parental death, parental abuse, drugs (mentioned), childhood trauma

Well that was intense! My Anti-Hero by Tijan is a romantic suspense thriller/sports romance. You may ask yourself how does that make sense but Tijan makes it so. Bret Broudou is a Super Bowl champion defensive end for the Kings. He’s violent on the field and when it calls for it, off the field as well. Billie Harm is the sole survivor of the Midwest Butcher and a bit of a NFL stat geek. They meet by chance on a television interview and it was instant sparks. But Billie’s interview has drudged up more serial killer fanatics and her life is being threatened again by a copy cat killer.

My Anti-Hero was honestly a trip. It’s fast paced and a lot of crazy things are happening but if you dig any type of romantic suspense you will love this book. The insta-lust irked me a bit, I wish the getting to know you part of the romance was explored more but I did like the chemistry between Bret and Billie. The serial killer part was scary and so stressful, but I’m a wimp when it comes to these things lol. Beware there is a good chunk focused on Brett’s nieces who have been abused/neglected by his estranged sister so this might be triggering to some.

I was granted access to an ALC of My Anti-Hero and was delighted to hear Andi Arndt and Sebastian York narrate. These two have been in the audiobook business a really long time and their experience shows in how well they kept me engaged in listening. The pacing was great, no need for speeding up and their voices were very pleasing to the ear. A solid performance by both!

Overall My Anti-Hero was intense and enjoyable to listen to and I will continue to read and listen to Tijan titles. Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

My Anti-Hero by Tijan is my fav read this year so far, for sure. That book put me through the wringer, it's raw and gritty, full of unexpected twists and turns that had me guessing til the last page.
Billie is a new character, Brett already showed up in Fallen Crest two and three. He's kind of the good twin, when there can be a good Broudou twin. Anyway, now he's all grown up and is on top of his career. A famous football star, the man is an island. That's about to change when he runs into Billie. Intrigued right from the start both have some , lets call them things to work through. Trust is a big issue for both of them.
This is no sweet romance, it's a thriller that left me breath- and speechless. But there are tender moments too, chickens.
The audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton.
I recommend the book, 5 stars.

My Anti-hero by Tijan is a sports romance (football), grumpy sunshine, protective MMC romantic suspense book.

This is my second time listening to a book by this author and now I am going to go read/listen to her backlist.

Brett is a football player with a sordid past (think bad-boy). Football helped pave a way out of the life he was subjected to in his childhood. Once he meets Billie (Willow), it is lust at first sight and he is determined to be her protector.

Billie has a traumatic past and has walls up and a keeps a very small circle of people around her. Brett also keeps a small circle but I like the found family aspect in this book.

Writing: 4.5/5 stars
I loved the romance and suspense mix in the book. The story flowed well and I was hooked from the first chapter.

Plot: 4.5/5 stars
I loved the story and listened every chance I got.

Characters: 5/5 stars
I liked that Billie was vulnerable but also a strong FMC. She went through a lot and had walls up but also didn't let it stop her from doing things she wanted to do. She felt relatable and I wanted to root for her! Brett was the perfect partner for Billie. He wanted to protect her and show her the love she deserved. Even though he was tough on the outside, he also needed to be loved and Billie's love and affection was exactly what he needed as well.

Audio: 5/5 stars
Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton are two of my favorite narrators. They brought the emotions and feelings to life. 5 star narration as usual from these two.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this audio!

This audiobook will be released on February 8, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of My Anti-Hero. I voluntarily listened to it and gave an honest review.

🎧📖 My Anti-Hero
✍️Tijan
🎤 by Andi Arndt; Teddy Hamilton (❤️❤️❤️)
⏰ 14 h 31 min
🗓️ Pub Date 08 Feb 2024
📝 Dreamscape Media
😍General Fiction (Adult) | New Adult | Romance

Billie survived a serial killer. She is the only one who survived the Midwest Butcher. She helped to bring him down. That sparked the media’s interest in her. But Billie has no interest in being famous. She prefers isolation. Until she decides to go on a show. Nerves get her and that’s where she meets Brett Broudou, football star. It’s the start of an unlikely relationship.

I wanted to read a book by Tijan for a long time, this was my chance. But the main reason I got this audio book was Teddy Hamilton. I adore him, his voice is insane!

Teddy Hamilton was basically the reason why I kept going.
For the longest time, I didn’t get the books like I didn’t get the purpose of this story. It seems to go nowhere. She meets this football player, he thinks his sister sets him up for scam, the. She feels a spark ignite and decides to get back to dating, then they have communication issues… I got so completely lost, it was so absurd in a way. I had a strong urge to call it quits.

In all honesty, for me, the combination of football novel meets true crime did not work. I felt at times as if I was reading two different books. I was pulled into two different directions and I wanted to go into neither. I had a hard time connecting to anyone in this book. And here’s the weird part. The characters were written really well. They were deep, they were traumatised and they healed each other. They were so well rounded, they were the perfect characters with all their imperfections. They grew. I can’t even say why I could not really connect with them.

What I did like was the sense of family that Billie found in her foster family after being lost and alone. I liked the bantering with the family (minus the chickens).

I am probably traumatised by Freida McFadden over mention certain things in her books (frogs, shoes…), so this obsession with the chickens gave me flashbacks of the worst kind. Ugh. I don’t care for chickens.

But don’t listen to me… you should read this if you like
🐔chickens !

Ok… being serious now…

Read this if you like:
(Chickens)
🐔 good girl / bad boy
🐔 grumpy/sunshine
🐔football romances
🐔touch of true crime
🐔 Teddy Hamilton as a narrator!
🐔trauma survivor
🐔instalust

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own, I was under no obligation to review.