This book had all the clichés that really threw me back to my WP roots. It delivered exactly what I expected from a good girl/bad boy romance and I loved it.

It is worth noting that Finn definitely isn't like the typical bad boys - he's so sweet, actually. Though his back and forth attitude did become a tad annoying at some points...

Can't wait for Blake and Lexi's book :)

Winnie’s One-Liner Review: “It’s like a Hallmark movie and teenage melodrama all rolled up into one.”

What truly stood out about this book was the incredible writing. Rich with details and imagery, strong word choices—it made the story come alive with its setting, characters, and plot. I don't know if it was because of the font I was reading with (Iowan), or the writing itself, but some of the juvenile aspects of the story weren't so deterring because of how the writing presented itself. It was the reason why the rating of the book stayed as high as it did.

Summary—
Learning Curve followed two characters: Scottie and Finn. Scottie was a virginal cheerleader while Finn was the "bad boy," on their campus of Dickson University. It followed their trials and tribulations as they dealt with their individual demons—Scottie and her detrimental relationship with her alcoholic mother, and threatening texts about her past; Finn with carrying the weight of knowing his father had a whole set of other children, one of which was a professor at Dickson, and the depth of his abused past—while they navigate their love for one another.

Writing, Plot & Pacing—
As I said, the writing was the strongest reason for me to continue reading. It was rich and riveting, and it didn't feel juvenile as a lot of other college romance authors made their stories feel. There was a professional touch to it—not in a way that was off-putting but rather strengthened the way the story carried itself. However, there was a juxtaposition in how strong the writing was, versus how the plot developed. It was weak, nearly non-existent, saved with for a couple of reminders between several chapters.

While I loved the college setting, and how Monroe creatively demonstrated how their New York City campus—as if you were in the city itself!—it bordered a lot of unrealistic tendencies. There was a secret club called Double C where they hosted a bunch of excursions, from a boxing match against an ex-UFC fighter to running through the maze-like catacombs underneath their campus, to a poker night, to a library scavenger hunt for old love letters. It was an odd mix, and with how much they were doing, while it was developing the bond of their friend group, it felt unrealistic and so much. This, in combination with their soap opera-esque of plot twists and turns, felt so unrealistic, that it felt like a Hallmark movie on crack.

Another thing with the writing was it felt slow and fast at the same thing. There would be several chapters dedicated to one scene, which attributed to how long the book was (91 chapters + epilogue). I believe Scottie's and Finn's first time together spanned over three to five chapters. At first, I thought with how short the chapters were, it would be a breeze to read back, but at some point, during the 70s, I thought it was getting ridiculous with how Monroe cut their scenes in half. Sometimes in the middle of important conversations. However, I will admit, before that 70s Mark, I thoroughly enjoyed how short the chapters were and how easy it was to read.

Another thing was how character-driven the story was. Despite the plot, which was loose and flimsy at best, especially with Finn's plots, it was focused primarily on building the relationships between Finn and his friends, Scottie and her friends, their entire friend group as a whole, the side characters that are definitely going to be the MCs for one of the next books in the series, and the cameos of Monroe's previous series. In addition, the development of their romance was slow, but fast at the same time. But I can't necessarily classify them as a medium-burn, it was weird. More on this later.

Lastly, the story felt more high school than college. How they met, how they fell in love, how every little turbulence in their lives caused them to push-pull each other away, and how they felt like it was the end of the world when one bad thing happened to them. It felt like I was reading teenagers, with their reactions to melodramatics, then college students who are navigating their lives as new adults. Especially with Scottie's arc and her mother coming onto her campus. What happened was her mother came to her campus, drunk, and had sex with a college student. It was recorded and posted on social media, but Scottie reacted as if it was the end of her world, especially with the setting around her navigating this traumatic experience. People were gossiping about it weeks after it happened, which does not happen in college, and people were making fun of her when none of it was in her control. It felt very high-school-esque with how it was handled and approached. As a college student right now, I can assure you, people would definitely talk, but it would fade away within a week at most because our lives are not centered around reliving the drama of people's lives.

Characters—
When it came to our main characters, Scottie and Finn, I found that both of them were two-dimensional at best. This wasn't meant as a harsh critique, because I genuinely liked reading in their POVs, and it wasn't annoying nor a complete drag to go through. The issue I had with them was they did not have a personality outside of each other.

Scottie was a cheerleader, but I couldn't see any of the personality traits outside of her being a normal girl. She went to class, did her practices, and hung out with her friends. She didn't have many hobbies outside of that. It wasn't shown if she was truly dedicated to her classes—scenes of studying, or worrying about her tests—but rather it was just mentioned in the passing how she maintained her 4.0 GPA and how she passed her classes. The only true characterization we got from her, I believed, was how she waa a klutz, but that was only shown in the beginning of the story. Afterwards, it was never brought up again.

Finn was the "bad boy," of the story, which was disappointing, to say the least. I did like how there was a new approach to how the bad boy was perceived—rather than being brooding, grumpy, and hotheaded, he was just a reclusive who wanted his own space. It was difficult because he had a social butterfly as a roommate-turned-best friend who dragged him to everything. However, a true disappointment I had was how I assumed, with the synopsis, that Finn would be more stereotypical and was a boxer, or fighter, or some sort that had a stronger purpose. That there would be weight behind his self-proclaimed title. Perhaps he would be a fighter for the Double C events more often. However, that did not happen. Yes, he fought, but it was only because he was defending Scottie. Yes, he fought, but it was mentioned in the passing of how he would defend his siblings from his abusive father. Other than that, the fighter in him came out very whimsically.

But truly, what I think irked me about their characterizations is how the plot moved them as characters, rather than them being characters moving the plot. Every time there was a twist or turn in the story, I could never concretely say "Finn would've never acted like that," or "Scottie would never say that," because I didn't understand them well enough to know exactly what is their morals, or personalities, or hard boundaries. They were vessels for the plot, to move in whatever direction the plot told them to go, and acted accordingly to that. In some ways, Finn and Scottie felt like self-inserts for the readers to put themselves in, because they don't have true strong emotions on anything. They just acted, how any normal person would react, in a given scenario.

Relationships—
I did like their relationship. There was one scene that got me crying, screaming, and kicking my feet, which was where Finn just finished his match with the ex-UFC fighter and Scottie got up to the ring, shoved his chest, and kept scolding him for giving her a heart attack, and he kissed her. That was adorable. I even made a TikTok about them. However, because of their characterization, they did have some faults as a couple.

It was so fast. And so slow. At the exact same time. Let me explain. They kissed, I believe, in the 30s, and they didn't fully get together until the 60s/70s, I believe. It was a tale of first love, because despite Scottie's previous relationship with her ex, she never cared and felt this much emotion for him, and Finn had previous sexual adventures. However, despite the slower side of how they got together, they also slept together for the first time and said "I love yous." Now, pause. Stick with me.

They barely knew each other.

At this point, in the 30s, Finn knew nothing about Scottie outside of her being a cheerleader and someone dedicated to her studies. He didn't know about her family, he didn't know her favorite colors or food (at least, it wasn't demonstrated on-page), and he didn't know anything about her traits, favorite things, hobbies, NOTHING. All he knew was that she was gorgeous, kind (how?), and funny (where?). In the same vein, Scottie knew absolutely nothing about Finn. She knew he fought, knew he was more of the bad-boy type, and a bit about his relationship with the half-brother professor—because she took a note he left on the Professor's desk—but other than that, NOTHING. They knew absolutely nothing about each other, things with real substances, for me to truly believe that they were in love. It truly felt like it was more so out of convenience, their love story, rather than genuine connection. This brings me back to how it was so high school. When you're in high school, your dating pool were the people in your class. You fall in love with a terrible ex because he was conveniently in the same space as you. That's exactly how Scottie fell in love with Finn. He wasn't terrible. Not by any means—he was protective, he cared about her from a distance when she was struggling, and when she pushed him away, he stood his ground to let her know he would stay—but their development of a relationship felt lackluster and unfulfilling.

There were good moments about them, don't get me wrong. Finn was terribly in love with this girl, to the point that he took care of her without getting credit because he wanted to know she was safe and healthy. He was extremely protective, not in a way that didn't leave room for her autonomy, but a silent bodyguard of sorts. He loved her, truly. I believe that from the screen. But I don't believe I can understand why he loved her. What about Scottie was different from the rest? What did Scottie do to you—other than fall in the rain, to which you helped her up—caught your eye? What did Scottie provide for you—as a safe haven, an emotional support, something no one else could give—before you decided you loved her? I didn't believe why they fell in love.

Additionally, let me break down how their romance developed. They met each other; she fell in the rain in the courtyard while he helped her up → He learned she got a boyfriend and iced her out because he, decidedly, didn't want to be involved with someone like her and because he wasn't "good enough for her" → Hot/Cold pushing her away ensues → They make up, especially after the Double C with his fight against the ex-UFC Fighter → He left early in the morning, because of his family, without telling her, making her upset → Hot/Cold ensues again → They're finally at a better place, to which they sleep together on Halloween → He finds out about her taking his journal entry he left on his half-brother Professor → Ignores her, again to which she decided he wanted to leave her alone and she does → They okay, again, but something happened with her mother, to which she isolated herself for a good THIRTY chapters → Finally, after weeks of not talking to anyone, they sleep together again, to which they're finally a couple → Everything was good until something happened to Scottie at her cheerleading nationals → She pushed him away, but he refused to go → They finally get together again.

It was exhaustive. There was so much push-pull without valid reasons, just lackluster communication. I think when they got to the last Hold/Cold, done by Scottie, I was out of it. They always, always confessed/reiterated how much they loved each other every time they caught a bad break—from Finn pushing her away after learning she stole the note from the Professor's desk he left, to after her bad accident during cheerleading nationals—which, to me, was also. Bleh.

Who I Would Recommend This To—
Honestly, everyone. Even the mainstream college romance authors nowadays. This was the standard I'm going to put everyone through when it comes to their writing, in terms of actual writing. The word choices. The dialogues. The pacing. However, to be more specific, I would recommend it to people who can handle a bit of unrealism and like One Tree Hill. You know how that one scene in OTH where Dan needed to get a heart transport, or something like that, and the box of the heart transport dropped and the fucking dog ate it? This book felt similar to that. It was fun, it was short (relatively), and you don't have to think too hard. Also, the side characters are everything.

I would recommend this book, in terms of tropes, for those who liked: bad boy/good girl, family dramas/issues, shenanigans, the MMC is protective of the FMC, and found family.

Conclusion—
Woah. I did not mean to write that much. I just had so many thoughts I wrote in my Notes app, I had to let you all know. I want to let it be known, that I do like this book, despite the things I highlighted, and I do plan on reading the second book, which I believe is a sports romance between two of the side characters in this book, but there were some things I noticed I needed to point out. It was not as bad as it sounded, but because it was aggravated, it sounded way worse than it was. It was little details but it wasn't overwhelming and would deter anyone from reading the story. It was nearly unnoticeable if anything.

I would like to thank Hambright PR and Max Monroe for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Learning Curve is a new adult stand-alone novel in the new Dickson University series by Max Monroe. The first line of the book blurb is “She’s the virginal cheerleader, and he’s the tortured bad boy. Their worlds are different, but college life at Dickson University brings them together in a passionate, angsty, fiery collision.” This book is about Finn and Scottie who were both freshman college students who meet on the first day of classes and share an instant attraction. Both had secrets about their home life that they were too embarrassed to share. Their relationship and their school year was a rollercoaster of experiences, some good and some bad, but it was the best book Max Monroe has ever written. I adore their romcoms, and this is still one with frequent appearances from the Billionaire Bad Boys and the Winslow Brothers Collection. The book had me laughing out loud over and over again, the authors went much deeper than their average romcom. We saw some of this with their last book, and they are growing as writers in leaps and bounds. The book had all the anyx of new adulthood compounded by numerous difficult and traumatic experiences both in the past and in present. Finn and Scottie were both immensely likable but flawed human beings who both showed so much growth through the book’s journey. This one is going to stick with me for a very long time. If you enjoy emotional contemporary romcoms that deal with serious issues, then you are going to love this book. I would give it more than five stars if the scale went that high.

Quick Summary: A tug of war NA with angsty heart-love romance

My Review: Learning Curve by Max Monroe is book #1 in the Dickson University series.

About the Book: The cheerleader and the bad boy unexpectedly meet and become aware of each other. Circumstances are such that they enter into a push-pull relationship. Internal and external struggles contribute to a rocky course. Who ever said the road to true love is never easy certainly knew what they were talking about. Facts!

My Final Say: I can always count on a slamming emotional arc and textured characters when it comes to Max Monroe's books. They always take me on a journey. This was no different. I am 100% all in for this new series. It started out just right and I know amazing stories will continue to come with this colorful cast.

Other: This would be superb as an audiobook. (With stories like this one, I really like to hear voice actors portray the characters. It hits in a different way.)

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 💗

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author/publisher (Max Monroe LLC) and to NetGalley. Thank you so much for granting access to a digital ARC of this title. It is always a pleasure to read and review your books. I am grateful for the opportunity.

DNF at 50% this book is soooo long and I couldn’t get invested in the characters. The love story seemed immature? More high school than college. I wasn’t interested enough to keep it going. I might’ve cared more if I had read the series prior to this one to know familiar characters but I did not 🥲 I have DNF this author a few times so I think it’s possible they just aren’t for me.

Thank you Max and NG for an e-arc!


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Fav quote:
"‘𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘥. 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺."

Tropes:
•college drama
•he fights for her
•cheerleader virgin
•angst
•tortured bad boy
•secrets/banter
•grumpy/sunshine

This book was so good! The characters, writing, drama, tension was perfect. I was hooked from the start. I was obsessed with Finn & Scottie!

Finn is a bad boy on the outside, but he has a good heart. He cares about everyone around him, especially Scottie. 💕
Scottie is a sweet and an amazing friend. She went through a lot, just like Finn.
I also enjoyed the friend group and family. They were all so sweet!

I can't wait to read the next book! Looking forward to reading about Ace's story!

Finn and Scottie take you on a roller coaster of emotion throughout this book. Finn is set to wreak havoc on his brothers life and he’s out for revenge. He’s a powder keg waiting to explode because he feels like professor, Ty Winslow and his family had the better end of the deal where their father was concerned. The last thing he expects is defined the girl of his dreams and Scottie, but that’s exactly what happens.

Finn keeps trying to push Scottie away because he doesn’t believe he deserves to be loved or have someone like her in his life. Scottie falls fast and hard for him, but she also knows he is pushing her away and doesn’t know why. When she sees him leave a note on Professor Winslow’s desk, she backtracks and steals the letter, which sets off one of their many strained parts of their relationship.

Even though I understood we both were coming from there were times when I felt like maybe they shouldn’t fight to be together. Her ex and a teammate on that cheer squad wreak havoc on her life. Finn and professor Winslow‘s dad also wreaks havoc on their lives, and I was happy to see how the entire Winslow family opened up their arms to Finn and his family.

You will need a box of tissues because this book will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. Just when you think things are looking up for them, a tragedy occurs and could rip them apart forever. The way they stand by each other in the hardest of times proves how strong they are as a couple, I couldn’t put this book down.

I liked the Winslow family series, and this first book of the series is proving to be a wonderful starter. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Lexi and Blake. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

An angsty in parts, new adult romance from the writing duo that is Max Monroe with some fun cameo appearances thrown in that readers will be familiar with as the next generation reach college age resulting in Learning Curve as Finn Hayes and Scotty Bardeaux meet when they both attend Dickson College. Scotty is there on a cheerleading scholarship while tortured bad boy Finn…. well, his motives for attending this particular school are a little more personal and involves unknown families rather than his education. Full of the trials and tribulations of that strange inbetween age where you no longer feel like a teenager but you’re not quite an adult, this book was a rollercoaster for Finn and Scotty as they navigated the waters of young love and college and of course secrets and just as things were looking up for them, a tragedy swept them off their feet in more ways than one, leading to some emotional scenes. But don’t think it’s all doom and gloom, any story that has appearances from Thatch Kelly is going to have you laughing out loud and if the prank king extraordinaire’s activities in Learning Curve were anything to go by, if this book should be the start of a series, then I can’t wait for Ace’s story and more from the Kelly family

This is a tough review to write....when I first started the book and for a good portion of the book I was really into the story. I really liked Finn and Ace was awesome. Scottie was a little bit of hit and miss for me but overall I found the story line engaging for the most part.

This book is FULL of drama....there is no way around it. Scottie couldn't practically breathe without there being more drama, and while some of it she brought on herself, after a while it was just too much. A lot of the drama was WAY over the top.

I felt like the story was too long....it just seemed to go on and on and not in a meaningful way that added anything good. It was really just filler or more drama.

I enjoyed the moments between Scottie and Finn that were good and when their relationship was growing. I enjoyed Finn and Ace's friendship and I liked reading about Finn and his siblings and the positive relationships that Finn and his siblings were able to finally experience.

Overall I wish the book went a little differently but there were still some enjoyable parts but overally it was not my favorite.

Thank you to Max Monroe and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Learning Curve has reminded me of why I enjoy this author books. I absolutely loved Scottie and Finn with their undeniable attraction to each other and just couldn't get enough of them. Their pranks were absolutely hilarious and made me laugh out loud more than a few times, but their story was also one that had drama. The author's writing style was one I enjoyed as there was never a dull moment in this story and I completely devoured this book. The ending left to this standalone college romance story left me happy and excited to read more books from this author. This is a story I will be recommending to all of my college romance book loving friends.

Learning Curve
by Max Monroe

“𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I WAS BEYOND IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK. The characters, setting, and plot were phenomenal and had me flipping the pages faster and faster to find out more about Dickson University. This book had an amazing storyline and I was so obsessed with Scottie and Finn’s story! 💕

Finn is a bad boy on the outside but on the inside he has a heart of gold. His character grows and matures so much during the book and I was so satisfied to see him at peace. He’s so willing to take care of his family and Scottie! The scene with the cupcake had me 🥵

Scottie is so sweet and an amazing friend. She goes through entirely too much in this story but comes out stronger each time! I’m in love with her love for Finn! 📣

The entire friend group and family at Dickson is amazing! I honestly would say they are all my favorite characters, but Ace has a special place in my heart! I’m so ready to read his story because he’s the perfect golden retriever and such an amazing friend! His pranks and dialogue had me giggling the entire book! 🃏

Amazing, perfect book by Max Monroe! ⭐️

5 ⭐ 2 🌶

That... That was so unexpected... And so amazing. Just everything really. I don't cry often in books, but Learning Curve had literal tears coming from my eyeballs twice and them threatening a few other times. This was a rom-com with dark and heartbreaking vibes with this ending that had me absolutely stunned. I loved it so dang much.

I adored this cast of characters so much. Not just Scottie and Finn, but Ace, Blake, Kayla and Julia too. This little found family group was so amazing. Both Scottie and Finn have a parent that is just utter trash and I was really impressed with how they both handled it. Finn was definitely a little angry and vindictive at first, but watching him grow and take in his new family was the best.

I could probably go on for hours about how much I loved this book tbh... But I think I'll spend that time heading back to the backlist and reading more about Finn, Ace and Julia's families while I await Blake and Lexi's story, which I know is going to be frick fracking incredible. I can't wait.

“I’ve never felt this trusted by anyone. This valued. I’ll never forget what this means, and I hope you won’t either, Scottie. This wasn’t just something. It was everything.” - Learning Curve by Max Monroe

This was the first book I’ve read by Max Monroe and it definitely won’t be my last!

Before picking up Learning Curve, I had heard amazing things about Max Monroe and their ability to write romcoms.
Turns out the writing duo can also write amazing angsty books that deal with heavy topics and are filled with drama!

The Learning Curve definitely had me on an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, stressed, cried, and swooned. The twists and turns in this book were wild! Finn was a fantastic broken bad boy and I loved how strong Scottie was.

I can’t wait for this series to continue!

I've loved the previous books by this pair of authors. The last one, Things I Should've Said, had me in tears because I was so emotionally involved.

This book is filled with lots of college Freshman hijinks. Characters, although some of them, have had difficult lives, still act very young. One of the main characters is trying to shock his half brother, who has no idea that their father has another whole family.

There are a lot of things happening in this book. The rich kids lead a charmed life and the poor kids, for the most part, seem to have the rich kids eager to share their bounty. It's partially a fantasy world, and partially a heartbreaking reality with cruelty shoving it's way into their lives.

True love does seem to shine through and bad guys seem to get their just rewards. But this book just wasn't my cup of tea.

Ok, wow, this book really surprised me. I was a little reluctant getting into it but I'm so glad I did.
This book had everything, comedy, romance, family, found family, secrets, twists and most of all emotions.
Scottie was not perfect but I loved her and all her flaws. Her and Finn relationship was fast but so emotional. Their push and pull was so hypnotic, you couldn't stop reading them. They had their ups and downs but love was never the problem, they had that in spades.
They each had the others back. And the ending, when Scottie pushed him away, he never gave up. Same as before, in the middle of the book, he didn't let her give up either.
Finn was so sweet even though he didn't look like it. He loved her so much and he tried to resist her in the beggining but it was not use, their connection was too strong. They were just perfect and deserved the world

Honestly, I really wanted to like this book. I really did… but there were just too many problems with the story! first of all, the fact that the main characters said I love you so quickly and then stopped talking ? I don’t think that was necessary and it seems like I didn’t even have time as the reader to even see them as a couple because there was such an abrupt push and pull. I hate third act breakups, but the event that happens about 80% into the book was just entirely not helpful to the storyline and it almost seemed like the book could even be split into two books? I just was not feeling this story and the characters were annoying.

What can I say? This is just another amazing book by Max Monroe. I've had the luxury of reviewing a few of their books and there isn't much to say but how good they all are. This story starts with Finn and Scottie meeting in the rain and eventually in a college class. The class that Finn is taking because his brother, that he unexpectedly found out he had is the professor. He is so upset that his father treated his family horribly but his other siblings had an amazing life. Finn has a huge chip in his shoulder until Scottie comes into his life in a way that brightens it. They develop feelings for each other and fall in love until tragedy strikes and Scottie wants Finn to move on, him being too young to waste his life with her. But will Finn prove to Scottie that she is worthy and wants her regardless?

This book has all the feels. Frustration, hope, envy, redemption, and love. It was a great story of young love that morphs into something strong and unbreakable. It shows that you can be any age and find your soulmate, someone who will stand by you through anything. I loved that Finn, after searching, found support and love from his family and Scottie, and Scottie found love from her friends, family and Finn. Sometimes it just takes someone else to help you realize what you have in life, that your life matters and to give people the benefit of the doubt and it can pay off!

Thanks to NetGalley and Max Monroe for allowing me to review this ARC!

Anything Max Monroe and I am there. I devoured Cluelessly Yours. That was one of the first books where the characters were on the older side I really enjoyed, with the MMC of that book being 43. So when I saw this book was about college students I was hesitant. And to be honest I didn’t like this one as much. This book has a younger vibe to it as the characters play pranks and are now coming of age. Will I read anything by Max Monroe? Yes. But I prefer her older characters with those older issues. I also am newer to Max Monroe’s work. So all the cameos from her other books went right over my head

With an absolute roller coaster of a plot, there were only a couple of things in here that I could have predicted. I knew that Thatch would cause chaos and that there would be a happy ending, but that was all. Everything else flew at the characters fast and wild, rather like real life. But all of it came around in the end and made good sense. Scottie and Finn make a really great couple. I loved visiting with familiar characters again. And I loved getting some hints for the next book in this series, including one of the girls that I have wondered about. There were lots of laughs, some tears, a few jaw dropping moments, and no way to stop turning pages until the end.

When I started this one, I was so pulled into the story and excited. Then, somewhere along the way, everything just kinda fell apart.
It's entirely too long, and while it is filled with drama, some of it is just not needed. The last 20% could be scrapped and make the book shorter because what even was that?
I love Finn and Scottie, but unfortunately, 600 pages of will they won't they really made this one hard to like.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.