I was really excited for this book, but it wasn't for me. I didn't love the main characters, and I didn't engage much with the author's writing style.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I have no words for the emotions that I felt during this book. I went through all 5 stages of grief alongside our FMC. Such a fantastic read, I am dying for the next book in the series.

This book follows Olivia and Ben, from first sit our guy Ben is enamired with our girl Olivia but he never approaches her. However his younger step brother Will does. 2 years go by and we find out that Olivia best friend, Lily, passes away unexpectantly they day after Will and Olivia meet. Whilst dealing with the trauma of losing her best friend, she is also dealing with her relationship with Will and how hot and cold the two of them are together. At the same time Ben returns to Astor after having 2 years away to deal with his mental health, a fact he did not relay to anyone for fear of judgement. His return certainly stirs up a lot of negative emotions for our boy Will and these 2 have been pitted against each other entire lives.

When Olivia and Ben finally come in contact for the first time, Ben has it in his head that they are going to have this perfect meet cute where they will fall in love and live HEA, he could not have been more wrong. He never realised that girl he fell for upon first time, is actually his step brothers girlfriend of 2 YEARS!! Shit just got complicated real fast.

Our guy Ben is now hiding this feeling for Olivia, while Olivia is still dealing with the loss of her BF and the negative impact her relationship is having on her esteem. When Olivia and Ben meet, she is not best pleased but she cant help eyeing every inch of her man Ben and finding herself more attracted to him than bees are to honey!

When luck strikes Olivia, she forced to be in Bens orbit and closer she gets the more she feels like she can be herself without the pressure of only being know as Will's gf. The more time these 2 spend with each other, the clear it becomes that they just can't stay away. Let me make this clear, THERE IS NO CHEATING IN THIS BOOK!, it was just circumstance and the timing that made it a bit awkward but the timing be damned but these 2 were fated to be together from the start.

Ben was very quickly added to the category of best fictional men ever written, but all the best men are written by women, that obvious. The reason I loved these 2 characters so much was the maturity in Bens actioned towards his mental health and pushing away from the stigma of Men believing therapy is a bunch of bull! and how Olivia navigated losing her BF in the end and how her banter and humour hit in right in dark depraved soul.

All in all, these I loved this book, it was written beautifully and I now waiting with bated breath for Grant and Gens story. A basketball player x Ballerina, stop it!

The release date will be here quicker than you think, so don't miss out before its too late.

Kisses x

2.75 stars ⭐️

this book turned out to be quite different from what i anticipated. to start off, this book primarily focused on the topic of toxic relationships, which didn’t trigger me in the sense of causing distress or trauma, but rather pissed me off. will was a walking red flag. while i understood why he acted the way he did by the end, it doesn’t excuse the pain he caused olivia, and it was really messed up how she was involved without knowing the truth the entire time.

secondly, i really didn’t like olivia. i’m sorry, but she was plain rude and gave off major “i’m not like other girls” and pick me vibes. ben, on the other hand, was literally a green flag, and how he fell for olivia at first sight is beyond me. i just don’t see the appeal, no offence.

thirdly, i’m not a fan of the ‘(ex) boyfriend’s older brother’ trope. i felt a little uncomfortable whenever olivia and ben flirted with each other while she was still in a relationship with will, aka ben’s younger brother. i get that being in a toxic relationship can create emotional confusion and vulnerability, making someone seek emotional validation or affection somewhere else, but flirting and developing feelings for someone else doesn’t resolve the core issue.

fourth, the third-act breakup.

overall, while the writing was good, this book really frustrated me.

thank you netgalley and ps published for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

The most darling love story! Sydney Madison, you gave me all the feels with this sweet story! I loved the honesty of the characters and realness. It was just beautiful.

3.75 ★

This was a very entertaining read. There's a lot of drama and toxicity, as you would expect from characters who attend a prestigious college. The characters were well-written and had a lot of depth. The plot was fun. I really liked the complexity of each of the characters. They all had flaws, some more than others.

I admired Olivia. She's a very complex character and her actions were very irritating, but learning her backstory helped me understand why she endured what she did and the reasons behind her behavior. I just wish she had stood up for herself more. I did like her character development, though, especially her relationships with the other female characters. It felt very healing, especially because I could relate to her in that aspect. I do wish Will had been held more accountable for what he put Olivia through. His excuse was not enough for me to feel badly enough for him at the end.

Ben was sweet, and he also had a complicated background because of his relationship with his own family. I'm very close to my siblings, so I can't imagine being pitted against them and having them hate you. I appreciated the mental health rep and the discussion of therapy and healing. Ben and Olivia were cute, but I just wish they had given us more on why he was so attracted to Olivia, instead of it just being physical attraction.

Thank you to NetGalley and PS Published for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely well written book of second chances, love after loss & found family. I was a little annoyed at first with Olivia being with Will but the further into it you get, you discover why he is the way he is & how they came together.
I will say there is a third act break up scene - not everyone’s cup of tea but I enjoy them.
The ending was beautiful & I cannot wait for more!!

Well, this started on a low, and end on the high note. (But not really high)
I hated Liv from the page one. I hate that she was a mean girl, and that is not okay with me . Yes Gen and Will had a thing, and she only hated Gen?! What, Why?
Damp that boy!!! Do not be a door mat!
Liv is so smart but she doesn't know how beautiful she is?! Yes, right. Do not buy it. She turn heads - not singular, plural, sooo she is everybodies type.
And Ban sooooo dreamy. He saves the book for me.
All in all solid book, 3.5 stars

This was such a lovely novel, of second changes, found family, and love after loss.

At the beginning, I found myself getting frustrated at Olivia for being with Will as he was a walking red flag, but as you explore why he behaves the way he does, and how Olivia and Will came together it makes sense.

There’s a third act breakup scene which is torture, I really felt for Olivia in that moment because she’s all alone, and she really feels Lily’s absence. I love Sloane and Gen’s intervention, and the sense of found family that grew because of it.

The ending was beautiful, I’m sold on Astor Hill and can’t wait for more (especially Gen’s book!)