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Revival
Desiree Born and raised in Stars Valley, small-town life is all I know. When the opportunity arises to leave for university, I jump at it, eager to start a new chapter. I love my classes, I’ve made new friends, and I even joined the school photography club. Everything is great . My only problem? Eli. The six-foot, dark-haired, tattooed drummer who seems to only crack a smile when he’s laughing at me. I try my best to avoid him, but everywhere I turn, he’s there. The more time we spend around each other, the harder it is to deny my attraction to him. I’ve always wanted the effortless type of relationship that I’ve seen in the movies—the sort of love my parents have. Eli is the exact opposite of who I thought I would want, he’s closed off and pushes my every button but I’m still inexplicably drawn to him. When things get too hard, with his distrust of relationships, I’m left to Shouldn’t love be easy? Elijah After a tough summer at home, I’m happy to be back in Winnipeg where I don’t have to deal with my good-for-nothing father or bear the weight of trying to keep my brother in line. All I have to focus on are classes and the band. Or at least that’s the plan, until I lay eyes on her . With her curly hair, beautiful smile and sweet, yet clumsy, nature, Desiree occupies far too much space in my brain. We couldn’t be more different, but I’ve never been more intrigued. She stirs up emotions in me that I didn’t know I could feel and I find my world flipped on its axis. But when life comes crashing down, I’m reminded of what love can do to people. I have two rules when it comes to Keep it casual and don’t get attached. But could she be the one to change it all?
440 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2023
5 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 13, 2023
2,5 🥁📸⭐️s
A na rockstar romance read that didn’t thrill me. 🤷🏻♀️
A na rockstar romance read that didn’t thrill me. 🤷🏻♀️
September 1, 2023
“‘What? Not into angels?’ 😇🪽
‘There’s nothing holy about what I want to do to you.” 😈
🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️
Tropes:
•grumpy x sunshine
•musicians
•groveling 🤤
•slow burn
•SPICYYY
•Drummer MMC
•dual POV
•interracial romance
•girl falls first but he falls HARDER
•dislike to love
I received this book 8/30, started 8/31 morning and DEVOURED it the same day 🫠 I absolutely loved this book! The story is told through dual POVs Des and Eli.
Des is funny, clumsy and relatable. I loved seeing her character overcome some of her past traumas throughout the book as she works through new relationships. Watching her come to her own had me tearing up.
Eli? New book boyfriend ✔️! He’s the grumpy musician of our dreams. His jaded outlook on love comes from an understandably difficult childhood that tugs on your heartstrings.
The chemistry between these two is everything a girlie could ask for 😮💨 Eli’s fast infatuation with Des had me wanting to walk around stores with my clumsy ass looking for my future bf 😅 Eli’s dirty talk as well as the smut was on point 💯! Danielle didn’t disappoint with a great plot that was interesting and having you in ALL your feels. I laughed, I cried and I swooned 😮💨
This is Danielle’s debut and she did the damn thing! It is definitely one of my favs! I am so ready for book 2 and everything she has planned for us in the future!
Thank you to Danielle Sarah for the opportunity to read this arc; all opinions are my own.
‘There’s nothing holy about what I want to do to you.” 😈
🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️🧎🏽♀️
Tropes:
•grumpy x sunshine
•musicians
•groveling 🤤
•slow burn
•SPICYYY
•Drummer MMC
•dual POV
•interracial romance
•girl falls first but he falls HARDER
•dislike to love
I received this book 8/30, started 8/31 morning and DEVOURED it the same day 🫠 I absolutely loved this book! The story is told through dual POVs Des and Eli.
Des is funny, clumsy and relatable. I loved seeing her character overcome some of her past traumas throughout the book as she works through new relationships. Watching her come to her own had me tearing up.
Eli? New book boyfriend ✔️! He’s the grumpy musician of our dreams. His jaded outlook on love comes from an understandably difficult childhood that tugs on your heartstrings.
The chemistry between these two is everything a girlie could ask for 😮💨 Eli’s fast infatuation with Des had me wanting to walk around stores with my clumsy ass looking for my future bf 😅 Eli’s dirty talk as well as the smut was on point 💯! Danielle didn’t disappoint with a great plot that was interesting and having you in ALL your feels. I laughed, I cried and I swooned 😮💨
This is Danielle’s debut and she did the damn thing! It is definitely one of my favs! I am so ready for book 2 and everything she has planned for us in the future!
Thank you to Danielle Sarah for the opportunity to read this arc; all opinions are my own.
September 8, 2023
WHAT AN AMAZING DEBUT NOVEL !!
Thank you Dani for providing me with this ARC, and trusting me with it.
I am seriously happy I got to read this book.
It was cute, HOT, the writing was good, the characters were interesting.
Danielle Sarah really took all the codes of college romances, but twisted them her own way. No sports jock here, no library rat, just a drummer and a photographer. Two people who find themselves together (see what I did here ?).
I was moved by Eli and his vision of love, by Desiree, who really is the kind of person you need by your side.
I could tell you all about how Eli made me feel HOT AND BOTHERED, but I’ll let you find out by yourself, because this man really knows what he’s doing.
And, we all know that the hottest member of the band is the drummer. Like, that’s a given. 100% (look at Bad Omens and tell me I’m wrong).
If you’re looking for a college romance, dislike to love, double POV, with spice, an alt band with hot musicians, a hot photographer who knows what she wants and what she doesn’t, go for Revival.
Thank you Dani for providing me with this ARC, and trusting me with it.
I am seriously happy I got to read this book.
It was cute, HOT, the writing was good, the characters were interesting.
Danielle Sarah really took all the codes of college romances, but twisted them her own way. No sports jock here, no library rat, just a drummer and a photographer. Two people who find themselves together (see what I did here ?).
I was moved by Eli and his vision of love, by Desiree, who really is the kind of person you need by your side.
I could tell you all about how Eli made me feel HOT AND BOTHERED, but I’ll let you find out by yourself, because this man really knows what he’s doing.
And, we all know that the hottest member of the band is the drummer. Like, that’s a given. 100% (look at Bad Omens and tell me I’m wrong).
If you’re looking for a college romance, dislike to love, double POV, with spice, an alt band with hot musicians, a hot photographer who knows what she wants and what she doesn’t, go for Revival.
September 28, 2023
If you follow me you know I’m a sucker for a new adult college romance. And let me tell you, Danielle’s debut did not disappoint.
The way I was holding my breath. The angst. The visceral feeling that only comes with love at that age was portrayed so perfectly within the words of this book.
And if you are thinking, naw, I’ve had enough of young love (said no one ever) but I know a few of you are out there, stay with me:
•The MMC is in a band - say less
•Unmatched groveling - like a dog with a freaking bone man
•The spice - holy love of all that is holy, I think my soul left my body during the delectable scenes we all know and love so much
I promise you, this is not a book you want to miss. Not only do you get a love story, some good tunes, and college vibes (with the obvious hilarity that comes with all things college), but you get to watch the formation of a badass group of girl friends and that was honestly the cherry on top of the sundae for me!
The way I was holding my breath. The angst. The visceral feeling that only comes with love at that age was portrayed so perfectly within the words of this book.
And if you are thinking, naw, I’ve had enough of young love (said no one ever) but I know a few of you are out there, stay with me:
•The MMC is in a band - say less
•Unmatched groveling - like a dog with a freaking bone man
•The spice - holy love of all that is holy, I think my soul left my body during the delectable scenes we all know and love so much
I promise you, this is not a book you want to miss. Not only do you get a love story, some good tunes, and college vibes (with the obvious hilarity that comes with all things college), but you get to watch the formation of a badass group of girl friends and that was honestly the cherry on top of the sundae for me!
September 12, 2023
First of all thank you to for the ARC and big congratulations on your debut, I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what you do next!
This book had me from the start, I’m a fan of the college romance vibes (like the off campus series) and we definitely get that! We get a good set up for the characters and who they are in the first couple chapters and then we jump right into the story and I ate it all up.
Eli is a drummer with some baggage and commitment issues and Des is just trying to figure out what she wants to do with life and after these two have a (not so) meet cute, they start to want each other and are trying to figure out what that means and where it can even go.
The writing was really nice and smooth, I enjoyed the pacing. There’s so much tension from the moment these 2 see each other and it keeps going, there’s a bit of a push and pull between the two of them (and internally) and I loved seeing that play out.
There’s a third act conflict but the grovelling??? I was so here for it. It’s not a one and done moment, it takes time for Des and Eli to come back to each other but when they do it’s so sweet.
This book had me from the start, I’m a fan of the college romance vibes (like the off campus series) and we definitely get that! We get a good set up for the characters and who they are in the first couple chapters and then we jump right into the story and I ate it all up.
Eli is a drummer with some baggage and commitment issues and Des is just trying to figure out what she wants to do with life and after these two have a (not so) meet cute, they start to want each other and are trying to figure out what that means and where it can even go.
The writing was really nice and smooth, I enjoyed the pacing. There’s so much tension from the moment these 2 see each other and it keeps going, there’s a bit of a push and pull between the two of them (and internally) and I loved seeing that play out.
There’s a third act conflict but the grovelling??? I was so here for it. It’s not a one and done moment, it takes time for Des and Eli to come back to each other but when they do it’s so sweet.
September 26, 2023
“When Desiree enters, all the air in the room vanishes, everything else becoming background noise.”
Revival is a contemporary NA college romance—emotional just as much as it is entertaining. It’s told through the eyes of Desiree, an incoming freshman, and Elijah, a budding musician, as they navigate classes, music, friendship, heartbreak, and love—all the things that make a great college experience.
“Loving someone shouldn’t hurt this much.”
Eli says everyone who meets Des falls in love with her, and I’d have to agree. She’s so quirky and cute. She's funny and honest. I really like how conversational she is as a narrator—it made me feel like she was confiding in me as if I were an old friend. Her transformation from a shy, unsure freshman to a young woman who commands the room with her confidence and doesn’t take other people’s sh*t was inspiring and refreshing to see.
“Being on my knees for her may just be my favorite place in the world.”
Eli, Eli, Eli. My favorite drummer boy. Yes, he’s moody and broody but there’s so much depth. One of my favorite parts about this story was witnessing him go from someone who has the most pessimistic outlook on love to a doting, “proud-as-f*ck” boyfriend. And I LOVED watching their romance unfold. The pacing was perfect and their chemistry was woven in masterfully. The progression from dislike to obsessed with each other felt fluid and natural (even if Eli was done for from the moment he saw her 😂).
If you like any of the below, you're going to want to read this book!
• Grumpy x sunshine
• He gives her a nickname
• Found family
• Dual first-person POV
• Musicians
• Pining and groveling
• Slow burn, and when that spice hits 🫠
• Interracial romance
• She falls first but he falls harder
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC. I enjoyed this book so much!
Revival is a contemporary NA college romance—emotional just as much as it is entertaining. It’s told through the eyes of Desiree, an incoming freshman, and Elijah, a budding musician, as they navigate classes, music, friendship, heartbreak, and love—all the things that make a great college experience.
“Loving someone shouldn’t hurt this much.”
Eli says everyone who meets Des falls in love with her, and I’d have to agree. She’s so quirky and cute. She's funny and honest. I really like how conversational she is as a narrator—it made me feel like she was confiding in me as if I were an old friend. Her transformation from a shy, unsure freshman to a young woman who commands the room with her confidence and doesn’t take other people’s sh*t was inspiring and refreshing to see.
“Being on my knees for her may just be my favorite place in the world.”
Eli, Eli, Eli. My favorite drummer boy. Yes, he’s moody and broody but there’s so much depth. One of my favorite parts about this story was witnessing him go from someone who has the most pessimistic outlook on love to a doting, “proud-as-f*ck” boyfriend. And I LOVED watching their romance unfold. The pacing was perfect and their chemistry was woven in masterfully. The progression from dislike to obsessed with each other felt fluid and natural (even if Eli was done for from the moment he saw her 😂).
If you like any of the below, you're going to want to read this book!
• Grumpy x sunshine
• He gives her a nickname
• Found family
• Dual first-person POV
• Musicians
• Pining and groveling
• Slow burn, and when that spice hits 🫠
• Interracial romance
• She falls first but he falls harder
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC. I enjoyed this book so much!
October 5, 2023
I absolutely LOVE this book! Revival is a NA college romance that follows a witty FMC and a drummer MMC (so hot). We do love it when he is just falls hard and is utterly obsessed with his love interest🥰
This book gave me all the feels, I was head over heels🖤 The emotion, banter, and growth (as well as the spiceee) that develops between Elijah and Desiree is just so heartwarming even through the fallbacks they experience. They each have their individual journey while coming together, falling in love. Eli and Des have my entire heart, I was cheering them on since page 1.
Seeing Revival from one of the beginning stages to now - I am so impressed!!
REVIVAL is a NA college romance now available on Amazon paperback and KU!!
🖤Dislike to Love
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Girl falls first, he falls harder
🖤Groveling
🖤Dual POV
This book gave me all the feels, I was head over heels🖤 The emotion, banter, and growth (as well as the spiceee) that develops between Elijah and Desiree is just so heartwarming even through the fallbacks they experience. They each have their individual journey while coming together, falling in love. Eli and Des have my entire heart, I was cheering them on since page 1.
Seeing Revival from one of the beginning stages to now - I am so impressed!!
REVIVAL is a NA college romance now available on Amazon paperback and KU!!
🖤Dislike to Love
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Girl falls first, he falls harder
🖤Groveling
🖤Dual POV
October 6, 2023
Danielle!!!! This book had me hooked from the first paragraph. It has everything you could want in a love story and I am so happy I got to read this and be a part of this world. Congratulations on this first book and I cannot wait to see what book 2 has in store
September 25, 2023
First, thank you to the author for the ARC of this book!
I LOVED this book so so much! What an excellent debut, we get the perfect set up here for a sweet college romance between our grumpy MMC and our sunshine FMC (I mean he even calls her sunshine and I MELT).
There were so many layers to this book not only diving into the relationship between our two mains but adding in the band mates, the best friend, the brother, the new roommates. I loved how well we got to see all these relationships blossom and it was so nice to see these moments where life overlaps as it does in college.
I love when we get layers to our moody men, we get his backstory and see why he is the way he is. This book had no business making me swoon and sweat this bad.
Read this if you enjoy:
Pride and prejudice references
Groveling
College romance
Musician romance
Grumpy/sunshine
Spice 🥵
I LOVED this book so so much! What an excellent debut, we get the perfect set up here for a sweet college romance between our grumpy MMC and our sunshine FMC (I mean he even calls her sunshine and I MELT).
There were so many layers to this book not only diving into the relationship between our two mains but adding in the band mates, the best friend, the brother, the new roommates. I loved how well we got to see all these relationships blossom and it was so nice to see these moments where life overlaps as it does in college.
I love when we get layers to our moody men, we get his backstory and see why he is the way he is. This book had no business making me swoon and sweat this bad.
Read this if you enjoy:
Pride and prejudice references
Groveling
College romance
Musician romance
Grumpy/sunshine
Spice 🥵
September 6, 2023
What a good romance read! Something that’d be perfect to get you out of a slump. I flew through this and rooted for the love story the entire time 🥹
September 26, 2023
I was so happy to receive an arc from miss Danielle Sarah!
This is a ping-pong of emotional angst! The spice was spicing, and the slow-burn angst was angsting. Miss Danielle gave us moments of hope and then took that way, just to give us more against between these two characters... and I ate it up.
I highly recommend it if you want to be sexually frustrated with all this ANGST!
Well done, Danielle... come get your flowers!
This is a ping-pong of emotional angst! The spice was spicing, and the slow-burn angst was angsting. Miss Danielle gave us moments of hope and then took that way, just to give us more against between these two characters... and I ate it up.
I highly recommend it if you want to be sexually frustrated with all this ANGST!
Well done, Danielle... come get your flowers!
September 27, 2023
WOW! That was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. I am sitting here after finishing this incredible story, with tears dripping off my face – even with that delicious epilogue! This story was everything! It was filled with so much angst, drama, emotional turmoil, passion and an all-consuming love between two people who desperately need it. I devoured it in one sitting and could not take my eyes off the pages. I was completely and utterly addicted to Des and Eli, and I never wanted to give them up in the end.
Desiree is such a beautiful young woman. She’s feisty, funny, smart, clumsy and totally relatable. I loved her determination and resiliency to make it on her own without her friends and family, but she still craves to be around them and misses them desperately. I 100% related to that. Her spirit is what had me loving her the most. She was just such an incredible character.
Elijah is the grumpy, sexy musician that has hardened his heart to any kind of love because of childhood trauma. His emotional baggage continually holds him back from opening his heart to what could be life-changing for him.
The connection that Des and Eli have is almost instantaneous. They may not have started on the right track but there was this undeniable thing happening between them. Their back-and-forth banter was filled with hilarious snarky quips, some pent-up anger and a whole lot of sexual tension that was building into something neither one was going to be able to deny.
“When Desiree enters, all the air in the room vanishes, everything else becoming background noise.”
The sexual chemistry between them was insanely intense and so freaking hot that I was on the edge of my seat, chewing on my lips and rubbing my legs together to ease the ache these two were creating my lady parts!! SO HOT! And boy oh boy does Eli know how to talk dirty!!
As a debut novel, I am just blown away by how amazing the writing was, how incredible the characters were and how emotionally charged the storyline was continually throughout. I laughed, I cried and I just fell hopelessly in love with Eli and Des!!
"I'm not the possessive type of guy. I've also never had anyone I've wanted to possess. But somehow, I'm greedy for all of her smiles, her scent, and her outright clumsiness."
Desiree is such a beautiful young woman. She’s feisty, funny, smart, clumsy and totally relatable. I loved her determination and resiliency to make it on her own without her friends and family, but she still craves to be around them and misses them desperately. I 100% related to that. Her spirit is what had me loving her the most. She was just such an incredible character.
Elijah is the grumpy, sexy musician that has hardened his heart to any kind of love because of childhood trauma. His emotional baggage continually holds him back from opening his heart to what could be life-changing for him.
The connection that Des and Eli have is almost instantaneous. They may not have started on the right track but there was this undeniable thing happening between them. Their back-and-forth banter was filled with hilarious snarky quips, some pent-up anger and a whole lot of sexual tension that was building into something neither one was going to be able to deny.
“When Desiree enters, all the air in the room vanishes, everything else becoming background noise.”
The sexual chemistry between them was insanely intense and so freaking hot that I was on the edge of my seat, chewing on my lips and rubbing my legs together to ease the ache these two were creating my lady parts!! SO HOT! And boy oh boy does Eli know how to talk dirty!!
As a debut novel, I am just blown away by how amazing the writing was, how incredible the characters were and how emotionally charged the storyline was continually throughout. I laughed, I cried and I just fell hopelessly in love with Eli and Des!!
"I'm not the possessive type of guy. I've also never had anyone I've wanted to possess. But somehow, I'm greedy for all of her smiles, her scent, and her outright clumsiness."
October 9, 2023
• ARC REVIEW •
This story was everything! It was filled with so much angst, drama, emotional turmoil, passion and an all-consuming love between two people who desperately need it.
Revival is a contemporary NA college romanc, emotional just as much as it is entertaining. It’s told through the eyes of Desiree, an incoming freshman, and Elijah, a budding musician, as they navigate classes, music, friendship, heartbreak, and love—all the things that make a great college experience.
Desiree is such a beautiful young woman. She’s feisty, funny, smart, clumsy and totally relatable. I loved her determination and resiliency to make it on her own without her friends and family, but she still craves to be around them and misses them desperately. Her spirit is what had me loving her the most. She was just such an incredible character.
Elijah is the grumpy, sexy musician that has hardened his heart to any kind of love because of childhood trauma. His emotional baggage continually holds him back from opening his heart to what could be life-changing for him.
The connection that Des and Eli have is almost instantaneous. They may not have started on the right track but there was this undeniable thing happening between them. Their back-and-forth banter was hilarious, some pent-up anger and a whole lot of sexual tension that was building into something neither one was going to be able to deny. The sexual chemistry between them was insanely intense and so freaking hot. They each have their individual journey while coming together, falling in love.
There were so many layers to this book not only diving into the relationship between our two mains but adding in the band mates, the best friend, the brother, the new roommates. I loved how well we got to see all these relationships blossom and it was so nice to see these moments where life overlaps as it does in college.
As a debut novel, I am just blown away by how amazing the writing was, how incredible the characters were and how emotionally charged the storyline was continually throughout.
Tropes:
• grumpy x sunshine
• dislike to love
• forced proximity
• slow burn
• Drummer MMC
• interracial romance
• she falls first but he falls harder
This story was everything! It was filled with so much angst, drama, emotional turmoil, passion and an all-consuming love between two people who desperately need it.
Revival is a contemporary NA college romanc, emotional just as much as it is entertaining. It’s told through the eyes of Desiree, an incoming freshman, and Elijah, a budding musician, as they navigate classes, music, friendship, heartbreak, and love—all the things that make a great college experience.
Desiree is such a beautiful young woman. She’s feisty, funny, smart, clumsy and totally relatable. I loved her determination and resiliency to make it on her own without her friends and family, but she still craves to be around them and misses them desperately. Her spirit is what had me loving her the most. She was just such an incredible character.
Elijah is the grumpy, sexy musician that has hardened his heart to any kind of love because of childhood trauma. His emotional baggage continually holds him back from opening his heart to what could be life-changing for him.
The connection that Des and Eli have is almost instantaneous. They may not have started on the right track but there was this undeniable thing happening between them. Their back-and-forth banter was hilarious, some pent-up anger and a whole lot of sexual tension that was building into something neither one was going to be able to deny. The sexual chemistry between them was insanely intense and so freaking hot. They each have their individual journey while coming together, falling in love.
There were so many layers to this book not only diving into the relationship between our two mains but adding in the band mates, the best friend, the brother, the new roommates. I loved how well we got to see all these relationships blossom and it was so nice to see these moments where life overlaps as it does in college.
As a debut novel, I am just blown away by how amazing the writing was, how incredible the characters were and how emotionally charged the storyline was continually throughout.
Tropes:
• grumpy x sunshine
• dislike to love
• forced proximity
• slow burn
• Drummer MMC
• interracial romance
• she falls first but he falls harder
November 30, 2023
Revival
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓.”
You Get:
🥁 Dual POVs
🥁 Grump x Sunshine
🥁 Found Family
🥁 Interracial Romance
🥁 Forced Proximity
THE BEST NEW AGE COLEGE ROMANCE I’VE READ IN A LONG TIME!! Danielle knocked it out of the park with her debut novel. 😮💨 I still can’t get enough of Eli and Desiree! Less than 24 hours is all it took for me to devour this masterpiece.
Eli… this man… he’s a sexy drummer that comes with some baggage. Need I say more?! 😮💨 he doesn’t want to get into a relationship, let alone fall in love.
Desires is just trying to find her place in life and is taking things one step at a time.
That is, until she meets Eli for the first time.
The tension and banter that Des and Eli have is enough to make you giddy like a school girl!
I was a smiling mess with these two.
These two go through such a tremendous amount of growth and it starts out from page one. I absolutely loved reading about them falling in love and I can already tell that this is going to be a major comfort read for me.
Everything about this book was spectacular! The writing was too notch, the plot was well thought out, and the character development was *chefs kiss* amazing! I’m so thankful that Danielle allowed me to read her book!
I guess I’ll have to wait patiently for the next one. 😉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓.”
You Get:
🥁 Dual POVs
🥁 Grump x Sunshine
🥁 Found Family
🥁 Interracial Romance
🥁 Forced Proximity
THE BEST NEW AGE COLEGE ROMANCE I’VE READ IN A LONG TIME!! Danielle knocked it out of the park with her debut novel. 😮💨 I still can’t get enough of Eli and Desiree! Less than 24 hours is all it took for me to devour this masterpiece.
Eli… this man… he’s a sexy drummer that comes with some baggage. Need I say more?! 😮💨 he doesn’t want to get into a relationship, let alone fall in love.
Desires is just trying to find her place in life and is taking things one step at a time.
That is, until she meets Eli for the first time.
The tension and banter that Des and Eli have is enough to make you giddy like a school girl!
I was a smiling mess with these two.
These two go through such a tremendous amount of growth and it starts out from page one. I absolutely loved reading about them falling in love and I can already tell that this is going to be a major comfort read for me.
Everything about this book was spectacular! The writing was too notch, the plot was well thought out, and the character development was *chefs kiss* amazing! I’m so thankful that Danielle allowed me to read her book!
I guess I’ll have to wait patiently for the next one. 😉
October 21, 2023
One of my favorite things about 'Revival' was how it balanced moments of being sweet, hot, tense and relatable all into one. I LOVE the dynamic of when one MC falls first and then the other falls even harder. Then add some begging/ groveling to that...YES! Also can we discuss the references to Pride and Prejudice? Like...ahh, my heart 🥺 I'm a SUCKER for classic lit being integrated into modern day books, especially romance, so that had me smiling.
Eli...where do I begin... yes, he's grumpy. yes, he's a musician (drummer...YUM) but the scene with the skull face paint and the image of him bare chest showing, tats and leather jacket...ahhh. YES. I also loved seeing him become vulnerable with trying to make things right with Des. And "sunshine" add it's so sweet and hot of a nick name, I loved it and HIM.
Des...loved her. I love relatable FMC's that are down to earth and vulnerable and real ... Desiree was just that and I loved her for it.
I'm looking forward to Stella and Dominic's book next!
Eli...where do I begin... yes, he's grumpy. yes, he's a musician (drummer...YUM) but the scene with the skull face paint and the image of him bare chest showing, tats and leather jacket...ahhh. YES. I also loved seeing him become vulnerable with trying to make things right with Des. And "sunshine" add it's so sweet and hot of a nick name, I loved it and HIM.
Des...loved her. I love relatable FMC's that are down to earth and vulnerable and real ... Desiree was just that and I loved her for it.
I'm looking forward to Stella and Dominic's book next!
September 25, 2023
Thank you so much for this ARC! ❤️
"Good girl, for everyone else, you're sweet and shy, but for me you're dirty and eager."
I forgot how much I love a good musician MMC, and man, did Elijah give me what I wanted 🤤 it was so good!
I loved that Desiree stood up for herself when she needed to. The way Elijah and Desiree fell in love was quiet and slowly, until one couldn't stop thinking about the other. I loved the "Pride and Prejudice" references as well, but the best part about this book was Elijah's groveling. If he's not groveling like Elijah, I. DON'T. WANT. IT.
📚 Dislike to Love
📚 Forced Proximity
📚 Obsessed MMC
📚 She Falls First, He Falls Harder
📚 Groveling
📚 Dual POV
📚 Slowburn Romance
📚 Grumpy x Sunshine
"Good girl, for everyone else, you're sweet and shy, but for me you're dirty and eager."
I forgot how much I love a good musician MMC, and man, did Elijah give me what I wanted 🤤 it was so good!
I loved that Desiree stood up for herself when she needed to. The way Elijah and Desiree fell in love was quiet and slowly, until one couldn't stop thinking about the other. I loved the "Pride and Prejudice" references as well, but the best part about this book was Elijah's groveling. If he's not groveling like Elijah, I. DON'T. WANT. IT.
📚 Dislike to Love
📚 Forced Proximity
📚 Obsessed MMC
📚 She Falls First, He Falls Harder
📚 Groveling
📚 Dual POV
📚 Slowburn Romance
📚 Grumpy x Sunshine
November 29, 2023
College rockstar romance
Eli has no interest in relationships. He keeps things casual with all of his hookups. Des is a freshman at the university of Winnipeg. First time being away from her family and her best friend. She's trying to prove to herself that she can make it on her own.
The connection between Eli and Des is explosive. They both want each other but think the other person is the worst idea ever. They end up in a friends with benefits situation that's a relationship that they are just trying to ignore.
I definitely appreciated the grovelling. When a character messes up, they have to work for it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story.
Eli has no interest in relationships. He keeps things casual with all of his hookups. Des is a freshman at the university of Winnipeg. First time being away from her family and her best friend. She's trying to prove to herself that she can make it on her own.
The connection between Eli and Des is explosive. They both want each other but think the other person is the worst idea ever. They end up in a friends with benefits situation that's a relationship that they are just trying to ignore.
I definitely appreciated the grovelling. When a character messes up, they have to work for it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story.
October 21, 2023
5⭐️ 3🌶
-dislike to love
-forced proximity
-slow burn w/ spice
-musician
-grumpy/sunshine
Before I begin, congratulations Danielle Sarah on your debut novel! This book was one of my most anticipated reads this year and you killed it!!!
The second I started reading I was hooked and did not want to put it down. I love a good NA college romance and it was my first time reading about a rockstar (a drummer to top it off 🥵). Eli falls so hard for Desiree I was head over heals for them!
Eli definitely has some extra baggage and Des is just starting off life in the real world and learning who she truly is. I enjoyed seeing their worlds collide and the banter between them (I’m a sucker for texting scenes).
AND THE GROVELING! Eli sure knows how to grovel 🥰
I enjoyed all the side characters and can’t wait to read more about them! I absolutely LOVED this book!
-dislike to love
-forced proximity
-slow burn w/ spice
-musician
-grumpy/sunshine
Before I begin, congratulations Danielle Sarah on your debut novel! This book was one of my most anticipated reads this year and you killed it!!!
The second I started reading I was hooked and did not want to put it down. I love a good NA college romance and it was my first time reading about a rockstar (a drummer to top it off 🥵). Eli falls so hard for Desiree I was head over heals for them!
Eli definitely has some extra baggage and Des is just starting off life in the real world and learning who she truly is. I enjoyed seeing their worlds collide and the banter between them (I’m a sucker for texting scenes).
AND THE GROVELING! Eli sure knows how to grovel 🥰
I enjoyed all the side characters and can’t wait to read more about them! I absolutely LOVED this book!
February 27, 2024
This was such a cute college/upcoming rockstar romance!! Des & Eli were defiant opposites attract at first but damn did this guy FALL 😍🥵
This miscommunication trope did have me pulling my hair a bit but then I was like wait…. This is a college boy…. Yup this ABSOLUTELY checks out 👍🏼😅 Eli is still such a babe though I can’t lie.
I loved getting know Des’ family and all the boys in the band, and all the Canadian references I was living haha I’m so excited to conjure with Stella & Dom’s story 👏🏼
This miscommunication trope did have me pulling my hair a bit but then I was like wait…. This is a college boy…. Yup this ABSOLUTELY checks out 👍🏼😅 Eli is still such a babe though I can’t lie.
I loved getting know Des’ family and all the boys in the band, and all the Canadian references I was living haha I’m so excited to conjure with Stella & Dom’s story 👏🏼
December 21, 2023
I don’t know how else to describe this absolute jem. It’s like the serotonin you felt when you were under your covers reading wattpad as a teenager. It’s nostalgia wrapped up as a Christmas present. Desiree and Eli 🫂 muchos gracias mi amores para esta.
February 27, 2024
Darn you Danielle Sarah
I was not prepared for how much I would love this book or how quickly I would demolish it. It's beautifully crafted and gives you all the sweet tingles of falling in love. Plus the spice. Highly recommend, it's a perfect slump buster too.
I was not prepared for how much I would love this book or how quickly I would demolish it. It's beautifully crafted and gives you all the sweet tingles of falling in love. Plus the spice. Highly recommend, it's a perfect slump buster too.
June 17, 2024
3.5✨️✨️✨️
July 27, 2024
Desiree was such a great character,I love how she was so determined to make it on her own. The banter in this book was just great. The angst, the heartbreak, the friendships. Beautiful
September 14, 2023
ARC REVIEW - Revival
4.5/5⭐
This was a super solid debut!
I got sucked in from the very beginning, enjoying the side characters and getting Desiree's inner thoughts about moving away from home and being on her own for the first time. Throughout the story, we see Desiree's growth with this and standing on her own two feet.
Des and Eli first seeing one another was so magnetic and I really enjoyed having it be from the MMC point of view. It was endearing to see how he viewed Des and their draw was instant without being insta-love.
ELI, my boo thang. I loved seeing this growth throughout this story and I think he's someone that a lot of people can truly relate to. Seeing his family dynamic and getting into his head regarding it was really tactful and made the story flourish.
Overall, this was a book that I really enjoyed and read in probably three sittings. It's so binge-able and the writing style flows nicely, so please consider adding this to your TBR.
Read if you like:
💜 College romance
💜 Interracial romance
💜 Forced proximity
💜 Drummer MMC
💜 Bad boy vibes but he's a sweetheart
💜 Dual POV
Thank you Dani for providing me an ARC of your book baby in exchange for my honest feedback.
YOU DID IT BABE!
You wrote a book! 🥺💜😭
4.5/5⭐
This was a super solid debut!
I got sucked in from the very beginning, enjoying the side characters and getting Desiree's inner thoughts about moving away from home and being on her own for the first time. Throughout the story, we see Desiree's growth with this and standing on her own two feet.
Des and Eli first seeing one another was so magnetic and I really enjoyed having it be from the MMC point of view. It was endearing to see how he viewed Des and their draw was instant without being insta-love.
ELI, my boo thang. I loved seeing this growth throughout this story and I think he's someone that a lot of people can truly relate to. Seeing his family dynamic and getting into his head regarding it was really tactful and made the story flourish.
Overall, this was a book that I really enjoyed and read in probably three sittings. It's so binge-able and the writing style flows nicely, so please consider adding this to your TBR.
Read if you like:
💜 College romance
💜 Interracial romance
💜 Forced proximity
💜 Drummer MMC
💜 Bad boy vibes but he's a sweetheart
💜 Dual POV
Thank you Dani for providing me an ARC of your book baby in exchange for my honest feedback.
YOU DID IT BABE!
You wrote a book! 🥺💜😭
October 9, 2023
This book was so good!!! I am so grateful that I got an ARC!
It was swoon worthy and I will never ever settle for anyone who doesn’t grovel like Eli!🥹
I feel in love with Des and Eli immediately and omg YAZ!!! The characters are written so good that they feel so real and I was part of their perfect little group! 🥰
I loved the storyline and the build up of it all! It was a beautiful contemporary story with the perfect amount of push and pull and I love that it wasn’t over the top fake but it actually felt like it happened for real!!😍😍
If you love contemporary rockstar romance, and sassy but super sweet FMC and grumpy MMC you have to pick up this book!!!
Also did I mention it has super sexy spice?!!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵🔥 so what are you waiting for go read it!
It was swoon worthy and I will never ever settle for anyone who doesn’t grovel like Eli!🥹
I feel in love with Des and Eli immediately and omg YAZ!!! The characters are written so good that they feel so real and I was part of their perfect little group! 🥰
I loved the storyline and the build up of it all! It was a beautiful contemporary story with the perfect amount of push and pull and I love that it wasn’t over the top fake but it actually felt like it happened for real!!😍😍
If you love contemporary rockstar romance, and sassy but super sweet FMC and grumpy MMC you have to pick up this book!!!
Also did I mention it has super sexy spice?!!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵🔥 so what are you waiting for go read it!
September 17, 2023
"I'm not the possessive type of guy. I've also never had anyone I've wanted to possess. But somehow, I'm greedy for all of her smiles, her scent, and her outright clumsiness."
The moment this arc showed up in my email, I opened the link and literally devoured the story. Even though I have been in one of the worst reading slumps I've ever experienced.
Desiree hooked me from the moment she came on screen. Elijah on the other hand made me want to grab a squirt bottle and spray him in the face every other page (and I say this in an endearing way because I do love that idiot so much). Both characters felt very real and fleshed out. Desiree and Elijah both have realistic reactions to situations, but also handled them in ways I truly believe two college students would. Nothing seemed too dramatic, that made me want to shut the book because "oh my god why". If anything, I was proud of the way that Desiree handles a lot of moments in this book. Probably better than I would have at her age for sure.
Danielle did an amazing job with this book. Creating this world of characters, that made me want to not only root for the main couple, but made me curious about all of the other side characters. Days later and I am still thinking about them, and will probably continue to think about them.
The moment this arc showed up in my email, I opened the link and literally devoured the story. Even though I have been in one of the worst reading slumps I've ever experienced.
Desiree hooked me from the moment she came on screen. Elijah on the other hand made me want to grab a squirt bottle and spray him in the face every other page (and I say this in an endearing way because I do love that idiot so much). Both characters felt very real and fleshed out. Desiree and Elijah both have realistic reactions to situations, but also handled them in ways I truly believe two college students would. Nothing seemed too dramatic, that made me want to shut the book because "oh my god why". If anything, I was proud of the way that Desiree handles a lot of moments in this book. Probably better than I would have at her age for sure.
Danielle did an amazing job with this book. Creating this world of characters, that made me want to not only root for the main couple, but made me curious about all of the other side characters. Days later and I am still thinking about them, and will probably continue to think about them.
September 27, 2023
So I’ve been pretty hyped about reading this book for awhile after I started following the author on Instagram and seeing all the teasers so when I was fortunate to receive an arc I was internally screaming because I knew I was gonna eat it up and this book 100% delivered
I already know this story is gonna become a comfort read one I’ll come back to whenever I’m in a reading slump or just want something to give me all the happy romance feels 💜
For this being the authors debut novel I’m kind of blown away by what a fantastic job she did and telling this story
Eli and Des will forever be a top couple for me I just love them🥹
Tropes:
Dislike to lovers
Forced proximity
She falls first he falls harder
Grumpy X sunshine
Slow burn but make it spicy
5 🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶️ for spice
I already know this story is gonna become a comfort read one I’ll come back to whenever I’m in a reading slump or just want something to give me all the happy romance feels 💜
For this being the authors debut novel I’m kind of blown away by what a fantastic job she did and telling this story
Eli and Des will forever be a top couple for me I just love them🥹
Tropes:
Dislike to lovers
Forced proximity
She falls first he falls harder
Grumpy X sunshine
Slow burn but make it spicy
5 🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶️ for spice
September 16, 2023
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD.
You, Desiree, are my revival.
Revival was the perfect NA college romance to give me all the tingles and feels. There was so much emotion, tension, witty banter, and some delectable spice. And the grovelling. THE GROVELLING!!! Elijah went through the ringer to get his girl back and he did it in the most adorable way.
I loved the college vibes, the dynamics, and I loved going through Desiree’s experience as a young woman away from home for the first time. There was so much growth in her character, and in Eli’s, too. I fell in love, not only with them, but with the new friendships Desiree made and the band. If there’s one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s a boy band, and Elijah is the epitome of a hot drummer.
This book had me kicking my feet, clutching my pearls, screaming (in a good and bad—Elijah frustrating the shit out of me, iykyk—way), and tearing up!!!
This was a Stellar debut by Danielle and I’m honoured to have received an ARC. The writing was smooth and easy to read. There was a great flow in the storyline. Overall, I’m impressed!
I can’t wait to read more of her stories!
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3/5 🌶️
If you like the following tropes/themes, I highly suggest reading this book.
Dislike to love
Forced proximity
Girl falls first he falls harder
Slow burn w/ spice
MMC obsessed with his girl
Grovelling
Grumpy x sunshine
Musicians - Drummer MMC
Interracial romance
Dual POV
You, Desiree, are my revival.
Revival was the perfect NA college romance to give me all the tingles and feels. There was so much emotion, tension, witty banter, and some delectable spice. And the grovelling. THE GROVELLING!!! Elijah went through the ringer to get his girl back and he did it in the most adorable way.
I loved the college vibes, the dynamics, and I loved going through Desiree’s experience as a young woman away from home for the first time. There was so much growth in her character, and in Eli’s, too. I fell in love, not only with them, but with the new friendships Desiree made and the band. If there’s one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s a boy band, and Elijah is the epitome of a hot drummer.
This book had me kicking my feet, clutching my pearls, screaming (in a good and bad—Elijah frustrating the shit out of me, iykyk—way), and tearing up!!!
This was a Stellar debut by Danielle and I’m honoured to have received an ARC. The writing was smooth and easy to read. There was a great flow in the storyline. Overall, I’m impressed!
I can’t wait to read more of her stories!
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3/5 🌶️
If you like the following tropes/themes, I highly suggest reading this book.
Dislike to love
Forced proximity
Girl falls first he falls harder
Slow burn w/ spice
MMC obsessed with his girl
Grovelling
Grumpy x sunshine
Musicians - Drummer MMC
Interracial romance
Dual POV
September 26, 2023
-Dislike to Love
-College Romance
-Slow Burn w Spice
-Grumpy & Sunshine
-Forced Proximity
-Musicians (Drummer MMC)
-Found Family
-Interracial Romance
-Grovelling
-Dual Pov
Desiree moves away from her small town for university, ready to start a new chapter and figure out what she wants to do with her life. When she meets dark-haired, tattooed drummer Eli, the dislike-and attraction-is immediate, but he is against any kind of relationship. As their attractions and feelings grow, they will have to figure out whether they can overcome his distrust for relationships and if what they have has a future.
I absolutely loved this book. Eli and Desiree had my heart from the very beginning and I loved seeing their journey as they fell in love with each other (no matter how stubborn Eli was 🙄). It made me laugh, put me in my feels and pulled at my heartstrings, and the spice... HOT HOT HOT 🥵🥵 Where is MY tattooed drummer?? I loved the found family, both Eli's band and Des's friends, Stella and Yazmine. Danielle does a great job in transporting us into the story and making us get attached to the characters pretty fast; it felt as though I was there with them. ❤️
A lovely romance novel with a hot anti-relationship drummer and a badass heroine who fights for what she wants. A great debut ❤️🔥
-College Romance
-Slow Burn w Spice
-Grumpy & Sunshine
-Forced Proximity
-Musicians (Drummer MMC)
-Found Family
-Interracial Romance
-Grovelling
-Dual Pov
Desiree moves away from her small town for university, ready to start a new chapter and figure out what she wants to do with her life. When she meets dark-haired, tattooed drummer Eli, the dislike-and attraction-is immediate, but he is against any kind of relationship. As their attractions and feelings grow, they will have to figure out whether they can overcome his distrust for relationships and if what they have has a future.
I absolutely loved this book. Eli and Desiree had my heart from the very beginning and I loved seeing their journey as they fell in love with each other (no matter how stubborn Eli was 🙄). It made me laugh, put me in my feels and pulled at my heartstrings, and the spice... HOT HOT HOT 🥵🥵 Where is MY tattooed drummer?? I loved the found family, both Eli's band and Des's friends, Stella and Yazmine. Danielle does a great job in transporting us into the story and making us get attached to the characters pretty fast; it felt as though I was there with them. ❤️
A lovely romance novel with a hot anti-relationship drummer and a badass heroine who fights for what she wants. A great debut ❤️🔥
February 21, 2024
This one is for every woman who goes to see a band play and watches the drummer!!
Revival is a new adult college romance and I loved how, right from the beginning, our two main characters were developed to stand on their own, which makes this story stand out in a sea of other college romances.
I could feel the tension coming off these two in waves from their first interaction. Yet when we see them come together, it felt exactly like it feels to be young and learning to be vulnerable with another person for the first time. The typical push/pull and limit testing of young love, plus college-age hormones made this SUCH a fun read.
It’s also a great setup for the next book, which I’m super excited about!
Revival is a new adult college romance and I loved how, right from the beginning, our two main characters were developed to stand on their own, which makes this story stand out in a sea of other college romances.
I could feel the tension coming off these two in waves from their first interaction. Yet when we see them come together, it felt exactly like it feels to be young and learning to be vulnerable with another person for the first time. The typical push/pull and limit testing of young love, plus college-age hormones made this SUCH a fun read.
It’s also a great setup for the next book, which I’m super excited about!
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