It’s filled with tension. Not only between Olivia and Ben but also between Ben and Will. I was never quite sure what would go down every time they interacted. The elite college in the fall gave a nice ambiance.
Olivia’s struggle with grief over Lily and how she made her feel was handled very beautifully and it was something that will stick with me for a long time. Her conflicting feelings regarding their relationship was written in a way that made it very realistic and relatable.
Ben was such a smooth talker. His charm had me pause for moments at a time, he was just so charismatic. Because of the time he had for himself he was just so assured in himself but not in a way that made him cocky but just enough to a point where he didn’t create much miscommunication. His and Olivia’s chemistry was so potent. Together they were so well paired, they complemented each other so perfectly.

4 stars. Great story with complex characters. I found myself frustrated with them at times, but I love that in a book. I will definitely read more from the author.

Olivia is dealing with the loss of her bestfriend. Her boyfriend, Will, isn't the best. She calls for his brother, Ben, who is also dealing with his own problems. There is a lot of lying and cheating in this book. The characters do not have any depth. It is a quick read, and very much like Gossip Girl. If you enjoyed the show or books, you will enjoy this. There was a lot going on, the story was kind of convoluted.

Yeah I couldn’t keep up with this one. Writing style was not for me and I found myself wondering what on earth was happening.

College books haven't really been my jam lately but I really loved this story. The characters were very compelling and the pacing of the love story felt super genuine and not rushed. I really loved this one!

I requested an arc of this book because the reviews said, that if you like the Magnolia Parks series, then you would like this book. It resembles the profiles of the characters in the Magnolia Parks series of affluent, beautiful, and powerful people. The plot is similar too in that it involves a love triangle, death, and broken hearts. I almost didn't finish this book because so many reviews were negative. I am so glad that I ignored those reviews, because I liked the book a lot. I was surprised to find out the secret story that lay beneath what you thought was the plot. I thought it had great character development, and I was sad when it was over. I would be happy to read another story by Sydney Madison again.

Thank you NetGalley and PS Published for allowing me to read this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Sydney Madison and HarperCollins for the ARC. This book definitely had the twists and turns that make up Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill, but I feel that the author relied too heavily on some of the characteristics from those shows. I understand that some of the characters were meant to make us question who we should root for, but I found that in the end, there weren't any that I particularly cared about regarding their HEA. I did appreciate that the non-romantic relationships and the learning between friends and brothers. I think there is potential for this series and I look forward to the next book.

This book was bleh.

I loved the cover and that’s what grabbed my attention, but it didn’t make it long in my good graces list 🥲

Honestly, I didn’t like any of the characters, I didn’t find any of them a bit original and the plot was definitely not plotting. I could see a bit of Brooke Davis, mixed with Summer and some times Rory Gilmore in Olivia’s character, but being any of them made me mad cause I just couldn’t understand her character arc, development, motivations and blah blah blah.

Plus, I rather have an enemy than having Olivia as my beat friend. Wtf bro? The girl griefs for her bff for years but the only thing she can say about her is how she undermined her? Olivia is a selfish, jealous girl who unfortunately was portrayed being very shallow as well.

The thing about the plot not plotting is not even that big of a deal of for me if I can relate to any character in the story. Unfortunately- again - this was not the case and that’s why my rating 😓 I wish I could have liked it, but I just got mad that I needed to finish this book to start my next one.

When I read that Astor Hill was like Gossip Girl, Magnolia Parks and One Tree Hill wrapped in one perfect sized novel, I ran. I was intrigued and my interest was peaked. I loved the drama and relationship developments in those shows/ books so the expectations going into this one was at an all time high; and it didn’t disappoint.

Tropes;
• Boyfriends brother
• He falls first
• Found family
• Mental health and grief
• Secrets & Lies
• Navigating love after loss

I found the FMC Olivia quite relatable in a sense where she often compared herself to others and her best friend. That she felt as though she wasn’t as likeable, beautiful or good enough. For so many of us that’s a day to day battle, and seeing an FMC struggle with that alongside what else she did it was reassuring and comforting.

I also respect that the MMC’s in this book were insightful and very vulnerable when it came to topics of mental health. That they broke through the stigma of men not having emotions or even showing those but allowed them to confide and communicate that.

There’s complications, love triangle, secrets and deep emotions, packed on with sensitivity and a beautiful story on grief. It’s quite the read, and beyond a sports college romance

3.5/5⭐️

this book was great! it was so atmospheric & i think the way grief was explored was really well done. it was complicated and difficult but it was presented very accurately.

i also think the relationship between ben & will was great as well - so many books so sibling rivalry but they never capture it as well as this one. like they might not get on, but they’ll always defend each other and be there for each other.

however, i did think it was a little superficial? the vibes were all there but i don’t think we got deep enough into the characters as i expected. but i think that might’ve been the comparison to magnolia parks that disappointed me - while i can see where the comparisons come from, my experience with astor hill was nothing like magnolia.

finally, i do think this book dragged a little towards the end, which is the main reason it isn’t a full 4 stars, but i did enjoy it nonetheless. i will definitely read the next book!

I was kindly gifted this book as an Arc reader from NetGalley. I didn’t have much expectations going into this book but I was pleasantly surprised. The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful. There are a few tropes which I don’t like in this story but I felt they were handled quite well, like the cheating trope, love triangle and overall just messy! I love the way the topic of grief and how it affects your mental health was handled. I feel we also got how the grief affected the supporting characters as well as the main characters. I loved the healing of the relationship between the brothers! The only way this book fell down for me was I found our female main character Olivia to be quite annoying. Overall if you interested in a romance story that has lots of other topics to give it depth then I would recommend this! But just be sure to check up trigger warnings before going into this!

Astor Hill: Book One by Sydney Madison is a fast-paced mix of mystery, drama, and layered relationships that immediately reminded me of Veronica Mars and One Tree Hill. The main character, with her sharp investigative skills and close friendships, brings to mind Veronica Mars, especially with the small-town secrets and twists that keep you hooked. The complex relationships in the book also echo the dynamics of One Tree Hill—especially the complicated bond between Nathan, Lucas, and Peyton, where family ties and friendships are constantly tested.

Ben, one of the standout characters, really drew me in. His blend of charm, vulnerability, and intensity adds depth to the story, making him one of those characters you can’t wait to see more of. The mix of romance, betrayal, and suspense in Astor Hill creates a gripping narrative that keeps you turning the pages.

If you're a fan of Veronica Mars or One Tree Hill, this book offers that same addictive blend of mystery, emotional drama, and unforgettable characters. I’m excited to see where the rest of the series goes!

This story takes place on a college campus and looks at love, life and grief in the lives of college students. Two years after the start of Olivia and Lily's freshman year at Astor Hill everything has changed. Lily's gone, Olivia's relationship isn't the perfect one she thought it would be and things become even more complicated when her boyfriend Will's older brother comes back to campus after disappearing.

While I still haven't dove into the Magnolia Parks world, I can concur that this one reminded me of Gossip Girls and The American Royals, toxic relationships and all. This one definitely read more YA than it did adult, but it could probably be classified as New Adult. None of the characters were really that likable (except Ben), but that was the point.

The relationship between Olivia and Lily was confusing, and I was surprised by some of the twists. I expected a little bit more from the initial events, given the aftermath it triggered. More flashbacks with Olivia and Lily could have been helpful and provided more background into the complicated nature of their relationship. I think the character development could have been laid out better all around. Some of the characters felt a little inconsistent as the book went on.

This one ultimately met but did not exceed my expectations. It was a fun setting and an exciting premise for someone who re-watches Gossip Girls semi-regularly. I'm looking forward to Gen and Grant's book and am a big Grant fan thus far! I would definitely pick up another Sydney Madison book - could they be the next Christina Lauren? Only time will tell!

Astor Hill gives Gossip Girl x One Tree Hill in a new Era. The author blends drama, romance and self-discovery in this book which is set at the Astor Hill College.

The FMC Olivias life has been turned upside down, she grieves the death of her bestfriend, while also beeing in a toxic relationship with the star basketball player Will Chapman. The drama gets bigger when Wills stepbrother appears.

While the pacing could have allowed more room for character development, the vivid prose and Olivia’s emotional journey keeps you hooked. While reading this book I realized for myself that I think I moved on from college romances but that is my personal experience.

The storyline centers around loss, love and self-worth which are all very resonant topics, making this book a satisfying read.

read if you like:
- he falls first
- mental health rep
- boyfriends brother
- college romance
- forbidden love

Last but not least, thank you to the author for providing this ARC! All opinions are my own

*arc review*
(3.5*)
ngl.
I had such a good time reading this one, I had high expectation
at first I wasn't really feeling it, right off the prologue I didn't like out fmc, but I waited and trusted the process. I very happy ! did it! this was a very past paced book, and the writing kept me hooked to the story.
olivia wasn't what she shows people, I actually liked being in her head. she was fierce and still felt insecure once alone, she's literally just a girl and had a pretty decent development throughout the book. I was so sorry she didn't had better people in her life. I wanna start with lily, I don't like her and I don't think she's a good person. I'm pretty happy to see her where she is now and I wouldn't change a thing (I'm sorry I held grudges). will, omg I hated him so deeply. I couldn't stand to read about this person but l'm pretty happy with his development (I think he was interesting to explore his side of grief and wanted more details) but I still don't excuse his behaviour and all the pain he put olivia through. as for ben, my little golden boy, his chapters were the most deep to me since the start. his love for olivia was a little too insta-love to me, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoyed. I loved the way they actually talked and got to know each other before something actually happened between them, and the chemistry was there! they were very cute together.
I also really liked the side characters, grant was such a funny guy and is very sweet, he was such a good friend to both liv and ben, sloane (grant's sister) is such a free spirit and I would have loved to see more about her!! and for Genevieve, she's the kind of character you dont like at first but you know something is up and need to have her background!! I'm genuinely so excited for her book and know it's going to be even better than the first book in this series.
the book was good and i liked the plot-line (even if it was a little easy to predict) but I was expecting more details, on everything, the characters' depth, the mental health representation and the plot. I guess I did want a longer book because some things felt rushed but it's a very entertaining read, if you love drama, old money and boyfriend's older brother, you'll have a great time :)
a big thank you to Sydney and Madison for sending their arc to me <3
olivia and ben's story will be out in February 2025, mark on your calendars guys !!

Enjoyed the storyline and the characters.
Only problem I found is once I get through the very detailed section of what they look like or where they were etc, the conversations between characters are mixed in with it so, was finding myself re-reading alot of the same section just to understand what's being said.

But couldn't put the story down as was drawn to the characters and their unique personalities and connections with each other. Especially between the two main characters Olivia and Ben but also found Grant intriguing and can't wait to read his story.

“I want you now, I want you tomorrow, I want you always, anyway that you are”

Okay so full disclosure this cover was 90% of the reason I chose this arc as the cover is stunning 😍

This book was a very angsty college sports romance and tackled some heavy topics. I can definitely see the OTH and Magnolia Oarks influences in this.

My only thing was at the beginning it was hard to tell who’s perspective it was and who’s point of view was being portrayed. Also although I loved Olivia at the end she make me want to throw my kindle at the beginning of this book.

Astor Hill has such a captivating start. We have a dual point of view book about Olivia and Ben. Olivia is a college junior that attends Aster hill and Ben is a senior who just arrived back at Aster hill after taking a two year break from college. There is tension, drama, and secrets all throughout the book. Olvia is going through her friend's recent death and has built a tough exterior but things start to fall apart for her as she learns the truth. I found multiple parts between Olivia and Ben to have such raw emotions. These characters are addicting to read about because they have such human elements. I am absolutely swooning over these characters. The dialogue is impeccable. I could not get enough of the characters and the challenges they face. Olivia is a character that is raw because she knows that she is stuck seeing herself one way. It is not until Ben that she can truly embrace herself and see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. By facing the truths that they were both avoiding. Also, a bonus is that the book shows the text messages between characters and I love when books do this! This book will give you everything you want out of a college romance but definitely expect to feel a lot of emotion from this book.

🌟 3.5 Stars 🌟
Thank you to Sydney Madison and Netgally for this ARC.
Astor Hill touches on a lot of my favourite tropes. Sports romance, college setting, found family but I was surprised to discover it is not a light hearted romance. It also goes into more serious themes of grief, anxiety, and emotional abuse.
Overall I enjoyed the characters Olivia and Ben, but I really loved the secondary characters and can’t wait for the next book in the series to read more about Grant (major golden retriever vibes).

I enjoyed this book, but GOD I didn’t like Olivia…! It sort of felt like drama was being created for the sake of it sometimes which I found a little frustrating, but I did overall quite like this. I enjoyed the mental health representation (always so important!) and I enjoyed the relationship dynamics and how they changed throughout - I’m just not convinced it was my favourite romance ever. It was giving Gossip Girl vibes!