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Rain on Wildflowers
Savage. Insane. Monster. Being branded as Hudson View University’s resident psychopath really doesn’t bother me. Sure, starting my first year in college would be a lot easier if the media wasn’t constantly chasing me down hoping for an exclusive. It’d be nice to get lunch without all the true crime junkies on campus checking to see if I’ve ordered a side of violence with my burger. I’d rather be here than back in juvenile detention. Or sitting through a trial reliving the worst moments of my life. Or there , with Him . Maybe it was a little naive to think I could just start fresh. Especially when the starting line up of the basketball team can’t decide if I’m a threat to their season or their new obsession. Crew, Royce and Banks are nothing like the demons of my past, but that doesn’t mean the HVU Knights certainly aren’t riding in on white horses to save me. That doesn’t matter when I’ve already slayed my own monster. Intimidating glares and verbal insults? That’s child's play. Requests to kick me off campus? Bring it on.
The campus radio show constantly covering my case? Every killer has a fan base.
Living in the same house with the guy determined to hate me? Maybe a little challenging but nothing I can’t handle. If the people want a crazy villain, I’ll give it to them.
This is a why choose romance standalone with darker themes. A content warning will be provided in the book.
The campus radio show constantly covering my case? Every killer has a fan base.
Living in the same house with the guy determined to hate me? Maybe a little challenging but nothing I can’t handle. If the people want a crazy villain, I’ll give it to them.
This is a why choose romance standalone with darker themes. A content warning will be provided in the book.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2023
221 people are currently reading
753 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
August 30, 2023
The Brutal Beauty
"She's a bright light hiding in darkness."
This story was great! It starts off mesmerizing, you can't stop turning the pages. Mira is being released from jail after 18 months of a closed trial for a murder she 100% committed.
Her lawyer, Caroline Calloway is a godsend and takes her in when Mira has nowhere else to go. She hopes to start her life again at Hudson View University where she can stand on her own two feet. Unfortunately the media and the other students would rather paint her as the monster than the victim, simply because they don't know the story.
This continues when she meets Crew, Banks and Royce. With an instant connection to each of them, some are happier than others to be around her. Crew is Caroline's son and he only thinks the worst, because he too, expects Mira to be a monster. Only, traumatic episodes Mira faces soon have him questioning everything he thinks he knows.
The author does a fantastic job with doing flash-forwards throughout the book of Mira giving an exclusive interview with popular podcast, Hudson's Most Heinous. Little by little, we the reader, are also finding out what went down and all of the horrible things Mira had to endure to get to that breaking point.
"...monsters can evolve. They can get scarier. They can level up."
Trying to find the sun again in a world of clouds, Mira is trying to become more than the murderer everyone sees. She wants to experience what 18 year old's do. She wants her body to belong to her again and she wants to indulge in all things that make her happy. With people trying to sabotage her progress, she learns quickly who she can trust and who to be weary from.
Finally finding herself and gaining a secondary mother in the progress, Mira comes out of her shell beautifully. The guys, all finally on board, worship her like the true beauty she is and are willing to risk it all to be with the girl they've fallen for. The steam comes in waves and Mira learns how to love again.
This is a must read and the storyline itself was perfect. I only wish we got more with the guys and a more extensive epilogue. I really enjoyed this book!
*Overall 4.5/5
*Heat? 4/5
*Med/Slow Burn
*Multiple first person POV
*MFMM Romance
*8 months later epilogue
*Ends on HEA
"She's a bright light hiding in darkness."
This story was great! It starts off mesmerizing, you can't stop turning the pages. Mira is being released from jail after 18 months of a closed trial for a murder she 100% committed.
Her lawyer, Caroline Calloway is a godsend and takes her in when Mira has nowhere else to go. She hopes to start her life again at Hudson View University where she can stand on her own two feet. Unfortunately the media and the other students would rather paint her as the monster than the victim, simply because they don't know the story.
This continues when she meets Crew, Banks and Royce. With an instant connection to each of them, some are happier than others to be around her. Crew is Caroline's son and he only thinks the worst, because he too, expects Mira to be a monster. Only, traumatic episodes Mira faces soon have him questioning everything he thinks he knows.
The author does a fantastic job with doing flash-forwards throughout the book of Mira giving an exclusive interview with popular podcast, Hudson's Most Heinous. Little by little, we the reader, are also finding out what went down and all of the horrible things Mira had to endure to get to that breaking point.
"...monsters can evolve. They can get scarier. They can level up."
Trying to find the sun again in a world of clouds, Mira is trying to become more than the murderer everyone sees. She wants to experience what 18 year old's do. She wants her body to belong to her again and she wants to indulge in all things that make her happy. With people trying to sabotage her progress, she learns quickly who she can trust and who to be weary from.
Finally finding herself and gaining a secondary mother in the progress, Mira comes out of her shell beautifully. The guys, all finally on board, worship her like the true beauty she is and are willing to risk it all to be with the girl they've fallen for. The steam comes in waves and Mira learns how to love again.
This is a must read and the storyline itself was perfect. I only wish we got more with the guys and a more extensive epilogue. I really enjoyed this book!
*Overall 4.5/5
*Heat? 4/5
*Med/Slow Burn
*Multiple first person POV
*MFMM Romance
*8 months later epilogue
*Ends on HEA
January 12, 2024
Ugh, I am so sad about this one. The blurb was solid and the start of the story pulled me in. But as it continued on, it really went downhill and fell victim to what I dub RHSAS (reverse harem stand alone syndrome).
Here's what I liked:
1. The concept. I loved the idea of someone who went on trial for murder being found innocent, and dealing with the aftermath. It's not a concept that's overdone in romance, especially why-choose. It gave the author the ability to really tell an original and interesting story. Whether or not she did that is a different discussion.
2. The found family trope. Seeing our FMC, Mira, really connect to Caroline the way that she does is wonderful. Having Caroline take Mira in the way she did and constantly back her up is also wonderful. The potential for a really beautiful relationship was here and I think the author did a pretty good job.
Here's what I didn't like.
1. The pacing. The pacing of this story is really off. Everything happens very quickly, in a way that just doesn't seem realistic. It doesn't help that we get some time jumps throughout the book that detract from the overall timeline.
I would have appreciated being able to see Mira in action more, get more character growth with Mira actually working to overcome her trauma, and more relationship development. For example, her and Finn being best friends just doesn't work when we see them interact 3 times in the whole book, lmao.
Even by the end of the book, we get an unsatisfactory ending with a short and fast epilogue that doesn't deliver.
2. The Radio show/podcast. This is one of my main gripes with this book. It's a difficult one to explain without sounding like a dick, but it's how I feel.
Throughout the book, we get chapters that are basically transcripts of Mira on this show telling her story. But these chapters are so short (only a few pages long each), and they don't actually give detail. If this were a real radio show or podcast, ALL of these episodes together would culminate to MAX a half hour, if they were really spaced out with breaks in between speaking.
When Mira goes into her abuse and trauma, she gives basically no information. I'm NOT saying we need graphic details of her abuse, but she gives so little information that it doesn't even feel worthwhile. It feels like it defeats the whole purpose of having these chapters.
3. The basketball stuff.
Honestly so pointless that we could have done without. It's like this was thrown in so the author or someone could classify this as a 'sports' romance, but it doesn't really add anything to the story.
4. WTF is the deal with Luke? Luke is sort of the grand villain of this story and the catalyst for our climax where Mira actually goes public with her story. But I don't understand what his deal is? There are, objectively, a lot of students at the university that are uncomfortable and unsettled by Mira's presence. There's a lot of gossiping and gross remarks made, and it's clear she's not really making friends.
But Luke's disdain for her is sort of out of pocket, especially once he starts going after her. The first time he comes up to her and threatens her, it's their first interaction. I'm confused, even by the end of the book, on why he hated her so much that he went out of his way to do this?
Yes, by the end we know he's a P.O.S. who's been assaulting girls... But that has nothing to do with his initial conflict with Mira. It just comes across as poorly planned and executed, in my opinion.
I think this book would have benefitted from more. More story, more detail, more scenes of our FMC getting to know the guys, more scenes of her befriending Finn, more scenes of her working through her trauma, etc. etc.
I think this could have easily been a duet or a much longer standalone, and with more fleshing out it would have been an incredible story.
Here's what I liked:
1. The concept. I loved the idea of someone who went on trial for murder being found innocent, and dealing with the aftermath. It's not a concept that's overdone in romance, especially why-choose. It gave the author the ability to really tell an original and interesting story. Whether or not she did that is a different discussion.
2. The found family trope. Seeing our FMC, Mira, really connect to Caroline the way that she does is wonderful. Having Caroline take Mira in the way she did and constantly back her up is also wonderful. The potential for a really beautiful relationship was here and I think the author did a pretty good job.
Here's what I didn't like.
1. The pacing. The pacing of this story is really off. Everything happens very quickly, in a way that just doesn't seem realistic. It doesn't help that we get some time jumps throughout the book that detract from the overall timeline.
I would have appreciated being able to see Mira in action more, get more character growth with Mira actually working to overcome her trauma, and more relationship development. For example, her and Finn being best friends just doesn't work when we see them interact 3 times in the whole book, lmao.
Even by the end of the book, we get an unsatisfactory ending with a short and fast epilogue that doesn't deliver.
2. The Radio show/podcast. This is one of my main gripes with this book. It's a difficult one to explain without sounding like a dick, but it's how I feel.
Throughout the book, we get chapters that are basically transcripts of Mira on this show telling her story. But these chapters are so short (only a few pages long each), and they don't actually give detail. If this were a real radio show or podcast, ALL of these episodes together would culminate to MAX a half hour, if they were really spaced out with breaks in between speaking.
When Mira goes into her abuse and trauma, she gives basically no information. I'm NOT saying we need graphic details of her abuse, but she gives so little information that it doesn't even feel worthwhile. It feels like it defeats the whole purpose of having these chapters.
3. The basketball stuff.
Honestly so pointless that we could have done without. It's like this was thrown in so the author or someone could classify this as a 'sports' romance, but it doesn't really add anything to the story.
4. WTF is the deal with Luke? Luke is sort of the grand villain of this story and the catalyst for our climax where Mira actually goes public with her story. But I don't understand what his deal is? There are, objectively, a lot of students at the university that are uncomfortable and unsettled by Mira's presence. There's a lot of gossiping and gross remarks made, and it's clear she's not really making friends.
But Luke's disdain for her is sort of out of pocket, especially once he starts going after her. The first time he comes up to her and threatens her, it's their first interaction. I'm confused, even by the end of the book, on why he hated her so much that he went out of his way to do this?
Yes, by the end we know he's a P.O.S. who's been assaulting girls... But that has nothing to do with his initial conflict with Mira. It just comes across as poorly planned and executed, in my opinion.
I think this book would have benefitted from more. More story, more detail, more scenes of our FMC getting to know the guys, more scenes of her befriending Finn, more scenes of her working through her trauma, etc. etc.
I think this could have easily been a duet or a much longer standalone, and with more fleshing out it would have been an incredible story.
September 8, 2023
Those nicknames were killing me. 😭 "Angel" wasn't so bad, but... "Storm Cloud"? "Rain"? I get a lot of writers (especially in RH) do this to help more easily distinguish characters, but it really took me out of it whenever they used those names.
November 19, 2024
I really wanted to love this.. the premise sounded so good. The writing is super digestible and easy to flow through. I also really enjoyed the podcast aspect.
Unfortunately I just got the ick a lot..I can’t stand insta love and this was insta love with all 4 people. There were a lot of really cheesy cringy moments.. and for a reverse harem to not get even a little spicy until after 60% while also being insta love..kind of crazy. It’s not often that I say this but I think this would have been better if the whole dynamic was to just have a fun time with no emotions involved😅
Unfortunately I just got the ick a lot..I can’t stand insta love and this was insta love with all 4 people. There were a lot of really cheesy cringy moments.. and for a reverse harem to not get even a little spicy until after 60% while also being insta love..kind of crazy. It’s not often that I say this but I think this would have been better if the whole dynamic was to just have a fun time with no emotions involved😅
August 26, 2023
4.5⭐️ 2🌶️
I really enjoyed this style of story telling, the podcast interview part was genius! Plus, not knowing who was behind it until almost the end was perfect. I thought it was Oliver to be honest. With all the tension between them, I thought maybe they were faking it so people wouldn’t know the hosts identity, but color me shocked when the nickname came out.
Mira was a great character. Her strength grew as the book progressed, she opened herself to new experiences even though she was still struggling. I adored the guys as well, with Royce being my favorite. Finn made me laugh with his insistences on having a friendship. Also, Caroline is one of the best supporting characters I’ve ever read. Her genuine motherly love for Mira was so heartwarming.
The slow burn was done beautifully and the consent check ins during the spice were absolutely everything.
A couple things that felt off:
-not really resolving the jealousy issues with Oliver. While it might not have been meant to be a big deal, his attitude and overall harsh demeanor around her, even towards the end, felt odd when it could’ve been cleared up in seconds.
-having Crew say that basketball never truly felt like a calling in the epilogue. That would’ve been more believable coming Banks honestly. Crew slept at a hotel to get a good nights rest and that was before the basketball season really kicked off, he mentioned many times how important basketball was to him.
-the epilogue in general. While I loved seeing how Mira was healing still, the draft was made to be such a big deal and we don’t get to see it. I honestly expected the epi to be years out with the guys playing on their respective teams or doing something different and Mira doing her thing too if/when she figured out what she wanted. I thought we’d seem them working as a functioning group, see how juggling different paths have been going, etc.
I really enjoyed this style of story telling, the podcast interview part was genius! Plus, not knowing who was behind it until almost the end was perfect. I thought it was Oliver to be honest. With all the tension between them, I thought maybe they were faking it so people wouldn’t know the hosts identity, but color me shocked when the nickname came out.
Mira was a great character. Her strength grew as the book progressed, she opened herself to new experiences even though she was still struggling. I adored the guys as well, with Royce being my favorite. Finn made me laugh with his insistences on having a friendship. Also, Caroline is one of the best supporting characters I’ve ever read. Her genuine motherly love for Mira was so heartwarming.
The slow burn was done beautifully and the consent check ins during the spice were absolutely everything.
A couple things that felt off:
-not really resolving the jealousy issues with Oliver. While it might not have been meant to be a big deal, his attitude and overall harsh demeanor around her, even towards the end, felt odd when it could’ve been cleared up in seconds.
-having Crew say that basketball never truly felt like a calling in the epilogue. That would’ve been more believable coming Banks honestly. Crew slept at a hotel to get a good nights rest and that was before the basketball season really kicked off, he mentioned many times how important basketball was to him.
-the epilogue in general. While I loved seeing how Mira was healing still, the draft was made to be such a big deal and we don’t get to see it. I honestly expected the epi to be years out with the guys playing on their respective teams or doing something different and Mira doing her thing too if/when she figured out what she wanted. I thought we’d seem them working as a functioning group, see how juggling different paths have been going, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 17, 2025DREA MF’n DENAE. WOW. I’m truly blown away. (Please make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading this book) Rain on Wildflowers is a why choose romance with dark themes. Once I started this book I did not want to put it down. I was completely captivated. I really hope we get a bonus epilogue or something I need more!!
First I absolutely loved the podcast aspect of the book. It was so unique. I’ve never seen anything like that done before I also feel like it was a great way to ease us into her trauma.
We start off by being introduced to Mira (who is released from jail for mvrder) & her lawyer Caroline. Caroline is a bada$$ & immediately takes Mira under her wing. The way she rides for Mira is so admirable & that plot twist with Caroline is something I definitely wasnt expecting!!
I absolutely LOVED the MMC’s Crew who is Caroline’s son, Banks & Royce. They way they each want to protect her is *chefs kiss* perfection
Crew definitely started off on the wrong foot but he won me over so easily. Especially during that game (IKYK)
Banks on the other hand was perfect in every single way. Holy 🥵 he was the first one interested & he was claiming Mira from the jump!!
Last but certainly not least Royce. he’s so zaddy in all the best ways. The way he cares for her at the party (again IFYKYK) ugh I love them all.
Each of them take such good care of Mira in her vulnerable states & it made my heart so happy.
Overall 5 stars from me!!
First I absolutely loved the podcast aspect of the book. It was so unique. I’ve never seen anything like that done before I also feel like it was a great way to ease us into her trauma.
We start off by being introduced to Mira (who is released from jail for mvrder) & her lawyer Caroline. Caroline is a bada$$ & immediately takes Mira under her wing. The way she rides for Mira is so admirable & that plot twist with Caroline is something I definitely wasnt expecting!!
I absolutely LOVED the MMC’s Crew who is Caroline’s son, Banks & Royce. They way they each want to protect her is *chefs kiss* perfection
Crew definitely started off on the wrong foot but he won me over so easily. Especially during that game (IKYK)
Banks on the other hand was perfect in every single way. Holy 🥵 he was the first one interested & he was claiming Mira from the jump!!
Last but certainly not least Royce. he’s so zaddy in all the best ways. The way he cares for her at the party (again IFYKYK) ugh I love them all.
Each of them take such good care of Mira in her vulnerable states & it made my heart so happy.
Overall 5 stars from me!!
August 27, 2023
I absolutely loved this book! It covers very dark topics like domestic violence and sexual assault BUT it's told in such a beautiful way, especially with Mira's reclamation of her life & her sexuality.
Mira has experienced an incredible amount of trauma during her young adult life including losing her mother in a tragedy then being abused and assaulted regularly. The book begins when Mira receives her innocent verdict after spending months in jail for a crime she committed as a teenager. With nowhere else to go, she's welcomed into her lawyer, Caroline's home. Until she meets Caroline's son Crew. She attempts to be a normal college student but finds it difficult after Crew outs her identity on campus when he sees his friends talking to Mira. Things take a drastic change when Crew's friends still try to befriend Mira and he sneaks off with her case file from his mother's office. After getting to know her better, Crew, Banks, and Royce all want to be with Mira even if that means sharing her with each other. Together, they help Mira to re-find herself and reclaim her sexuality.
Parts of the book are told in the form of podcast episodes with Mira's feature on a popular true crime podcast. It really levels up the storytelling of the book! The boys are the absolute sweetest with her and helping her to reclaim herself after all the trauma she's experienced. They let her control her sexual experiences & does it get steamy! While there aren't any steamy scenes with all the boys present, each of the boys get to have their one-on-one time with Mira that certainly does not disappoint!
Features:
- FMMM dynamic
- basketball romance
- virgin hero
Content warnings:
- domestic violence
- sexual assault
- loss of a parent
- murder
Thank you so much to Drea Denae for sending me an early copy to read!
Mira has experienced an incredible amount of trauma during her young adult life including losing her mother in a tragedy then being abused and assaulted regularly. The book begins when Mira receives her innocent verdict after spending months in jail for a crime she committed as a teenager. With nowhere else to go, she's welcomed into her lawyer, Caroline's home. Until she meets Caroline's son Crew. She attempts to be a normal college student but finds it difficult after Crew outs her identity on campus when he sees his friends talking to Mira. Things take a drastic change when Crew's friends still try to befriend Mira and he sneaks off with her case file from his mother's office. After getting to know her better, Crew, Banks, and Royce all want to be with Mira even if that means sharing her with each other. Together, they help Mira to re-find herself and reclaim her sexuality.
Parts of the book are told in the form of podcast episodes with Mira's feature on a popular true crime podcast. It really levels up the storytelling of the book! The boys are the absolute sweetest with her and helping her to reclaim herself after all the trauma she's experienced. They let her control her sexual experiences & does it get steamy! While there aren't any steamy scenes with all the boys present, each of the boys get to have their one-on-one time with Mira that certainly does not disappoint!
Features:
- FMMM dynamic
- basketball romance
- virgin hero
Content warnings:
- domestic violence
- sexual assault
- loss of a parent
- murder
Thank you so much to Drea Denae for sending me an early copy to read!
December 17, 2023
I really enjoyed this book.
The episodes spread through out the book, confused me and messed with my head a bit but other than that, I thought the plot and delivery were spot on.
I wish there was two epilogues, the one we got but maybe one ten yrs later, to show where they all ended up.
I will miss Banks...
The episodes spread through out the book, confused me and messed with my head a bit but other than that, I thought the plot and delivery were spot on.
I wish there was two epilogues, the one we got but maybe one ten yrs later, to show where they all ended up.
I will miss Banks...
November 5, 2023
A very good blend of drama, romance and mystery! A really enjoyable read with fantastic characters and a well thought out plot!
September 4, 2023
This book was like nothing I’ve read before. The set up between chapters and the podcast was such a unique way to pace and unveil the story.
And ugh the story. So heartbreaking, and raw, and real. Our FMC is so strong and brave. Drea did an amazing job capture so many different facets of mental health.
While I know the “point” of the story wasn’t the reverse harem or the smut, it was weaved in beautifully. Did I wish there was more? Absolutely. Did I try to bribe the author for a group scene? The moment I finished.
Also, I didn’t expected love laugh so much throughout this book, but there were things in almost every chapter that had me chuckling to myself.
100% recommend reading!
And ugh the story. So heartbreaking, and raw, and real. Our FMC is so strong and brave. Drea did an amazing job capture so many different facets of mental health.
While I know the “point” of the story wasn’t the reverse harem or the smut, it was weaved in beautifully. Did I wish there was more? Absolutely. Did I try to bribe the author for a group scene? The moment I finished.
Also, I didn’t expected love laugh so much throughout this book, but there were things in almost every chapter that had me chuckling to myself.
100% recommend reading!
January 15, 2024
so many tears
While this book was full of Bank and Finn making me laugh, I cried so many emotional tears.
Please check the trigger warnings and take breaks as needed to protect your mental health. I had to take a break at one point but I throughly enjoyed this book.
Drea has a way of drawing you in and wrecking you all at the same time. I love how not just 3 but 4 of the Knights become her knight in shining armor.
I would love a book about Finn and Oliver to see how their future develops. 10,000 stars
While this book was full of Bank and Finn making me laugh, I cried so many emotional tears.
Please check the trigger warnings and take breaks as needed to protect your mental health. I had to take a break at one point but I throughly enjoyed this book.
Drea has a way of drawing you in and wrecking you all at the same time. I love how not just 3 but 4 of the Knights become her knight in shining armor.
I would love a book about Finn and Oliver to see how their future develops. 10,000 stars
September 30, 2023
I would've liked this being drawn out more. It moved too quickly for me to enjoy the plot and characters.
August 19, 2023
This is one huge emotional rollercoaster, so many feelings packed tight.
Mira is a great FMC, having endured so much trauma and then abuse from the majority of other people who know only the headlines of her trauma.
The attention of the gutter press just makes everything exponentially worse, the thought of this happening to Mira I found upsetting after reading about what she’d suffered.
The atmosphere at Hudson View University is overtly hostile to her as she struggles to try and make sense of her life now.
Caroline her lawyer and greatest advocate is the only light in her life, even tho her son Crewe is less than welcoming. Caroline is my hero and goes the extra mile for Mira, being a kindred spirit.
The way her relationships develop with the guys made me cry, so happy she had Finn in her corner as a friend , he’s just so hilarious.
Banks, Crewe and Royce are all hot, love the development of their relationships, especially that apology. Some sensual scenes between Mira and the guys, she’s a girl who know what she wants!
Mira herself slowly regains herself with the help of the guys, such an amazing read that deals with difficult subjects sensitively and makes you think on the injustices of our current system.
Another fantastic powerful book from Drea.
Mira is a great FMC, having endured so much trauma and then abuse from the majority of other people who know only the headlines of her trauma.
The attention of the gutter press just makes everything exponentially worse, the thought of this happening to Mira I found upsetting after reading about what she’d suffered.
The atmosphere at Hudson View University is overtly hostile to her as she struggles to try and make sense of her life now.
Caroline her lawyer and greatest advocate is the only light in her life, even tho her son Crewe is less than welcoming. Caroline is my hero and goes the extra mile for Mira, being a kindred spirit.
The way her relationships develop with the guys made me cry, so happy she had Finn in her corner as a friend , he’s just so hilarious.
Banks, Crewe and Royce are all hot, love the development of their relationships, especially that apology. Some sensual scenes between Mira and the guys, she’s a girl who know what she wants!
Mira herself slowly regains herself with the help of the guys, such an amazing read that deals with difficult subjects sensitively and makes you think on the injustices of our current system.
Another fantastic powerful book from Drea.
August 28, 2023
Just wow
This book is so good. Mira is an amazing character that you just need to know more about. To understand her and you will fall in love with her for her strength.
Each of the guys brings something to her that she needs and deserves. I absolutely love Caroline and want to be her when I grow up.
This story packs a punch, but it is so well written that you can't stop reading it
This book is so good. Mira is an amazing character that you just need to know more about. To understand her and you will fall in love with her for her strength.
Each of the guys brings something to her that she needs and deserves. I absolutely love Caroline and want to be her when I grow up.
This story packs a punch, but it is so well written that you can't stop reading it
August 21, 2023
I always fall head over heals in love with all of the books that Drea Denae puts out and her characters. This book was no different.
I loved the true crime podcast aspect of the book. It was a great way to show us what happened in the past without relying on flashbacks and gave such an exciting element to the book. I also really enjoyed all of the characters. I loved their personalities and just how good they were to Mira (some after some time).
It was an intriguing story and different then anything I have ever read before. When I started reading, I found myself not wanting to put it down because I just had to see how it ended.
Cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next.
I loved the true crime podcast aspect of the book. It was a great way to show us what happened in the past without relying on flashbacks and gave such an exciting element to the book. I also really enjoyed all of the characters. I loved their personalities and just how good they were to Mira (some after some time).
It was an intriguing story and different then anything I have ever read before. When I started reading, I found myself not wanting to put it down because I just had to see how it ended.
Cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next.
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January 18, 2024Rain on Wildflowers
3.75
While I did enjoy this book and the depths it delves into, I also felt there were missing elements as well as all together rushed. I refuse to leave a spoiler review. Try it out, it might be the book for you or it might not.
3.75
While I did enjoy this book and the depths it delves into, I also felt there were missing elements as well as all together rushed. I refuse to leave a spoiler review. Try it out, it might be the book for you or it might not.
August 26, 2023
4.5 stars. Diamond in the rough. Deserves a lot more attention… and a sequel so I can read about their foursome.
September 1, 2023
4.5 Stars
This was a great book! I couldn’t put it down. I thought that the story building was great, and the characters were very interesting. The breakdown of the Episodes throughout the story was genius. It gave you snippets of Mira’s history, while the chapters moved the story forward in present time. I loved the mystery around the host of the show.
In terms of the writing itself, there were some typos, some sentences had words missing, and there were a couple formatting issues. But overall, I don’t think it detracted from the story. Other than the few typos, it was very well written.
This was a great book! I couldn’t put it down. I thought that the story building was great, and the characters were very interesting. The breakdown of the Episodes throughout the story was genius. It gave you snippets of Mira’s history, while the chapters moved the story forward in present time. I loved the mystery around the host of the show.
In terms of the writing itself, there were some typos, some sentences had words missing, and there were a couple formatting issues. But overall, I don’t think it detracted from the story. Other than the few typos, it was very well written.
August 25, 2023
I was lucky enough to receive and advance copy of this book and can I say it is amazing. It had me hooked in the first chapter and left hanging at the end. I want more!!!! I definitely think Finn and Oliver need their own book, but I really want to see what happens and where Mira, Crew, Banks and Royce end up. Definitely a 5⭐️ read
May 7, 2024
Mini Book Review:
4.5/5 stars and 3/5 spicy peppers
Wow, Rain on Wildflowers by Drea Denae was an incredible read. Mira was acquitted for murder and after she is released she is going to start attending college while living in her lawyer’s home because she does not have anywhere else to go. Mira is known as the Brutal Beauty and does not feel welcome from her fellow peers and professors. However, people do not know the full story. I loved reading about Mira’s journey, how she learned to cope with her past, and how her new friends support her. Mira befriends a few basketball players and they all support and help her in their own way and book becomes progressively spicy.
My favorite parts of the book were the incredibly imagery Denae used when describing how Mira used the meadow to be her space to escape in her head during the darkest parts of her life, and how Mira learned to “grow through the rain.” I also loved Mira’s relationship with her lawyer and seeing women supporting women and survivors helping survivors. I do wish the story was longer where we could have explored Mira’s relationships with the guys and her own healing journey. I was lucky to meet Denae at a readers convention a couple weeks ago and I am looking forward to reading more titles from her.
Read If You Like:
Growth After Trauma
Why Choose
College Romance
Feisty FMC
Protective MMCs
Multiple POVs
Favorite Quotes: “I breathe in the fresh air, thinking to myself of how good a little rain can be for wildflowers.”
“I might be the bad guy because of what I had to do, but I’m my own hero too.”
4.5/5 stars and 3/5 spicy peppers
Wow, Rain on Wildflowers by Drea Denae was an incredible read. Mira was acquitted for murder and after she is released she is going to start attending college while living in her lawyer’s home because she does not have anywhere else to go. Mira is known as the Brutal Beauty and does not feel welcome from her fellow peers and professors. However, people do not know the full story. I loved reading about Mira’s journey, how she learned to cope with her past, and how her new friends support her. Mira befriends a few basketball players and they all support and help her in their own way and book becomes progressively spicy.
My favorite parts of the book were the incredibly imagery Denae used when describing how Mira used the meadow to be her space to escape in her head during the darkest parts of her life, and how Mira learned to “grow through the rain.” I also loved Mira’s relationship with her lawyer and seeing women supporting women and survivors helping survivors. I do wish the story was longer where we could have explored Mira’s relationships with the guys and her own healing journey. I was lucky to meet Denae at a readers convention a couple weeks ago and I am looking forward to reading more titles from her.
Read If You Like:
Growth After Trauma
Why Choose
College Romance
Feisty FMC
Protective MMCs
Multiple POVs
Favorite Quotes: “I breathe in the fresh air, thinking to myself of how good a little rain can be for wildflowers.”
“I might be the bad guy because of what I had to do, but I’m my own hero too.”
February 13, 2024
Cuteeee. Seeing each of them so giddy and awkward and excited about their girlfriend has me so soft. Bless this author for giving us athletes that aren't manwh0res. And they're so cute like one of them paces back and forth on her porch agonizing over whether him being 10 minutes early to pick her up for their date feel like she had to rush to finish getting ready, meanwhile she had been ready half an hour earlier and was anxiously waiting for him lol.
Very insta love ish, but it's okay I'll accept it this time.
It felt like a lot didn't get wrapped up, like we ended the story way too early. It seems like there might be another book with the conclusion of the brother and bff's story? And this one just ends on a big ole HFN, with zero plans made for how they'll navigate the future with the draft. Will they have to be apart for a few years? What happens? We have no idea, and that kills me.
But anyway, this was a good read. I love the pariah aspect of her being fresh out of a murderer trial.
Very insta love ish, but it's okay I'll accept it this time.
It felt like a lot didn't get wrapped up, like we ended the story way too early. It seems like there might be another book with the conclusion of the brother and bff's story? And this one just ends on a big ole HFN, with zero plans made for how they'll navigate the future with the draft. Will they have to be apart for a few years? What happens? We have no idea, and that kills me.
But anyway, this was a good read. I love the pariah aspect of her being fresh out of a murderer trial.
April 24, 2024
too fast paced to be anything amazing
weirdly cute/sweet for a main character with so much trauma
kinda insta-love
smut is not great
lots of telling instead of showing
weird complaint, but Mira doesn't... struggle enough? I feel like her thoughts are closer to that of someone already having started therapy and healing, but she hasn't truly done that yet
Finn is a caricature
I don't get the basketball thing or the true crime podcast thing, but aight
dare I say, maybe this should have been a duo instead of a standalone?
but honestly if you just want a low angst cute story, this is good
weirdly cute/sweet for a main character with so much trauma
kinda insta-love
smut is not great
lots of telling instead of showing
weird complaint, but Mira doesn't... struggle enough? I feel like her thoughts are closer to that of someone already having started therapy and healing, but she hasn't truly done that yet
Finn is a caricature
I don't get the basketball thing or the true crime podcast thing, but aight
dare I say, maybe this should have been a duo instead of a standalone?
but honestly if you just want a low angst cute story, this is good
June 21, 2024
Wanted to like this but I didn’t. I just feel like there wasn’t enough time spent for the characters to actually get to know each other but they fell in love that quick? It had a good story line with her past but characters needed work.
February 29, 2024
DNF 48%. Really wanted to like this, good writing and good concept, started out strong. Storyline quickly changed to insta-love which is not what I was looking for and I lost interest.
February 25, 2024
"Everyone’s a villain. Have you ever thought about that? The narrator tells you who the bad guy is, but if someone else is spinning the story, maybe they’re the hero."
TITLE - Rain on Wildflowers
AUTHOR - Drea Denae
TYPE - Standalone
POV - 1st Person - Multiple
GENRE - Contemporary, Dark Romance, Reverse Harem
READ DATES - 2/24/2024 to 2/25/2024
RATINGS
Overall: 2.3/5⭐️
Characters: 3/5👀
Plot 2/5🧩
Pacing 2/5⌛️
Romance 2.5/5💘
Spice 3.5/5🌶️
MAIN CHARACTERS - Mira, Crew, Banks, & Royce
SUMMARY - A young woman recently acquitted for murdering her abuser, Mira, attempts to start over taking the help of her court-appointed therapist, Caroline. She enrolls in the local college but due to the details of her past being hidden, her reputation as a murderer causes concerns and she is forced to forgo living on campus and choosing to reside with Caroline and her son, Crew. First impressions, Crew is an absolute asshole believing the general consensus and thinking the worst of Mira. To make matters more interesting, his two best friends also have taken an interest in Mira and decide to pursue her as well. They all agree to date her mutually and she gives the attempt at happiness a chance.
THOUGHTS - Relatively quick read with a lot of surface level coverage of some very tough topics. I think the author made it clear she approached the content in this fashion as a means of respect to the dark subjects involved. I won't say the story was bad but, due to this kind of quick and glazed over storytelling, I just didn't have time to really get invested in any of the characters. Even the ending was more of a "happy for now". That's not bad, but also not entirely satisfying? I don't know. It just all felt like it was missing something.
WOULD I RECOMMEND? - I think for people dipping their toes into dark romance this might be a safe option although do be aware of the trigger warnings if you're prone to issues with certain topics.
August 26, 2023
One of the really unique things about this book is that before each chapter we get an episode where Mira is telling her story in her own words. Even though she's said she'd never talk about it.
After eighteen months of trial, Mira Williams is free. Her attorney Caroline Calloway has offered her a place to stay until classes start at HVU. While Hudson View isn't a small town the reporters are still out in force, asking questions she has decided never to answer. Then Caroline extends her offer when the school rescinds her dorm room due to safety concerns.
The first person she meets is Crew, he's Caroline's son and a student at HVU. He's also a point guard for the Knights, HVC's basketball team and is hoping for a place in the professional draft. He's in no way happy to have a 'murderer' in his home and his mother's expectation of him showing her around campus is a bit optimistic.
While Crew's response to her is hurtful, it's not unexpected, she has plenty of comebacks. Once classes start, she does her best to be inconspicuous, keeping her head down and ignoring everyone but the professors. She literally runs into the first student she meets, Banks. He offers her help finding her next class, but she just shakes her head no, but thanks him. We meet Royce, Oliver and Finn in quite a different manner. Mira is looking a bit lost when she's approached by Finn and questioned. Crew interrupts rudely and they draw quite a bit of attention, even though she leaves quickly.
She's at lunch when someone else decides to get in her space.
Banks is even more infatuated after they pull her away from a sticky situation. However, Crew is still relentless in keeping her at arm's length. Royce doesn't agree either, and it leads to a bit more insight from Crew. He's tired and losing more sleep every day thanks to Mira's nightmares. No one can even get in to calm her since she locks her door, not even Crew's mother will intrude on her privacy.
Crew does something unthinkable and morally wrong, but he comes away with a whole different view regarding Mira.
I love really love how the relationship between Mira, Banks, Royce and Crew develops. There are some ups and downs, romance, laughter, tears, sizzle and then there's that OMG moment.
I would really love to read more of these characters, perhaps they'll show up in another of Drea's books.
After eighteen months of trial, Mira Williams is free. Her attorney Caroline Calloway has offered her a place to stay until classes start at HVU. While Hudson View isn't a small town the reporters are still out in force, asking questions she has decided never to answer. Then Caroline extends her offer when the school rescinds her dorm room due to safety concerns.
The first person she meets is Crew, he's Caroline's son and a student at HVU. He's also a point guard for the Knights, HVC's basketball team and is hoping for a place in the professional draft. He's in no way happy to have a 'murderer' in his home and his mother's expectation of him showing her around campus is a bit optimistic.
While Crew's response to her is hurtful, it's not unexpected, she has plenty of comebacks. Once classes start, she does her best to be inconspicuous, keeping her head down and ignoring everyone but the professors. She literally runs into the first student she meets, Banks. He offers her help finding her next class, but she just shakes her head no, but thanks him. We meet Royce, Oliver and Finn in quite a different manner. Mira is looking a bit lost when she's approached by Finn and questioned. Crew interrupts rudely and they draw quite a bit of attention, even though she leaves quickly.
She's at lunch when someone else decides to get in her space.
Banks is even more infatuated after they pull her away from a sticky situation. However, Crew is still relentless in keeping her at arm's length. Royce doesn't agree either, and it leads to a bit more insight from Crew. He's tired and losing more sleep every day thanks to Mira's nightmares. No one can even get in to calm her since she locks her door, not even Crew's mother will intrude on her privacy.
Crew does something unthinkable and morally wrong, but he comes away with a whole different view regarding Mira.
I love really love how the relationship between Mira, Banks, Royce and Crew develops. There are some ups and downs, romance, laughter, tears, sizzle and then there's that OMG moment.
I would really love to read more of these characters, perhaps they'll show up in another of Drea's books.
August 27, 2023
I... I have no words to say how incredible this book has been. This is my first ever read from Denae, and I absolutely bloody loved this book💜
We follow the story of Mira, a survivor. Woman's got a sassy mouth on her and even though she cowered away from the uni people and Crew initially, she spat fire after fire (that was fun and she's among my favourite FMC list now😮💨) despite all the hate and disgusted looks thrown her way. I was hooked from page one to see how her story enfold. The crime podcast episodes were an absolute delight to read; it was such a unique take🤌🏼 Instead of flashbacks, this is where you learn more about The Brutal Beauty. I was rooting for this woman all the way through.
I'd say this book was more focused on Mira healing than her romance with the three basketball players; Crew, Banks, and Royce (Banks is my absolute favourite, btw). Also, with the help of her lawyer-slash-mom figure, Caroline (C, you’re a hero🤌🏼💫 and Finn (now THAT was a bomb dropped; I was NOT expecting THAT (hint: the host))
Mira's and Caroline's bond had my heart melting. That lady made sure all the time Mira is not alone and reminded her of her worth.
Where Banks is the golden retriever and has been obsessed with Mira since the beginning, Crew is the a-hole who hated Mira but eventually melted for her knowing her history (through a fvcked up move he pulled) and Royce gave off skeptical dom vibes.
I love them all, but Banks is my absolute favourite and gave the comic relief.
Finn is the best friend every girl should have.
I wish I got to know more of Finn and Oliver and maybe an extended epilogue (like, why did Crew have a change of heart suddenly and maybe a tiny POV from Royce when he got drafted🫶🏽)
Overall, this was a delightful read, and I hope I get to read more of Drea's books now💜
We follow the story of Mira, a survivor. Woman's got a sassy mouth on her and even though she cowered away from the uni people and Crew initially, she spat fire after fire (that was fun and she's among my favourite FMC list now😮💨) despite all the hate and disgusted looks thrown her way. I was hooked from page one to see how her story enfold. The crime podcast episodes were an absolute delight to read; it was such a unique take🤌🏼 Instead of flashbacks, this is where you learn more about The Brutal Beauty. I was rooting for this woman all the way through.
I'd say this book was more focused on Mira healing than her romance with the three basketball players; Crew, Banks, and Royce (Banks is my absolute favourite, btw). Also, with the help of her lawyer-slash-mom figure, Caroline (C, you’re a hero🤌🏼💫 and Finn (now THAT was a bomb dropped; I was NOT expecting THAT (hint: the host))
Mira's and Caroline's bond had my heart melting. That lady made sure all the time Mira is not alone and reminded her of her worth.
Where Banks is the golden retriever and has been obsessed with Mira since the beginning, Crew is the a-hole who hated Mira but eventually melted for her knowing her history (through a fvcked up move he pulled) and Royce gave off skeptical dom vibes.
I love them all, but Banks is my absolute favourite and gave the comic relief.
Finn is the best friend every girl should have.
I wish I got to know more of Finn and Oliver and maybe an extended epilogue (like, why did Crew have a change of heart suddenly and maybe a tiny POV from Royce when he got drafted🫶🏽)
Overall, this was a delightful read, and I hope I get to read more of Drea's books now💜
August 30, 2023
Where to even begin?! I’ve read all of Drea’s books and they are all fantastic but this one…this one takes the fucking cake. It was a literal masterpiece! I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to jump into this book with Mira, Crew, Banks, Royce, Finn, Oliver and Caroline! They were all amazing! This book touched on dark topics like abuse and SA but it’s written in such a beautiful way!
Mira received her innocent verdict from her murder trial. Her lawyer, Caroline, insists on Mira coming to live with her since Mira has no one in her life. Little does she know, Caroline has a son, Crew, who instantly hates Mira due to only the facts that he thinks he knows about her! She try’s to attempt a normal college life but there are so many obstacles in her way! Until she meets Royce and Banks who happen to be Crews best friends and basketball teammates! Well When Crew comes across Mira’s file in his moms office he quickly realizes he was so cruel to her for no reason! Him, Banks and Royce end up being there for Mira and have such a strong bond!
Crew and Mira’s banter was so freaking adorable. I loved it! They were so adorable! Banks was such a golden retriever boyfriend and I was there for it! And Royce, don’t even get me started on him! I love how she found a best friend in Finn❤️ The boys help her heal in ways she didn’t realize they were doing! I found myself laughing at almost every dialogue that Banks was part of 😂 He was so funny and care free. He reminded me a lot of Kodiak from the Madison Kate series! Caroline and Mira’s relationship was simply amazing, was pure love!
PS: Chapter 39 was so adorable
PSS: Everyone needs a Caroline in their life!
PSSS: I wish this book would have never ended.
PSSSS: I need a sequel about their foursome😂
Tropes:
Found family
Murder mystery
Why choose
Basketball romance
Virgin MMC
Mira received her innocent verdict from her murder trial. Her lawyer, Caroline, insists on Mira coming to live with her since Mira has no one in her life. Little does she know, Caroline has a son, Crew, who instantly hates Mira due to only the facts that he thinks he knows about her! She try’s to attempt a normal college life but there are so many obstacles in her way! Until she meets Royce and Banks who happen to be Crews best friends and basketball teammates! Well When Crew comes across Mira’s file in his moms office he quickly realizes he was so cruel to her for no reason! Him, Banks and Royce end up being there for Mira and have such a strong bond!
Crew and Mira’s banter was so freaking adorable. I loved it! They were so adorable! Banks was such a golden retriever boyfriend and I was there for it! And Royce, don’t even get me started on him! I love how she found a best friend in Finn❤️ The boys help her heal in ways she didn’t realize they were doing! I found myself laughing at almost every dialogue that Banks was part of 😂 He was so funny and care free. He reminded me a lot of Kodiak from the Madison Kate series! Caroline and Mira’s relationship was simply amazing, was pure love!
PS: Chapter 39 was so adorable
PSS: Everyone needs a Caroline in their life!
PSSS: I wish this book would have never ended.
PSSSS: I need a sequel about their foursome😂
Tropes:
Found family
Murder mystery
Why choose
Basketball romance
Virgin MMC
November 8, 2024
College/ why choose/ virgin MMC/ forced proximity/ bullying(by 1 MMC)/ groveling
Trigger warning: r*pe/ SA/ murder/ death of a loved one/ violence/ mass shooing/ gun use/ SA of a child/ pregnancy and miscarriage/ anxiety/ trauma/ panic attacks
The subject matter was super heavy but I think the storyline was intriguing. It was well written and the characters were complex and interesting. Also, Caroline was an absolute queen.
A few issues I had prevented me from giving it more stars unfortunately. For instance,Crew had been so focused on basketball and entering the draft that he had never been into dating or sex. Despite this, we find out that he decided that basketball wasn’t for him after all and he pursued a law degree. I’m not saying that he wasn’t allowed to change his mind, however, this went against his character and motivations that were established in the beginning of the story.
The other plot twist was the identity of the podcast host which I felt was fairly obvious. I enjoyed how they did the reveal but, as I said, there weren’t really any other options for who it could have been. At least in my opinion.
Lastly I wish there was more spice. I understand that the subject matter is serious and that sex scenes were obviously going to have to be handled delicately but I wish we got a bit more. I’m not saying that they needed to dick down the FMC every other page, BUT her sexual freedom could have been explored more than it was. Also it was a bit of a bummer that it was only ever 1 on 1 sex scenes. I get that not every why choose needs every member present during every dalliance but they talked about the potential for sharing and I would have been interested in seeing that group dynamic.
Trigger warning: r*pe/ SA/ murder/ death of a loved one/ violence/ mass shooing/ gun use/ SA of a child/ pregnancy and miscarriage/ anxiety/ trauma/ panic attacks
The subject matter was super heavy but I think the storyline was intriguing. It was well written and the characters were complex and interesting. Also, Caroline was an absolute queen.
A few issues I had prevented me from giving it more stars unfortunately. For instance,Crew had been so focused on basketball and entering the draft that he had never been into dating or sex. Despite this, we find out that he decided that basketball wasn’t for him after all and he pursued a law degree. I’m not saying that he wasn’t allowed to change his mind, however, this went against his character and motivations that were established in the beginning of the story.
The other plot twist was the identity of the podcast host which I felt was fairly obvious. I enjoyed how they did the reveal but, as I said, there weren’t really any other options for who it could have been. At least in my opinion.
Lastly I wish there was more spice. I understand that the subject matter is serious and that sex scenes were obviously going to have to be handled delicately but I wish we got a bit more. I’m not saying that they needed to dick down the FMC every other page, BUT her sexual freedom could have been explored more than it was. Also it was a bit of a bummer that it was only ever 1 on 1 sex scenes. I get that not every why choose needs every member present during every dalliance but they talked about the potential for sharing and I would have been interested in seeing that group dynamic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2023
The heroine in this book survives a trauma that others and the media don't fully understand. How could they? They don't know the full story of what she experienced. They just see her as a murderer. Thankfully, the heroine has a wonderful attorney that believed in her from the start and helps her get back to having a 'normal' life, at least as much as she can when others continue to judge and accuse her. One of them being the son of her attorney. The heroine moves in with the attorney before the start of the semester. She ends up staying there due to the concern for her safety should she live on campus. Crew, her attorney's son, takes an automatic dislike to her. However, after he steals her file from his mother's office he learns exactly what she went through that led to her charges.
Since this is a RH, our heroine not only meets Crew but also his teammates, Royce and Banks. I absolutely LOVE banks. He immediately starts falling for our heroine. Neither seems to really care about the trial or what happened. They both just focus on getting to know her.
A part of the book I didn't like at first but then came to enjoy was that some chapters are written/told in the form of a podcast episode. These occur throughout the book and share more of our heroine's story. We understand more at the end about why she decided to go about telling her story this way when she originally didn't seem to want to explain what happened or 'clear her name' so to speak.
I love our heroine's relationship with her attorney and seeing how it develops. Caroline truly took her in and gave her a fresh beginning. We understand more about the why after it is revealed that Crew took his mother's file on the case. It's so great to see how excited Caroline gets about doing things with our heroine. Their relationship is similar to that of a mother and daughter, even with the heroine and her son ending up together.
This is a standalone RH. Please pay attention to trigger warnings before beginning.
Since this is a RH, our heroine not only meets Crew but also his teammates, Royce and Banks. I absolutely LOVE banks. He immediately starts falling for our heroine. Neither seems to really care about the trial or what happened. They both just focus on getting to know her.
A part of the book I didn't like at first but then came to enjoy was that some chapters are written/told in the form of a podcast episode. These occur throughout the book and share more of our heroine's story. We understand more at the end about why she decided to go about telling her story this way when she originally didn't seem to want to explain what happened or 'clear her name' so to speak.
I love our heroine's relationship with her attorney and seeing how it develops. Caroline truly took her in and gave her a fresh beginning. We understand more about the why after it is revealed that Crew took his mother's file on the case. It's so great to see how excited Caroline gets about doing things with our heroine. Their relationship is similar to that of a mother and daughter, even with the heroine and her son ending up together.
This is a standalone RH. Please pay attention to trigger warnings before beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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