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Hale Series #1
The Plan
She had one no boyfriends til she was 25. But he had a plan, one that could change everything.
Vidia’s plan was simple but after meeting the captain of the baseball team, Sire Griffin, she realizes it’s going to be harder than she thought to keep her no boyfriend rule in place. When she finally breaks this rule due to one persistent man, all comes tumbling down. Hearts are broken. Backs are stabbed. The trust is gone.
Fast forward to the present, four years later, Sire gets injured before the season and his physical therapist is the woman he hates. They’re both holding grudges from the past. The mere presence of the other boils their blood.
When the two of them find out what really happened four years ago, will they be able to rekindle the old flame or will it all come crashing down again?
Vidia’s plan was simple but after meeting the captain of the baseball team, Sire Griffin, she realizes it’s going to be harder than she thought to keep her no boyfriend rule in place. When she finally breaks this rule due to one persistent man, all comes tumbling down. Hearts are broken. Backs are stabbed. The trust is gone.
Fast forward to the present, four years later, Sire gets injured before the season and his physical therapist is the woman he hates. They’re both holding grudges from the past. The mere presence of the other boils their blood.
When the two of them find out what really happened four years ago, will they be able to rekindle the old flame or will it all come crashing down again?
563 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
September 2, 2025
4.5/5
- Howwwww does this book have so few reviews?! LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!! Even though it’s a thicker book, it was sooo easy to read and I loved it! The found family in this book made me so excited to read the other books in the series.
- This book is definitely giving wattpad vibes in the best way. There wasn’t one minute of this book that was boring because everythingggg happened! Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you! These characters go through it.
- If you’re looking for great banter with a second chance enemies to lovers vibe that’s super easy to read, pick this one up!
- Howwwww does this book have so few reviews?! LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!! Even though it’s a thicker book, it was sooo easy to read and I loved it! The found family in this book made me so excited to read the other books in the series.
- This book is definitely giving wattpad vibes in the best way. There wasn’t one minute of this book that was boring because everythingggg happened! Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you! These characters go through it.
- If you’re looking for great banter with a second chance enemies to lovers vibe that’s super easy to read, pick this one up!
Did Not Finish
October 23, 2025Harry Potter references in 2024? 🍅🍅
July 10, 2024
Once Janiah told me I could be an ARC reader I screamed and got so excited. As I know she put SO much effort into this book and that it was just going to be amazing.
You may think this book could be long but it is worth every single page. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happened to them and just needing to figure it out.
I just couldn’t believe it, how amazing this book was. I just can’t put it into words, and I know being an ARC reader I gotta do a good review so I am going to try without spoiling anything😭
This book is a dual pov but it mainly follows sire throughout the book (don’t worry vidia will still show up with her povs🤭). Janiah will literally take you through all of your emotions and wanting to read it to know the entire story and the truth. You’ll also want to know “the plan” in the end😉
This book will ALWAYS stick with me and I can not explain how excited I am for all the other books she gets to write in the future because I know for a fact after this book, I will be reading every single thing she writes.
You may think this book could be long but it is worth every single page. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happened to them and just needing to figure it out.
I just couldn’t believe it, how amazing this book was. I just can’t put it into words, and I know being an ARC reader I gotta do a good review so I am going to try without spoiling anything😭
This book is a dual pov but it mainly follows sire throughout the book (don’t worry vidia will still show up with her povs🤭). Janiah will literally take you through all of your emotions and wanting to read it to know the entire story and the truth. You’ll also want to know “the plan” in the end😉
This book will ALWAYS stick with me and I can not explain how excited I am for all the other books she gets to write in the future because I know for a fact after this book, I will be reading every single thing she writes.
April 9, 2025
⚠️SPOILERS⚠️
“You bring me peace.”
If you’re looking for a new author, and want to read a second chance sports romance filled with every emotion possible, this is for you.
“You remembered?”
“A promise is a promise…”
Sports physical therapist, and a stickler for the rules, Vidia Gomez is the gorgeous Afro-Latina who not only captured pretty boy, Sire Griffin’s heart, but he caught hers as well, despite her not wanting to date for another few years.
“I’m hopelessly fucking in love with you.”
A pitcher for the LA Dodgers, and a recovering addict, Sire Griffin is nothing shy of persistent and lovable, who would do anything to keep his family happy, even if it sacrifices his own.
“From our first…
to my favorite…
to the only one I broke…”
From the moment Sire first laid eyes on Vidia, he knew he wanted her. He didn’t care about anything else, or the fact that she was the daughter of an MLB coach; he just wanted… her. Vidia being someone who didn’t want to break her ‘before 25’ rule, is consumed by the stubborn baseball player, and eventually gives into what she wants… him. Sire pays attention to every little detail about Vidia, and Vidia helps him throughout his recovery journey, being the person who he can lean on and be there for him physically and emotionally. The two of them are there for each other through all their moments, the best and the worst, and their chemistry is like none other.
“I wish we didn’t waste those four years hating each other.”
“I never hated you, I could never hate you, my love.”
Sire is a recovering addict. There will be times when he either is struggling to fight the urge to relapse, or will actually give in and relapse. Vidia is perfectly aware of this, and is one of his biggest supporters through it all. There’s also one problem. Vidia recently learned that Sire’s love towards her was just a façade. A plan, if you will. The other problem? That’s only what she thinks. Things between the two go downhill when another baseball player tells Vidia that they all came up with a plan that involved getting with Vidia to get drafted into the baseball team in which her mother coached. What she didn’t know? Sire wanted to be with her long before then, and didn’t care about whatever ‘plan’ anybody came up with. Now, 4 years later, when they’re stuck together, with Vidia being his physical therapist, Sire has to do everything in his power to prove to Vidia that everything between them, 4 years ago, has been nothing but real and legit.
“I’d do anything she asks, with a smile.”
——
I expected this book to be good. Not because I’m friends with the author (I had interest in this before we became friends); however, I did not expect this book to consume me. This book ate me alive. I laughed. I cried. I giggled. I screamed. Everything. As a debut book, this was phenomenal, and I just know the writing is going to get even better from here. CHECK TRIGGERS before reading, but honestly, I feel like if you give this book a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Sire Griffin, a pitcher for the LA Dodgers, is nothing but a gentleman. Though he has his struggles with his addiction, he’s still a person anyone would be safe and have fun around. I loved how I not only felt as though I knew Sire personally in the present, but I could also deeply empathize with him from the past. His growth and development is definitely one of my favorites, and I love how genuine he is when it comes to his family and close friends. One thing about Sire is that he protects those he loves and will always put their feelings above his own. Even if he’s not his best, he’ll make sure everyone he cares about is taken care of. Especially when it comes to a certain curly-headed sports physical therapist.
Vidia Gomez, the sports physical therapist for Sire Griffin’s baseball team, has never expected that she would break her ‘before 25’ rule, let alone with the one person she’d never expect to fall for. Not only falling for him, but also being hurt by him, without knowing the full story. She’s always put others’ feelings above her own, just like Sire; however, when things fall apart, you know what they say: hurt people hurt other people. The way we were able to read about Vidia and Sire’s love story just proves that when you truly love and care for someone, those feelings NEVER go away, even when you wish nothing more for them to fade.
——
some quotes i think of all the time:
“I’m one hundred and ten percent sure if she could choose to never have you and also not having to go through that with him, she’d choose to have him put her through hell all over again.”
“It’s me and you till the wheels fall off…”
“And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line.”
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breathe without you. You saved me, August.”
“You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and I’m still in love with you. Always have been.”
“If the thing I love is baseball, then yeah, it was worth it. If it was her on the line, then absolutely not. I would’ve let him kick my ass and not swing back once.”
*i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
“You bring me peace.”
If you’re looking for a new author, and want to read a second chance sports romance filled with every emotion possible, this is for you.
“You remembered?”
“A promise is a promise…”
Sports physical therapist, and a stickler for the rules, Vidia Gomez is the gorgeous Afro-Latina who not only captured pretty boy, Sire Griffin’s heart, but he caught hers as well, despite her not wanting to date for another few years.
“I’m hopelessly fucking in love with you.”
A pitcher for the LA Dodgers, and a recovering addict, Sire Griffin is nothing shy of persistent and lovable, who would do anything to keep his family happy, even if it sacrifices his own.
“From our first…
to my favorite…
to the only one I broke…”
From the moment Sire first laid eyes on Vidia, he knew he wanted her. He didn’t care about anything else, or the fact that she was the daughter of an MLB coach; he just wanted… her. Vidia being someone who didn’t want to break her ‘before 25’ rule, is consumed by the stubborn baseball player, and eventually gives into what she wants… him. Sire pays attention to every little detail about Vidia, and Vidia helps him throughout his recovery journey, being the person who he can lean on and be there for him physically and emotionally. The two of them are there for each other through all their moments, the best and the worst, and their chemistry is like none other.
“I wish we didn’t waste those four years hating each other.”
“I never hated you, I could never hate you, my love.”
Sire is a recovering addict. There will be times when he either is struggling to fight the urge to relapse, or will actually give in and relapse. Vidia is perfectly aware of this, and is one of his biggest supporters through it all. There’s also one problem. Vidia recently learned that Sire’s love towards her was just a façade. A plan, if you will. The other problem? That’s only what she thinks. Things between the two go downhill when another baseball player tells Vidia that they all came up with a plan that involved getting with Vidia to get drafted into the baseball team in which her mother coached. What she didn’t know? Sire wanted to be with her long before then, and didn’t care about whatever ‘plan’ anybody came up with. Now, 4 years later, when they’re stuck together, with Vidia being his physical therapist, Sire has to do everything in his power to prove to Vidia that everything between them, 4 years ago, has been nothing but real and legit.
“I’d do anything she asks, with a smile.”
——
I expected this book to be good. Not because I’m friends with the author (I had interest in this before we became friends); however, I did not expect this book to consume me. This book ate me alive. I laughed. I cried. I giggled. I screamed. Everything. As a debut book, this was phenomenal, and I just know the writing is going to get even better from here. CHECK TRIGGERS before reading, but honestly, I feel like if you give this book a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Sire Griffin, a pitcher for the LA Dodgers, is nothing but a gentleman. Though he has his struggles with his addiction, he’s still a person anyone would be safe and have fun around. I loved how I not only felt as though I knew Sire personally in the present, but I could also deeply empathize with him from the past. His growth and development is definitely one of my favorites, and I love how genuine he is when it comes to his family and close friends. One thing about Sire is that he protects those he loves and will always put their feelings above his own. Even if he’s not his best, he’ll make sure everyone he cares about is taken care of. Especially when it comes to a certain curly-headed sports physical therapist.
Vidia Gomez, the sports physical therapist for Sire Griffin’s baseball team, has never expected that she would break her ‘before 25’ rule, let alone with the one person she’d never expect to fall for. Not only falling for him, but also being hurt by him, without knowing the full story. She’s always put others’ feelings above her own, just like Sire; however, when things fall apart, you know what they say: hurt people hurt other people. The way we were able to read about Vidia and Sire’s love story just proves that when you truly love and care for someone, those feelings NEVER go away, even when you wish nothing more for them to fade.
——
some quotes i think of all the time:
“I’m one hundred and ten percent sure if she could choose to never have you and also not having to go through that with him, she’d choose to have him put her through hell all over again.”
“It’s me and you till the wheels fall off…”
“And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line.”
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breathe without you. You saved me, August.”
“You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and I’m still in love with you. Always have been.”
“If the thing I love is baseball, then yeah, it was worth it. If it was her on the line, then absolutely not. I would’ve let him kick my ass and not swing back once.”
*i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2023
Tropes: found family, enemies to lovers, second chance romance
These are my inner thoughts while reading
So starting the book I was a little thrown off because I assumed it was going to start in college and then do a time jump but seeing it starting in the future already got me lol. DAMNNNNN what happened between vid and sire that got this man hitting niggas
Sire is a pitcher for the LA dodgers and Vidia is a doctor for the dodgers as well. Sore and Vidia are exs that fell out on bad terms because of a horrible experience. And now they hate each other guts. But they are friendly to each other because their brothers/friend are dating and their one big friend group kinda.. everyone wants them to get back to together and at some point so does sire but Vidia isn’t sure she worth that after letting her anger expose something sire was trying to hide and battle.
The excitement of wanting to know what went wrong🙈😩😩😩like they be bring the worst out of each other…. It clear they both like each other(curious why sire won’t make a move till they official)
I LOVE VIDIA she is the queen of two can play it this game…..THERE NO WAY THIS MAN JUST THROW IN HER FACE🤪 this was real enemy to lovers in my opinion like the way they truly hated each other but with some pushes from there friends they was able to sit down and start anew…
I can appreciate them not just jumping back into their relationship again picking up from four years ago but actually starting all the way over it just give that fresh fresh start.
After learning what went down four years ago you can understand what lead them to where they are now but sire is willing to give it another chance because he is in love with Vidia still and it was a beautiful love story. I love reading the baseball scenes made me feel like i was in the dug out with them.
The book is long but once you get into it you can’t put it down you just want to keep reading to see what happens next.
Another note: I love the relationship between sire and his siblings like they was too funny with each other plus hazel who got bored of them pretty fast🤣(side not Hazel is my favorite) but they are one big family(even with august clingy self)🤪
These are my inner thoughts while reading
So starting the book I was a little thrown off because I assumed it was going to start in college and then do a time jump but seeing it starting in the future already got me lol. DAMNNNNN what happened between vid and sire that got this man hitting niggas
Sire is a pitcher for the LA dodgers and Vidia is a doctor for the dodgers as well. Sore and Vidia are exs that fell out on bad terms because of a horrible experience. And now they hate each other guts. But they are friendly to each other because their brothers/friend are dating and their one big friend group kinda.. everyone wants them to get back to together and at some point so does sire but Vidia isn’t sure she worth that after letting her anger expose something sire was trying to hide and battle.
The excitement of wanting to know what went wrong🙈😩😩😩like they be bring the worst out of each other…. It clear they both like each other(curious why sire won’t make a move till they official)
I LOVE VIDIA she is the queen of two can play it this game…..THERE NO WAY THIS MAN JUST THROW IN HER FACE🤪 this was real enemy to lovers in my opinion like the way they truly hated each other but with some pushes from there friends they was able to sit down and start anew…
I can appreciate them not just jumping back into their relationship again picking up from four years ago but actually starting all the way over it just give that fresh fresh start.
After learning what went down four years ago you can understand what lead them to where they are now but sire is willing to give it another chance because he is in love with Vidia still and it was a beautiful love story. I love reading the baseball scenes made me feel like i was in the dug out with them.
The book is long but once you get into it you can’t put it down you just want to keep reading to see what happens next.
Another note: I love the relationship between sire and his siblings like they was too funny with each other plus hazel who got bored of them pretty fast🤣(side not Hazel is my favorite) but they are one big family(even with august clingy self)🤪
Read
July 26, 2024DNF for now. 500+ pages and its looking like there is a lot of fluff. Plus Sire is such an unlikeable character.
January 12, 2024
I don’t ever write book reviews but I want to start by saying congratulations to Janiah for publishing her first book and thank you for letting me be an arc reader for your first book.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Sire and Vidia, one of my top book couples of course, I am happy to say that they were my first read of 2024.
Sure struggles with addiction and the way it was handled and portrayed in this book were honestly perfect, the back stories of these two characters had me clutching my head in ACHEE Janiah went in for the kill… I also loved how the book was mainly written from Sire’s POV as we don’t usually see that in romance books.
The past chapters were so fun to read, they show how much these two have grown since college, even if they hate each other now, the love was never really gone and I loved that, these two have gone through hell and back and I was pleased with the ended as it did them justice.
Now let’s talk about my favorite character of all AUGUST were there any other characters?? Because all I saw was August. HAHA jk I loved August's character, he truly is my favorite golden retriever with attachment issues, I read this book for Sire and vid but stayed for the king that is August Hale, august and Sire's relationship is one of the things I loved most about this book.
They are a power duo and I love them so much. “It’s me and you til the wheels fall off.” A smile spreads across my face, and I hug him back. “And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line” like they are just too cute😭
The way august cares for his brother after everything he’s been through, even after Sire put him through so much with his addiction august never left his side and I loved that about them.
This book was truly worth the wait Janiah, and it was a long journey, we had to threaten you a few times to not stop writing this book. (I was so serious with my threats.) In the end, she didn’t give up and she honestly killed it, you’re an amazing writer Janiah and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.
(Especially Sage)
Now for my favorite quote.
“I got my girl back.” AH
The Plan
Janiah Benitez
Out January 14!!
July 11, 2025
Well…that’s two days worth of reading I’m not getting back. This felt like a really bad Wattpad book (and I don’t mean that in a good way).
February 13, 2025
3.5⭐️
Started reading this not knowing the FMC was Afro-Latina so that was a bonus I loved (I didn’t read anything about this book before reading it). However, the Spanish at times wasn’t the best which is why I didn’t rate it any higher. I don’t know if they did it on purpose to make her a “no sabo” kid but I doubt it.
I also didn’t rate it any higher because at the beginning when she’s describing her best friend who’s Dominican/Puerto Rican , she says “Hazel is lighter than us, probably because of her Puerto Rican side…” which was weird to me as a black Puerto Rican. As if there aren’t white/light skinned Dominicans or black/dark skinned Puerto Rican.
Overall though? I really enjoyed the book.
Started reading this not knowing the FMC was Afro-Latina so that was a bonus I loved (I didn’t read anything about this book before reading it). However, the Spanish at times wasn’t the best which is why I didn’t rate it any higher. I don’t know if they did it on purpose to make her a “no sabo” kid but I doubt it.
I also didn’t rate it any higher because at the beginning when she’s describing her best friend who’s Dominican/Puerto Rican , she says “Hazel is lighter than us, probably because of her Puerto Rican side…” which was weird to me as a black Puerto Rican. As if there aren’t white/light skinned Dominicans or black/dark skinned Puerto Rican.
Overall though? I really enjoyed the book.
June 3, 2025
This is a good book I like the aspect but my god I hate Sire with a passion. He’s an asshole and I don’t like how he spoke to Vidia or his siblings. That was a huge turnoff I get that you are going through your addiction but my god I can’t stand him. I also get you hate Vidia but ugh he’s so arrogant it gets to a point where I didn’t even want to read the book. I finished it and it could have been shorter. I like that Sire apologized for being an asshole and honestly Austin deserves better because what. Anywho I’m 50/50.
July 28, 2026
Audiobook read/ALC
Overall: 3.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Plot: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Characters: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Narration: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Good sports romance that reminded me of the Hoops series by Kennedy Ryan. Not usually a fan of second chance romances but was pleasantly surprised that this one wasn’t littered with miscommunication dialogue and inner monologues. Hate that everything thing but the trauma sink seemed to have been thrown at Sire and Vidia. I think this was a good depiction of addiction, its challenges, and how it impacts different relationships. Side characters were great and provided much needed humor. I think Sire being a hockey player was a bit secondary to the story.
Overall, it was a good listen. It did pace a little slow in some areas. Definitely felt heavier, so I wouldn’t call this a rom-com. But would be a good rec for anyone that loves 2nd chance romances. Review the TWs.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC.
Overall: 3.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Plot: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Characters: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Narration: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Good sports romance that reminded me of the Hoops series by Kennedy Ryan. Not usually a fan of second chance romances but was pleasantly surprised that this one wasn’t littered with miscommunication dialogue and inner monologues. Hate that everything thing but the trauma sink seemed to have been thrown at Sire and Vidia. I think this was a good depiction of addiction, its challenges, and how it impacts different relationships. Side characters were great and provided much needed humor. I think Sire being a hockey player was a bit secondary to the story.
Overall, it was a good listen. It did pace a little slow in some areas. Definitely felt heavier, so I wouldn’t call this a rom-com. But would be a good rec for anyone that loves 2nd chance romances. Review the TWs.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC.
March 20, 2024
HE LEARNED SPANISH FOR HER 🥹🫶.This was without a doubt such a cute damn book. The sibling dynamics were both hilarious and heartfelt. I loved how reassuring Sire was to Vid despite dealing with his own struggles. I also appreciate that their struggles didn’t magically disappear by being together, and that therapy was introduced. This did give me a bit of reader’s whiplash bc there was a lot, and I mean A LOT, going on at every point of this story. Good debut and I’m excited to read more by these author!
-And if you care to know, this is a long book but it’s not a slow burn in the tradicional sense 😌
-Second chance
Fmc: Afro Dominican
Mmc: Black
In addition to the TWs at the begging, I would add that the miscarriage scene is very long and not just a mention. There were also a couple sentences that tiptoed on fatphobia.
-And if you care to know, this is a long book but it’s not a slow burn in the tradicional sense 😌
-Second chance
Fmc: Afro Dominican
Mmc: Black
In addition to the TWs at the begging, I would add that the miscarriage scene is very long and not just a mention. There were also a couple sentences that tiptoed on fatphobia.
July 25, 2024
Thank you beautiful for the gifted copy and pretty pr package, you’re simply the best!
TROPES
⚾ Second Chance
⚾ Sports Romance
⚾ Millionaire MMC
⚾ Forced Proximity
This was such an enjoyable read, I felt all the highs and lows Sire & Vidia went through and l was rooting for them the whole way.
Those tropes up there are some of my favorite so it was only expected for me to swoon and obsess over this book.
The writing is top tier and just the way the story unfolds will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Sire is a dream, like at one point l wanted him for myself, but l could never do that to my girl Vidia. I love her to damn much.
I highly recommend you give this book a try babes, because it’s just that good!!
TROPES
⚾ Second Chance
⚾ Sports Romance
⚾ Millionaire MMC
⚾ Forced Proximity
This was such an enjoyable read, I felt all the highs and lows Sire & Vidia went through and l was rooting for them the whole way.
Those tropes up there are some of my favorite so it was only expected for me to swoon and obsess over this book.
The writing is top tier and just the way the story unfolds will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Sire is a dream, like at one point l wanted him for myself, but l could never do that to my girl Vidia. I love her to damn much.
I highly recommend you give this book a try babes, because it’s just that good!!
January 28, 2024
after about a year and a half i got to finally see this book come to life and it was def more than okay, sire and vid are lit my babies i love them more than everything i actually love every single character more than i love myself. give me about 5-7 business days to recover from the extended epilogue pls.
January 15, 2024
I want to start by thanking Janiah for choosing me to be a ARC reader🫶🏾🩷.
This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, crying, and screaming at these characters😅. I want to applaud Janiah real quick. Thank you, for portraying a raw, real relationship. Their hardships, their mental battles. Sire and Vidia are my babies. I will never stop recommending this gem🥰. Their banter 🤌🏾 (I will never not get enough). The way Sire will literally do and sacrifice anything for Vidia, omg!!! ( I have heart eyes)
Pls read The Plan - you will not regret it!!
I want to spoil but I am not, lol. 😭
You will bawl your eyes at their memorable quotes😩 ok ok go read it!!!!!!
This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, crying, and screaming at these characters😅. I want to applaud Janiah real quick. Thank you, for portraying a raw, real relationship. Their hardships, their mental battles. Sire and Vidia are my babies. I will never stop recommending this gem🥰. Their banter 🤌🏾 (I will never not get enough). The way Sire will literally do and sacrifice anything for Vidia, omg!!! ( I have heart eyes)
Pls read The Plan - you will not regret it!!
I want to spoil but I am not, lol. 😭
You will bawl your eyes at their memorable quotes😩 ok ok go read it!!!!!!
April 1, 2025
My friend group and I decided to read this one together, and while I liked the premise, it just wasn’t for me. The story had potential, but I struggled to really connect with the characters.
Even though they did grow throughout the book, their actions still felt way too immature—like high school teenagers rather than young adults navigating college and eventually adulthood. And the FMC being a doctor? That part threw me because, even later in life, she was still making super immature decisions that didn’t quite fit where she was supposed to be in her journey.
As for Sire, yes, he faced challenges and technically grew from them, but for some reason, it just didn’t feel believable to me. I couldn’t fully buy into his transformation or the direction his life was headed.
That said, I did love some of the side characters and honestly wanted more of their stories. The foundation of the book was solid, but in the end, this one just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Even though they did grow throughout the book, their actions still felt way too immature—like high school teenagers rather than young adults navigating college and eventually adulthood. And the FMC being a doctor? That part threw me because, even later in life, she was still making super immature decisions that didn’t quite fit where she was supposed to be in her journey.
As for Sire, yes, he faced challenges and technically grew from them, but for some reason, it just didn’t feel believable to me. I couldn’t fully buy into his transformation or the direction his life was headed.
That said, I did love some of the side characters and honestly wanted more of their stories. The foundation of the book was solid, but in the end, this one just wasn’t my cup of tea.
March 23, 2024
5. Fucking. Stars. This book was everything.
Thank you Janiah for letting me read this has an arc! And I’m so sorry this review is so late 😔 reading slumps are ass.
Anyway, sire is the MAN. And vid, omg. I love them so so much, ESPECIALLY August omg!!! words genuinely can’t explain how match I love this book. Thanks for writing this Janiah 🫶🏻. I’m honestly so bad at giving long and thought out reviews, you might think this book is long but trust me when I say it’s worth every dam page. The side characters, the romance ( like it’s was honestly so fucking good.. sire was top tier! ) , the sibling dynamic.. omg. the whole entire plot was good! And the damm heartaches I got… thanks for that 🙂.
I honestly can’t wait for August book and sages… literally can’t wait for all any of her books. I need them like now ( only joking hahaah)
Thank you Janiah for letting me read this has an arc! And I’m so sorry this review is so late 😔 reading slumps are ass.
Anyway, sire is the MAN. And vid, omg. I love them so so much, ESPECIALLY August omg!!! words genuinely can’t explain how match I love this book. Thanks for writing this Janiah 🫶🏻. I’m honestly so bad at giving long and thought out reviews, you might think this book is long but trust me when I say it’s worth every dam page. The side characters, the romance ( like it’s was honestly so fucking good.. sire was top tier! ) , the sibling dynamic.. omg. the whole entire plot was good! And the damm heartaches I got… thanks for that 🙂.
I honestly can’t wait for August book and sages… literally can’t wait for all any of her books. I need them like now ( only joking hahaah)
December 31, 2025
Mamma...it's giving Wattpad nonsense. Sire punching his manager (aka his brother!) after suggesting that he needs to go to physical therapy after an arm injury- my brother in Christ, it looks like we need to tack on some mental health therapy too. And everyone likes rolling their eyes too damn much. The only good parts were chapters written in Vidia's POV (that is, if you can get through the lightskin agenda), but unfortunately, it's all in the past. This book was made for someone, and that someone is not me. DNF at 30%
January 1, 2025
As much as I love a lengthy book unfortunately this did not deliver for me. I felt disconnected with the main characters and although they came through with personal development individually (Sire) and that was portrayed realistically , I DNF'ed at 77%. :(
This book lacked something for me. The only thing i looked forward to at every turn was Isabelle's cute cameos and August and Sire's banter but the main characters together seemed a bit off to me.
This book lacked something for me. The only thing i looked forward to at every turn was Isabelle's cute cameos and August and Sire's banter but the main characters together seemed a bit off to me.
May 28, 2025
i only liked the epilogue tbh. the book felt like a trauma competition the entire time. honestly, after vidia came home drunk on his 1 year sober anniversary, i mentally tapped out of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2025
27% dnf
they both have serious trauma so it’s not surprising why they act like this but woah
they both have serious trauma so it’s not surprising why they act like this but woah
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Plan by Janiah Benitez (2024; audio Aug. 2026) [reading in July]
The Hale Series #1
16h 55m narrated by Julio Maxwell and Ryder Sol, 563 pages
ALC courtesy of Tantor Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance > Baseball, Multicultural Romance
Movie Rating Equivalent: XXX for strong sexual content
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¾⚾️👩🏾⚕️ 🇩🇴
Featuring: Profanity, MLB Player, Los Angeles Dodgers, Second Chance > Exes, Millionaire MMC, Sports Romance, Forced Proximity, Los Angeles, California; Doctor x Patient, Mutual Hate to Lovers, Injuries, Recovering Addicts, Celebrity Characters. Afro-Latina MC, Millionaire MC, Addiction Recovery, Mutual Hate to Love, Adoptee, Found Family, Injury, College, Dual Timelines, Dominican, Spanish, Long Chapters, No Commitment vs No Sex w/o Commitment, Child Abuse, Trauma, PTSD, Sports Therapist, Team Physician, Addiction, Sex - Graphic Details, Teammates, Pranks, Mothers, Abandonment, Self-Actualization, Media, Flash-Forward Epilogue
Live Status Updates: 📱9% 15h 25m left Chapter 5 Vidia - So far, I'm a bit torn. It's pretty entertaining, but it has a lot of profanity and the narration and dialogue are overly animated.
📱33% 11h 15 left Chapter 13 Sire - I tried really hard, but these character issues are a bit everywhere and I just don't believe them. I'm going to finish the book, it's just going to have to happen over a few more days, so I'm taking a break so I can read something that's more in my current mood.
Final Thoughts: It took me a few days to get through The Plan, as it's nearly 17 hours (or 600 pages). When you read an epic book like that, you know the characters are going to go through a major transformation and it’s going to feel like multiple books in one—which is exactly how I felt. The opening was very jovial and fast-paced, the middle got a lot more serious, and the end was sweet. But the heat was extra spicy! I originally rated this book as XX, but I had to up it to XXX after one scene in Chapter 33.
I didn't care for Sire. He was very immature, and I didn't think his pranks were funny, especially under the circumstances. However, I did appreciate watching him grow, even if it wasn't fully in the direction I would have preferred. When it comes to romance, the hardest part is buying into the story. Since I wouldn't date someone like Sire, I had a hard time believing it—especially the claim that he is worth $100 million just three years post-college. Even if he had gotten a hundred-million-dollar contract, he wouldn't have been paid all that money upfront, so the fact that he kept saying that irritated my soul a little bit.
The narrators did a fantastic job, although they almost sounded like different people at different parts of the book. They were very hype in the early part of the story, and then they toned it way down from the second half on. They gave each character unique voices, but the main characters' tones changed alongside the story.
The best part about this book is that it's not a slow burn; it's just a meaningful love story full of language, pranks, hijinks, and spicy scenes. I'm actually considering finishing the series just to find out what happens with the secondary characters since they were so well-written.
Recommend to others: Probably! I know several people who will eat this book down.
Recommend to others: probably I know several people who will eat this book down.
The Hale Series
1. The Plan (2024)
2. Without Fault (2024)
3. Losing Faith (2025)
Songs for the Soundtrack: "Promise" by Romeo Santos, Birthday Sex" by Jeremih, Birthday Bitch" by Trap Beckham, "I See The Light" by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi
Books and Authors Mentioned: Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, Prison Break by Paul Scheuring, Happy Feet by George Miller, John Collee, Judy Morris, and Warren Coleman; Tangled by Dan Fogelman [based on] Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm; The Vampire Diaries by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec [based on] The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith;
The Hale Series #1
16h 55m narrated by Julio Maxwell and Ryder Sol, 563 pages
ALC courtesy of Tantor Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance > Baseball, Multicultural Romance
Movie Rating Equivalent: XXX for strong sexual content
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¾⚾️👩🏾⚕️ 🇩🇴
Featuring: Profanity, MLB Player, Los Angeles Dodgers, Second Chance > Exes, Millionaire MMC, Sports Romance, Forced Proximity, Los Angeles, California; Doctor x Patient, Mutual Hate to Lovers, Injuries, Recovering Addicts, Celebrity Characters. Afro-Latina MC, Millionaire MC, Addiction Recovery, Mutual Hate to Love, Adoptee, Found Family, Injury, College, Dual Timelines, Dominican, Spanish, Long Chapters, No Commitment vs No Sex w/o Commitment, Child Abuse, Trauma, PTSD, Sports Therapist, Team Physician, Addiction, Sex - Graphic Details, Teammates, Pranks, Mothers, Abandonment, Self-Actualization, Media, Flash-Forward Epilogue
Live Status Updates: 📱9% 15h 25m left Chapter 5 Vidia - So far, I'm a bit torn. It's pretty entertaining, but it has a lot of profanity and the narration and dialogue are overly animated.
📱33% 11h 15 left Chapter 13 Sire - I tried really hard, but these character issues are a bit everywhere and I just don't believe them. I'm going to finish the book, it's just going to have to happen over a few more days, so I'm taking a break so I can read something that's more in my current mood.
Final Thoughts: It took me a few days to get through The Plan, as it's nearly 17 hours (or 600 pages). When you read an epic book like that, you know the characters are going to go through a major transformation and it’s going to feel like multiple books in one—which is exactly how I felt. The opening was very jovial and fast-paced, the middle got a lot more serious, and the end was sweet. But the heat was extra spicy! I originally rated this book as XX, but I had to up it to XXX after one scene in Chapter 33.
I didn't care for Sire. He was very immature, and I didn't think his pranks were funny, especially under the circumstances. However, I did appreciate watching him grow, even if it wasn't fully in the direction I would have preferred. When it comes to romance, the hardest part is buying into the story. Since I wouldn't date someone like Sire, I had a hard time believing it—especially the claim that he is worth $100 million just three years post-college. Even if he had gotten a hundred-million-dollar contract, he wouldn't have been paid all that money upfront, so the fact that he kept saying that irritated my soul a little bit.
The narrators did a fantastic job, although they almost sounded like different people at different parts of the book. They were very hype in the early part of the story, and then they toned it way down from the second half on. They gave each character unique voices, but the main characters' tones changed alongside the story.
The best part about this book is that it's not a slow burn; it's just a meaningful love story full of language, pranks, hijinks, and spicy scenes. I'm actually considering finishing the series just to find out what happens with the secondary characters since they were so well-written.
Recommend to others: Probably! I know several people who will eat this book down.
Recommend to others: probably I know several people who will eat this book down.
The Hale Series
1. The Plan (2024)
2. Without Fault (2024)
3. Losing Faith (2025)
Songs for the Soundtrack: "Promise" by Romeo Santos, Birthday Sex" by Jeremih, Birthday Bitch" by Trap Beckham, "I See The Light" by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi
Books and Authors Mentioned: Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, Prison Break by Paul Scheuring, Happy Feet by George Miller, John Collee, Judy Morris, and Warren Coleman; Tangled by Dan Fogelman [based on] Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm; The Vampire Diaries by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec [based on] The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith;
January 13, 2024
Janiah I am soo proud of you for publishing your book. This is a huge accomplishment and you deserve everything this world has to offer you. I have always said this but you have a way with words and I’m happy other people will start to realise this. I also want to say thank you for letting me be an arc reader for your book.
My rating is going to be 4 stars don’t get wrong I loved this book but I normally give five stars to fantasy and mafia romance because they are favourite genre 😅
Let’s get into it then:
The tropes in this book (that I got from it) are FOUND FAMILY, friends to enemies to lovers, and second chance romance.
You can already tell by the cover but this book is a baseball romance so if you are looking for a sports romance that is fun easy to read then DEFINITELY pick this book up!!
Now let’s take about sire and v
I loved them. The way their characters were written was amazing and v having communication issue and sire helping her work through it was soo relatable.
Sire is a recovering addict and the way this topic was handled and talked about was done very well.
I like second chance romance so I already knew I was going to like sire and v but the way janiah wrote the story was just amazing she didn’t rush into them being back together it was more of a slow burn and janiah made us the readers, feel like we were there every step of the way.
Sire and v are solemates Idc they just are, they get each other like soulmates do.
Ok now let’s talk about my favourite character august!!
He is just hilarious he is sire brother and sage twin and if u read this book and don’t like him then sorry but we are going to have to talk because how.
He is legit like a fun golden retriever he is soo cute and I love that hazel is the complete opposite to him but they work. Opposite attract🤷♀️.
I love sire and august bromance and that one quote where sire goes “I can’t live without you” ughhh my heart.
I love when mmc have bromances it just makes the story so much better.
Janiah wrote this bromance soo well because it shows the real bond of sibling whether it’s blood sibling or not because after everything sire put august through august was still there for him. No matter what. I think that is why I loved him the most.
I also love hazel and v friendship it’s soo nice and I love that hazel was team v and disliked sire because he “hurt” v.
I can’t forget about lisette and sage.
Lisette is hilarious I love that her coping mechanism is dark humour it is another thing I found relatable like she really says whatever comes into her mind.
Sage is adorable like she just is.
That’s the characters let’s talk about the book.
They book changes from present to past so that we can see everything , the transitions was very smooth so as readers you will not have a hard time reading this book.
This transition allows readers to see why sire and Vidia hate each other the way they do in the present and I believe they needed this breakup in the past to happen, they needed to grow before they could get back together 🤷♀️.
But they way and the reason the broke up was just soo sad like did they really have to go through what they went through.
Another thing I like about this book was that janiah used the title in her writing, I love it when authors do that.
Overall, The book was very easy to read and overall a nice cute sport romance. It is long but I guarantee you once you pick it up you will want to keep reading. SO PICK IT UP.
Favourite quote:
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breath without you”
My rating is going to be 4 stars don’t get wrong I loved this book but I normally give five stars to fantasy and mafia romance because they are favourite genre 😅
Let’s get into it then:
The tropes in this book (that I got from it) are FOUND FAMILY, friends to enemies to lovers, and second chance romance.
You can already tell by the cover but this book is a baseball romance so if you are looking for a sports romance that is fun easy to read then DEFINITELY pick this book up!!
Now let’s take about sire and v
I loved them. The way their characters were written was amazing and v having communication issue and sire helping her work through it was soo relatable.
Sire is a recovering addict and the way this topic was handled and talked about was done very well.
I like second chance romance so I already knew I was going to like sire and v but the way janiah wrote the story was just amazing she didn’t rush into them being back together it was more of a slow burn and janiah made us the readers, feel like we were there every step of the way.
Sire and v are solemates Idc they just are, they get each other like soulmates do.
Ok now let’s talk about my favourite character august!!
He is just hilarious he is sire brother and sage twin and if u read this book and don’t like him then sorry but we are going to have to talk because how.
He is legit like a fun golden retriever he is soo cute and I love that hazel is the complete opposite to him but they work. Opposite attract🤷♀️.
I love sire and august bromance and that one quote where sire goes “I can’t live without you” ughhh my heart.
I love when mmc have bromances it just makes the story so much better.
Janiah wrote this bromance soo well because it shows the real bond of sibling whether it’s blood sibling or not because after everything sire put august through august was still there for him. No matter what. I think that is why I loved him the most.
I also love hazel and v friendship it’s soo nice and I love that hazel was team v and disliked sire because he “hurt” v.
I can’t forget about lisette and sage.
Lisette is hilarious I love that her coping mechanism is dark humour it is another thing I found relatable like she really says whatever comes into her mind.
Sage is adorable like she just is.
That’s the characters let’s talk about the book.
They book changes from present to past so that we can see everything , the transitions was very smooth so as readers you will not have a hard time reading this book.
This transition allows readers to see why sire and Vidia hate each other the way they do in the present and I believe they needed this breakup in the past to happen, they needed to grow before they could get back together 🤷♀️.
But they way and the reason the broke up was just soo sad like did they really have to go through what they went through.
Another thing I like about this book was that janiah used the title in her writing, I love it when authors do that.
Overall, The book was very easy to read and overall a nice cute sport romance. It is long but I guarantee you once you pick it up you will want to keep reading. SO PICK IT UP.
Favourite quote:
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breath without you”
August 1, 2026
From how far I made it, it‘s at least a decent book that handles heavy topics and complex imperfect characters. I personally found it to be too long/slow in pace and was missing depth but that’s just my own preferences. I‘m pretty sure others will enjoy it, maybe even for those exact reasons.
PLOT
I’m all for books with heavy topics and characters that come with trauma and I don’t fault them for toxic behavior without taking that trauma into account.
Especially when it’s two people who negatively impact each other as much as these two did in the past.
That being said, although it’s a major part of the plot and dynamic, the way this is treated here feels more passive. as if the priority isn’t their dynamic and how it shapes each of them, but that they get a great HEA.
Which isn’t to say that the book makes light of trauma at all, or that these characters can’t have both trauma and an HEA. I just don’t feel like this had quite the right emphasis, almost as if trauma ended up being more of a stylistic advice than what shaped these characters.
Aside from that, I found the length of the book to work against it. Too many details for my taste, too much happening when actually nothing is happening. That slow pace might be why I felt like there wasn’t enough development by the time I DNFed.
CHARACTERS
The issue I’m having is that the the behavior in past scenes feels on the verge of being too immature despite the trauma, although I know that doesn’t make it unrealistic. It’s just something I don’t care to read about unless there is a visible development or active leaning into the trauma behavior.
Personally, I was out when the FMC took her past games so far as to play games with him so she could sleep with him without having to commit emotionally. Turn that situation around and we’d be hating on him so hard.
Which isn’t to say that the FMC is a bad person or the MMC is without fault. Yes, addiction is an illness and so is PTSD. While these don’t make horrible behavior ok it also makes sense why these characters do the things they do.
And I’m sure there will be development at some point (or I hope) but that, as mentioned, is where the length of the book lost me.
WRITING
Aside from that, I liked the vibe and tonality of the writing.
I was however irritated by the moments of colorism but don’t know if that was addressed/worked past later in the book.
The narration was amazing and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for those names when I pick audiobooks in the future!
- -
Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Media and Janiah Benitez for an ALC of this book
August 1, 2026
Who I’d recommend this book to:
Readers who enjoy second-chance romances with emotionally messy characters, strong character growth, and plenty of drama. If you like brooding, morally gray love interests who have to earn their redemption, this one’s worth checking out. Also a good pick for readers who enjoy stories that tackle heavier topics like addiction, sobriety, adoption, and mental health alongside a steamy romance.
Audiobook: Both narrators were fantastic. Their performances felt natural and engaging, and they gave each character a distinct personality that made it easy to get immersed in the story.
Pros:
* Outstanding character development, especially Sire’s. I was skeptical of all the five-star reviews at first, but by the end I understood the hype. His growth feels earned rather than forced.
* Sire starts off as a brooding, possessive, “ready to throw hands” kind of MMC—borderline dark romance energy. While he never completely loses that edge, he grows tremendously as he begins to heal from his past.
* The alternating POVs and timelines kept the story constantly engaging. It was satisfying to slowly piece together what tore Sire and Vidia apart and what ultimately brought them back together.
* The story was never boring. There were enough twists in both the relationship and the characters’ individual journeys to keep me invested the entire time.
* I appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of adoption, addiction, sobriety, and mental health throughout the story.
* The multicultural representation added another layer to the romance. I especially enjoyed Vidia speaking Spanish and the language barrier between Sire and her mom.
* The spicy scenes definitely deliver—but you have to earn them. There aren’t a ton of them, which made them feel more meaningful when they happened.
Cons:
* I really didn’t like Sire at the beginning. Even after all of his growth, he’s probably not someone I’d personally want to spend time with.
* Both Sire and Vidia make some pretty toxic choices throughout the story. Their flaws make them feel human, but they may not be the easiest characters for every reader to root for.
Readers who enjoy second-chance romances with emotionally messy characters, strong character growth, and plenty of drama. If you like brooding, morally gray love interests who have to earn their redemption, this one’s worth checking out. Also a good pick for readers who enjoy stories that tackle heavier topics like addiction, sobriety, adoption, and mental health alongside a steamy romance.
Audiobook: Both narrators were fantastic. Their performances felt natural and engaging, and they gave each character a distinct personality that made it easy to get immersed in the story.
Pros:
* Outstanding character development, especially Sire’s. I was skeptical of all the five-star reviews at first, but by the end I understood the hype. His growth feels earned rather than forced.
* Sire starts off as a brooding, possessive, “ready to throw hands” kind of MMC—borderline dark romance energy. While he never completely loses that edge, he grows tremendously as he begins to heal from his past.
* The alternating POVs and timelines kept the story constantly engaging. It was satisfying to slowly piece together what tore Sire and Vidia apart and what ultimately brought them back together.
* The story was never boring. There were enough twists in both the relationship and the characters’ individual journeys to keep me invested the entire time.
* I appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of adoption, addiction, sobriety, and mental health throughout the story.
* The multicultural representation added another layer to the romance. I especially enjoyed Vidia speaking Spanish and the language barrier between Sire and her mom.
* The spicy scenes definitely deliver—but you have to earn them. There aren’t a ton of them, which made them feel more meaningful when they happened.
Cons:
* I really didn’t like Sire at the beginning. Even after all of his growth, he’s probably not someone I’d personally want to spend time with.
* Both Sire and Vidia make some pretty toxic choices throughout the story. Their flaws make them feel human, but they may not be the easiest characters for every reader to root for.
April 28, 2025
Such a good book with characters that felt like they had real depth and real connections to each other as friends, family and partners.
The format of going back in time to four years ago and then being back in the present quite frequently took some getting used to but I honestly can't think of another way to drip feed the reader Vidia and Sire's backstory without doing this or dropping it all at once and it losing some of its impact.
I liked all of the characters shown in this book for their own reasons. They each handled things in their own way and were distinct from one another but worked well together. Vidia and Sire's characters both developed and grew as they figured out what they needed to do in order to move past everything and get to where they wanted to be together. I generally liked their dialogue, from when they hated each other to when they didn't. There were some really sweet speeches in there between the two of them and the some hard moments interspersed with some levity. It was lovely to see characters actively work on themselves and have honest, real flaws (not rom-com flaws), they really grew individually and together.
I will say though, oftentimes the side characters stole the show, particularly August and Sage. This book has made me want to know more about them and what will happen with them considering I now feel like I know Vidia and Sire really well.
My only complaint is the slight plot hole that can be seen in the epilogue (which doesn't take away from the main book at all) surrounding Hazel and August but hey, maybe this will be explained in another book.
Quite a long read but a satisfying one.
The format of going back in time to four years ago and then being back in the present quite frequently took some getting used to but I honestly can't think of another way to drip feed the reader Vidia and Sire's backstory without doing this or dropping it all at once and it losing some of its impact.
I liked all of the characters shown in this book for their own reasons. They each handled things in their own way and were distinct from one another but worked well together. Vidia and Sire's characters both developed and grew as they figured out what they needed to do in order to move past everything and get to where they wanted to be together. I generally liked their dialogue, from when they hated each other to when they didn't. There were some really sweet speeches in there between the two of them and the some hard moments interspersed with some levity. It was lovely to see characters actively work on themselves and have honest, real flaws (not rom-com flaws), they really grew individually and together.
I will say though, oftentimes the side characters stole the show, particularly August and Sage. This book has made me want to know more about them and what will happen with them considering I now feel like I know Vidia and Sire really well.
My only complaint is the slight plot hole that can be seen in the epilogue (which doesn't take away from the main book at all) surrounding Hazel and August but hey, maybe this will be explained in another book.
Quite a long read but a satisfying one.
June 25, 2026
OMG. I absolutely enjoyed and love this book what.... janiah u did your big one.The writing is sooo good.The banter chef's kiss. I love sire and vidia sooo much. it started from friends to lovers to enemies and lovers. Sire is one of my top book boyfriends
1. I love everybody's relationship with each other in this book. The banters, the laughs, the cute sibling rivalry, the rage baiting😘😘😘😘😘😘😘🥰🥰🥰. I just absolutely love the relationship dynamics in this book.
I love sire and August brotherhood ,they are soooo hilarious and Jackson. Sire's related with his sisters especially lisette top comedy. Sire's relationship with his mum❤️
2. Hazel and sire's rivalry was sooo funny like whyyy. I love sage's softness such a beautiful soul.
Everybody in this book pure family comedy gold.
3. I love sire and vidia's relationship sooo much how it started from friends to lovers to enemies and lovers. Even when they were not on good terms they knew they had each others back. Their banter is top notch even when they are being intimate they are still bantering and rage baiting each other in a good and funny way. Sire absolutely loved vidia and gave her everything she wanted.
The way this book was able to weave addiction, trauma,comedy, strong bonds, loyalty,happiness was sooo good.
How August can go from golden retriever to intimidating was sweet especi7when it came to the people he loves.
All the characters I. This book are so lovable
Love isabelle and sire and v's kids are sooo good. I wish I cud get more
Okay it's enough let me stop gushing about how good this book was and is.
1. I love everybody's relationship with each other in this book. The banters, the laughs, the cute sibling rivalry, the rage baiting😘😘😘😘😘😘😘🥰🥰🥰. I just absolutely love the relationship dynamics in this book.
I love sire and August brotherhood ,they are soooo hilarious and Jackson. Sire's related with his sisters especially lisette top comedy. Sire's relationship with his mum❤️
2. Hazel and sire's rivalry was sooo funny like whyyy. I love sage's softness such a beautiful soul.
Everybody in this book pure family comedy gold.
3. I love sire and vidia's relationship sooo much how it started from friends to lovers to enemies and lovers. Even when they were not on good terms they knew they had each others back. Their banter is top notch even when they are being intimate they are still bantering and rage baiting each other in a good and funny way. Sire absolutely loved vidia and gave her everything she wanted.
The way this book was able to weave addiction, trauma,comedy, strong bonds, loyalty,happiness was sooo good.
How August can go from golden retriever to intimidating was sweet especi7when it came to the people he loves.
All the characters I. This book are so lovable
Love isabelle and sire and v's kids are sooo good. I wish I cud get more
Okay it's enough let me stop gushing about how good this book was and is.
March 31, 2025
The Plan by Janiah Benitez
The Hale Series #1
What a book to start off baseball season with. This is our first read by Janiah Benitez and we will definitely be reading more from her. This is a professional baseball second chance romance that starts in college for Sire and Vidia (the team’s doctor). We learn about their past and what draws them together even with Vidia’s no boyfriends until 25 rule. Character development in this book is STRONG not only with the main characters but the supporting roles as well. This is on the slow burn side of things as we start the book in the present day where the FMC & MMC hate each other and as we learn their current stories we see how the past shaped them as individuals and as a former couple. The plot twists work hard to make you think Sire & Vidia will never find a HEA. Be sure to check trigger warnings here as there are some topics that are discussed that could be more than someone looking for a sports romance read wants to dive into, but we thought they were written well. There’s some great spice in this book but it’s blended into the plot- if you’re a sunflower girlie, buckle up 😉
If you’re someone who loves enemies to lovers, second chance, found family, and a man who is down bad this needs to be on your TBR. We are throughly impressed by this young author and are looking forward to The Hale Series Book #2 Without Fault
4 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
The Hale Series #1
What a book to start off baseball season with. This is our first read by Janiah Benitez and we will definitely be reading more from her. This is a professional baseball second chance romance that starts in college for Sire and Vidia (the team’s doctor). We learn about their past and what draws them together even with Vidia’s no boyfriends until 25 rule. Character development in this book is STRONG not only with the main characters but the supporting roles as well. This is on the slow burn side of things as we start the book in the present day where the FMC & MMC hate each other and as we learn their current stories we see how the past shaped them as individuals and as a former couple. The plot twists work hard to make you think Sire & Vidia will never find a HEA. Be sure to check trigger warnings here as there are some topics that are discussed that could be more than someone looking for a sports romance read wants to dive into, but we thought they were written well. There’s some great spice in this book but it’s blended into the plot- if you’re a sunflower girlie, buckle up 😉
If you’re someone who loves enemies to lovers, second chance, found family, and a man who is down bad this needs to be on your TBR. We are throughly impressed by this young author and are looking forward to The Hale Series Book #2 Without Fault
4 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
July 25, 2026
When I learned the main female character has the same birthday as me, I had to read; I was SHOCKED. I love the text messages in chapter 4. This book is so cute to read. The way that the main male character is just such a MAN. Like, the way he loves the main female character so much and shows it. We need more conversation about black males having panic attacks and why they are just as valued to have emotions like crying. This book definitely shows that. Also love the idea that the main male character was adopted. It just shows this author has more things to talk about in her books than just romance. The way the male is so in love with the female character melts my heart. This audiobook is so good! I love it; the narrators did an amazing job expressing all of the characters. The pace of the story is a bit fast, but I understand because nobody wants a long book. Also, I read the book on KU (Kindle Unlimited) while listening to this audiobook that was given to me. This was my first time reading the book, and I loved it! This story reminds me of my brother, who has problems with drinking. I think I'll show him this book and let him read it. I don't understand how this book isn't as noticeable as others that don't have a plot and use AI. This audiobook is really good. The characters' names are so cute to me, like Piglet the turtle, OMG!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2026
🌟🌟🌟.5
This gave me serious throwback feelings to when I first read the Beautiful series by Jamie McGuire years ago. Back then, I probably would have loved this book even more than I do now.
Sire and Vidia's on-again, off-again relationship was really sweet. They were clearly made for each other, so I was glad they eventually worked through their issues and found their way back together.
I appreciated how addiction and alcoholism was handled in this book. The temptation, the lapse, the struggle and the milestones, it all felt authentic and thoughtfully portrayed, I just have to applaud it.
Sire's siblings and adoptive mother were really amazing, I loved their love for him and just how supportive they were.
Parts of the beginning and the middle of the story dragged a little, and I felt like I was dropped quite abruptly into the story, but once I got to know the characters, they really grew on me.
Audiobook appraisal:
I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was easy to follow. Both narrators did a great job bringing the characters to live. I'm honestly not sure I'd have finished the book if I was reading a physical book, but I definitely ate it up as an audio.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an eARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
This gave me serious throwback feelings to when I first read the Beautiful series by Jamie McGuire years ago. Back then, I probably would have loved this book even more than I do now.
Sire and Vidia's on-again, off-again relationship was really sweet. They were clearly made for each other, so I was glad they eventually worked through their issues and found their way back together.
I appreciated how addiction and alcoholism was handled in this book. The temptation, the lapse, the struggle and the milestones, it all felt authentic and thoughtfully portrayed, I just have to applaud it.
Sire's siblings and adoptive mother were really amazing, I loved their love for him and just how supportive they were.
Parts of the beginning and the middle of the story dragged a little, and I felt like I was dropped quite abruptly into the story, but once I got to know the characters, they really grew on me.
Audiobook appraisal:
I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was easy to follow. Both narrators did a great job bringing the characters to live. I'm honestly not sure I'd have finished the book if I was reading a physical book, but I definitely ate it up as an audio.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an eARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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