The Unexpected Variable

by Callan Rowe

Quinn

I have one chance to escape my small town and the depressing reality that awaits me there.

I have to stay focused. Maintain my GPA to keep my scholarship, submit my application for study abroad, and nail the interview. No distractions. This time next year, I'll be spending my days sipping café au lait and snacking on pain au chocolat in France, my old life firmly in the rearview mirror.

Until a rare stumble leaves me late to class on the first day and my newly-assigned project partner couldn’t be less worried about acing our project. At first, it’s easy to dismiss Cole’s annoyingly good looks and focus on the task at hand. But the more time we spend together, the more I realize that this cocky pretty boy isn’t what first impressions led me to believe.

I’ve never had trouble focusing before, but Cole Cassidy has the potential to be the one thing I can’t afford right now—a distraction.

Cole

My senior year is finally here, and if I had to sum up my Eastwood experience in one word, it would be easy. I like easy, because it keeps me at a comfortable distance from the messiness I see around me. Easy = simple, which is all I’m looking for during my final year.

But then my semester starts off with a literal bang when the door to my statistics class busts open at the last second, and a beautiful girl blushes and starts stomping my way. Being partnered with Quinn Parker is a shockwave to the effortless life I’ve curated for myself. Something about her keeps drawing me in, and I can’t stay away.

Do I want to play with fire? Or extinguish any chances at getting burned?

The Unexpected Variable is a full-length, standalone college romance featuring forced proximity and a guaranteed HEA. This sweet and spicy novel contains mature themes that are only suitable for readers 18+, including: profanity, explicit sexual content, recreational drug and alcohol use.

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2023

About the author

Callan Rowe is the pen name for indie author duo Christina and Rachel, longtime friends and former co-workers who live in Delaware County, PA (iykyk). After fruitless attempts to write independently, discovering that co-writing exists was like finding the cheat code to fulfilling a lifelong dream. Using their love of romance books and almost-useless graduate degrees, they set off on this new adventure together.

Callan Rowe’s debut novel, The Unexpected Variable, is out now with many more sweet and spicy romances in the works!

Check out our website to subscribe to our newsletter and follow along with our journey on social media:

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Reviews

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unexpected Variable is the amazing love story of Quinn and Cole. Taking place in college, we meet Quinn. She is trying to maintain her GPA so she can study abroad the next year. Cole is a computer wiz and coder who is popular for his business skills. So when they are forced to do a project for their stats class, they immediately connect. So when they both start developing feelings for one another, their lives turn upside down. Will they complete the project and will they still like one another at the end?

I really enjoyed this book. It somewhat reminded me of The Love Hypothesis. All characters are written beautifully and with so much depth. It's a college romance where most of the story (besides trauma triggering moments) the characters don't act childish. It's hard to find in a college romance. Both of the main characters (Cole & Quinn) friends were amazing. All are complex in their own right and so supportive of their friends. I think a lot of people will enjoy this book!

Thankyou to Booksiren for this ARC Read!!

[help · Rating 5 out of 5]

there is a college romance with no whiny people???????
sign me the fuck up

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinion are my own.

there is no dramaaaaa?
no side characters with ulterior motives?
a friend group to die for?
character development?
AND NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
I'm sorry I'm not ready to move on
never did I think I will read a college romance and like it
but,
for past 2 days my life's purpose has been limited to highlighting a white fictional guy's musings for the girl he is clearly whipped for
do you see me complaining?

The banter was immpecable, amazing side characters (would say the 'babe' was getting a lil out of hand, but who cares) chemistry

[Serena Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

'No quería asustarte con etiquetas antes, pero esto es real. Tú y yo lo somos. Probablemente para siempre, si tuviera que adivinar. ¿Lo entiendes?"





•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers.
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.




The Unexpected Variable de Callan Rowe serie Eastwood U libro 1

Argumento:

Quinn

Tengo una oportunidad de escapar de mi pequeño pueblo y de la deprimente realidad que me espera allí.

Tengo que mantenerme enfocada. Mantener mi GPA para mantener mi beca, enviar mi solicitud para estudiar en el extranjero y lograr la entrevista. Sin distracciones. El próximo año por estas fechas, pasaré mis días bebiendo café con leche y comiendo pain au chocolat en Francia, mi antigua vida firmemente en el espejo retrovisor.

Hasta que un raro tropiezo me hace llegar tarde a clase el primer día y mi socio de proyecto recién asignado no podría estar menos preocupado por tener éxito en nuestro proyecto. Al principio, es fácil descartar la molesta apariencia de Cole y concentrarse en la tarea que tiene entre manos. Pero cuanto más tiempo pasamos juntos, más me doy cuenta de que este chico bonito y engreído no es lo que las primeras impresiones me hicieron creer.

Nunca antes había tenido problemas para concentrarme, pero Cole Cassidy tiene el potencial de ser lo único que no puedo permitirme en este momento: una distracción.

Cole

Mi último año finalmente está aquí, y si tuviera que resumir mi experiencia en Eastwood en una palabra, sería fácil. Me gusta lo fácil, porque me mantiene a una distancia cómoda del desorden que veo a mi alrededor. Fácil = simple, que es todo lo que busco durante mi último año.

Pero luego mi semestre comienza con un golpe literal cuando la puerta de mi clase de estadística se abre en el último segundo, y una chica hermosa se sonroja y comienza a pisar fuerte en mi camino. Estar asociado con Quinn Parker es una onda expansiva para la vida sin esfuerzo que he curado para mí. Algo en ella sigue atrayéndome, y no puedo alejarme.

¿Quiero jugar con fuego? ¿O extinguir cualquier posibilidad de quemarse?



Mi humilde opinión:

Romance universitario/amigos a amantes/ proximidad forzada.

Me costó entrar en la historia al principio. Parecía que no iba a ningún lado. Se hizo lento con la cotidianidad de la escuela. Pero cuando Quinn y Cole se juntan para hacer un trabajo juntos comenzó a ponerse interesante.

Disfruté de verlos crecer primero como compañeros y después como pareja, si bien tomó tiempo para llegar a lo bueno. Me reí con sus intercambios y apodos. Para mí fue un alivio que no hubo falta de comunicación y tontos malos entendidos, en cambio hubo mucha comunicación en su relación. Sabían sus prioridades en la escuela y se apoyaron a pesar de no tener exactamente tiempo para una relación sería. Sin embargo hubo una o dos veces que Quinn me hizo querer tirar el libro por la ventana.

Cómo es un romance YA y en la universidad obviamente se iba a mencionar temas como drogas recreativas y consumo de alcohol. No me sorprendió eso pero sí me incómodo que el héroe vendiera hierba en las fiestas como si fuera un trabajo normal. Esto no me gustó.

Los protagonistas lidian con problemas, como la ansiedad y el abandono de los padres. Lo que eventualmente enfrentan.

Es una historia linda historia de amistad y amor, de lograr lo que uno se propone como meta, tiene algo de drama, momentos de vapor y algunos temas sensibles.

[PeaceOfGod]

Waiting for reviews.

[Kacey Daniels {hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot to unpack with this one. Simply because it is unlike any other college romance you have ever read. It’s so untoxic (not sure that’s a word but whatever). What I mean is…
-there’s no third act breakup
-no whiny exes bringing drama
-no cheating, OW, OM
-no side characters with ulterior motives
-no cheesy cliches that are overly done

It is simple a cute, hot, hilarious college romance. It was so refreshing and enjoyable to read . For those reasons alone I would recommend this book a hundred times. You should read it if only because there is no other like it and you deserve the experience at least once. If that’s not enough to convince you, here’s some things it does have…
-an adorable and completely whipped mmc who’s thoughtful supportive and sexy
-impeccable banter that is so well done it leaves you simultaneously satisfied and wanting more, as well as jealous
-a fmc who strong, vulnerable, hilarious, and confident all at the same time
-a group of friends who are ride or die and so funny (even if their saying babe so often got a little ridiculous if was part of the charm to me)
-a relationship that healthy, hot, realistic, full of adoration, gestures, love, and developed over time
-sharing one bed trope
-study/class project partners
-misunderstood “bad boy”

All in all this book is super enjoyable, entertaining, and one of a kind. The author took a risk writing it like this since there isn’t anything like it in the genre really but I think it made off as it was very refreshing to read. I loved Quinn and I loved Cole. I loved them together and was swooning while rooting for them for sure! But where can I find my own Cole???? Until I figure that out, go read this one! It’s quick and I’m not sure how you wouldn’t enjoy it!

*I was given an advanced review copy and am leaving this review voluntarily*

[Molly Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


3.5/5⭐️

Honestly this book surprised me a lot! I haven’t read a lot of college romance that I have liked but I actually liked this book. There is no drama which was so refreshing to see. The MMC wasn’t an *sshole which I don’t usually mind but it is always good to see the change. He was sweet and caring towards her which I loved. There was no third act breakup which is honestly one of the most infuriating parts of romance books and the characters were actually relatable and I liked reading about them. The only one that annoyed me was the FMC because she was to uptight and continue to be like that until the end, she also was rude for no reason and didn’t apologize. It actually made her kind of unlikable for me. In my opinion Cole saved the book for me and made me enjoyed it. I honestly think that Cole was to good for her, he was communicative and honestly the perfect boyfriend while she was just there. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy the book but the FMC just wasn’t my favorite character. In the end the book was a really good palate cleanser and a really happy book with a good MMC and good side characters.

[Daniella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book. In the beginning it was a little slow, but it honestly was setting up the story and details of the characters. I loved Cole and Quinn's back and forth, nicknames, and relationship as whole. They became friends first and I loved how their relationship developed. It took them a while to get to the actual confession and relationship (like more than half way through the book), but it worked because they had built up this friendship. They did get in their heads on both ends which caused the actual, "we like each other", to be prolonged. At one point I was yelling at my Kindle at Cole like, "stop being an idiot". He got in his head at one point, pulling back, but I understand why. I just wanted them together already, but enjoyed the journey to get there.

This book is a cute, feel-good book. I recommend it for a lighthearted read. My favorite quote was "sometimes it's the unexpected that's worth all the effort", and I feel like that sums up this book as a whole.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a rarity it is to read a college book where the guy isn’t a manho and there’s no OW drama! It was very refreshing. Cole was such a great book boyfriend! He was sweet and protective of Quinn. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Quinn. She was way too uptight and I thought throughout the book being with Cole would loosen her up a little but it didn’t. All she was every worried about was school even up until almost the end. She was so rude to Cole and I didn’t like the fact that he was the one to apologize to her. I feel like she should have done a lot more to rectify how she treated him. I would have liked a little more info on their motivations though. Like Quinn was soo obsessed with getting good grades almost to a fault but we didn’t really find out why. I’m nervous about the next book because Brady was sleeping with other people. But I would love to see a book about Rylie and Jace and a book for Masters!! I did love the writing and it was such an easy book to read. I will definitely be reading more.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, straightforward read

I’ve been reading a lot of dark stuff and a lot of multi-book series recently and I guess it has had an impact because I was looking for a devilish bad guy or a complicated twist. There was lots of communication and character growth instead. It was…sweet. So very different to what I’ve read recently, but that’s not a bad thing!

I can see how there are other couples being set up for future books. This makes a great palate cleanser - light hearted and fun from start to finish.

[Michal · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason it took me a while to get into this book. Maybe it was the crew from the diner so calling each other babe or maybe it was the male MC being the campus dealer (mild stuff, but hard for me to relate). However about a fourth of the way through I started warming up to the story and the characters. I could relate to the female MC's anxiety and need for planning, which made it hard for her to let go and have fun. The relationship development was good and you do find yourself rooting for them to get together.

I received an ARC of this book and I'm leaving a voluntary review.

[Mala · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the cutest stories I’ve read in a while, I honestly couldn’t put it down for the two days it took me to finish it. It has just enough steam and buildup to get you wishing you were Quinn and if they wasn’t enough the Diner Babes have you wishing for Book 2 and beyond to see everyone end up with their own happily ever after.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unexpected Variable by Callan Rowe is a good, and enjoyable college forced proximity romance read. The story has a great entertaining world building story line. The characters are great, and they have great chemistry. This story is a very entertaining read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alyssa Calvano · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! I haven't read this type of book in so long, but after reading The Unexpected Variable I remembered why I love this genre! Light-hearted, fun, and romantic, this book is the PERFECT summer read. And a happy break from my usual dark, twisted, true crime and mystery books. Can't wait for more in this series!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for a review.
I honestly thought, "Blah, another college romance." But I was hooked from the start of the book. The characters were very likable and kept me very interested in the whole book! I felt all the emotions and caught myself tensing up in a few scenes! But in a good way. I really like the style of writing and look forward to more!

[Angie☺️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good lord 😫😫 if I have to drink for everytime they said the word “babe” I would be on a alcohol coma 🫠🫠 if you can handle reading the word “babe” many times then you may like this.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’m callan rowe’s #1 fan (i met one of the writers she’s so nice)

such a silly romance book i finished so quickly!! i loved the characters and the meet cute and i’m excited for the next one!

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute read! A little slow in the beginning but got much better! I love coles character and want more of Quinn and coles relationship!