What do you think?
Rate this book
Just Yours #1
Just Don't Call Me Yours
Sometimes it's hard to strike the right chord.
Margot Reid has everything prepared for her first year of college. She picked her major, registered early for classes, and even brought the perfect roommate.
The one thing she didn’t plan for is the annoying guy who plays guitar across the hall.
Jackson Phillips may be insanely good looking, but he’s also insufferable. From the moment Margot confronts him about his constant playing, the one thing they can agree on is wanting to avoid each other at all costs. It seems like a solid plan.
That is, until their roommates and closest friends start dating. Then every study date and late night forces them together.
Whatever pull they feel between them is purely physical. It has to be. At least, that’s what Margot tells herself. She’s smart enough to know falling for Jackson Phillips would be a disaster. Especially when he leaves campus to become a rockstar, and she’s still studying in her dorm.
But Jackson isn’t about to let her off that easy.
Just Don’t Call Me Yours is a spicy enemies to lovers college romance filled with witty banter, sizzling sexual tension, and of course, rock and roll.
Margot Reid has everything prepared for her first year of college. She picked her major, registered early for classes, and even brought the perfect roommate.
The one thing she didn’t plan for is the annoying guy who plays guitar across the hall.
Jackson Phillips may be insanely good looking, but he’s also insufferable. From the moment Margot confronts him about his constant playing, the one thing they can agree on is wanting to avoid each other at all costs. It seems like a solid plan.
That is, until their roommates and closest friends start dating. Then every study date and late night forces them together.
Whatever pull they feel between them is purely physical. It has to be. At least, that’s what Margot tells herself. She’s smart enough to know falling for Jackson Phillips would be a disaster. Especially when he leaves campus to become a rockstar, and she’s still studying in her dorm.
But Jackson isn’t about to let her off that easy.
Just Don’t Call Me Yours is a spicy enemies to lovers college romance filled with witty banter, sizzling sexual tension, and of course, rock and roll.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2024
135 people are currently reading
2976 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
January 23, 2024
Awww how fun I'm the first one here.
WELL, every Heather Garvin book I read is a 5 stars, so no big whoop there.
BUT I think JDCMY might be my favorite. Jackson is just the right type of annoying man who just won't leave you alone (cause you kind of don't wanna) that my heart yearns for.
Anywho, read this! Rockstar romance, college romance, perfect enemies to lovers, the most hilarious scene involving a hypothetical cat, and just the cutest most OMG-HE-DID-NOT first kiss.
Loved it, can't wait for book 2!
WELL, every Heather Garvin book I read is a 5 stars, so no big whoop there.
BUT I think JDCMY might be my favorite. Jackson is just the right type of annoying man who just won't leave you alone (cause you kind of don't wanna) that my heart yearns for.
Anywho, read this! Rockstar romance, college romance, perfect enemies to lovers, the most hilarious scene involving a hypothetical cat, and just the cutest most OMG-HE-DID-NOT first kiss.
Loved it, can't wait for book 2!
March 12, 2024
What even was that? I loved this book so incredibly much. I loved it from the very first chapter to the very last word. I felt like I, personally, was falling in love. This book truly is one of my favorite reads of the year so far.
This book was so special. The banter and tension was top notch. It had me smiling and feeling giddy. It had me giggling and blushing. And it had me tearing up because the ending was *chefs kiss*.
I don’t really want to say too much about it because it’s such a fun book to just fully experience. It’s a romcom but it’s written so well that you get fully sucked in. It has short chapters so the pace helps you never want to put the book down.
If you want to read about two young college kids going from the worst first impression to falling head over heels, this is for you. It has YA vibes but there’s definitely some spice! I honestly loved this book so so so much, just in case you didn’t believe me the first few times I said it. I can’t wait to read every book this author writes! 🩷 and the ‘to be continued…’, yes please!! I can’t wait!!
This book was so special. The banter and tension was top notch. It had me smiling and feeling giddy. It had me giggling and blushing. And it had me tearing up because the ending was *chefs kiss*.
I don’t really want to say too much about it because it’s such a fun book to just fully experience. It’s a romcom but it’s written so well that you get fully sucked in. It has short chapters so the pace helps you never want to put the book down.
If you want to read about two young college kids going from the worst first impression to falling head over heels, this is for you. It has YA vibes but there’s definitely some spice! I honestly loved this book so so so much, just in case you didn’t believe me the first few times I said it. I can’t wait to read every book this author writes! 🩷 and the ‘to be continued…’, yes please!! I can’t wait!!
February 25, 2024
★★★★★• 4.894 stars
• review + annotations on my bookstagram! @diagon.alie •
don't even ask me why the rating got so specific- it just felt right?? but this book was five stars.
let me just- THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST ROMANCES I'VE READ.. ever?? i saw a post for this book here on instagram and the post said "she's a little taylor swift, he's a little arctic monkeys" and you guys know i was obsessed right then and there.
heather, i don't know how you managed to craft something so beautifully perfect, but you did it! as i kept reading, i kept falling deeper and deeper in love with this book (even when it didn't seem possible to love it more than i already did!) i finished this book in a day, and just didn't sleep because i was so lost within the pages, and let me tell you that every second reading this book was worth it (despite the sleep deprivation)!
this book has the perfect balance of everything beautiful about romance books. the banter, tension, sweetness, spice, heartbreak, humor, it was all perfect!!
i think part of the reason i loved it as much as i did was also because i related to the characters? margot is such a swiftie pathological people pleaser and i loved and connected with her so much for that, while me and jackson bother everyone around us with our guitar playing!! jokes aside, this book delves into topics outside of romance, exploring family, friendship, and life's hardest decisions and how we navigate those changes. plus this books music taste is 10/10 chefs kiss- fleetwood mac, nirvana, taylor swift, arctic monkeys + more!
i know i keep using this word over and over and i should probably whip out my thesaurus and put that to use- but this book was just perfect.
while reading, margot and jackson's story always felt so right. the progression of their relationship was paced perfectly and it was like watching all the puzzle pieces fall into place. and it wasn't only them- matt and rae were the CUTEST and i loved them all the same !
i truly can't put into words how much i loved this book, it was definitely more than i expected or even knew someone could love a book! i don't think i've been so passionate about an ARC ever?? a book hasn't made me feel this way in a while, and i'm just going to advise you guys preorder this because you WILL love it!!
the biggest thank you to @heathergarvinbooks for sending me a physical ARC, so so honored i was able to read and annotate this book early (these might be my favorite annotations i've done ever??!), words cannot express my gratitude!
five stars from me!
-
here was my immediate reaction, written in a state of delirium at two in the morning on february 11:
its two am, i stayed up to read this all the way through. i just couldn't stop myself.
i'm so sorry if this comes off a bit chaotic but i have a fever of 103/39.4 and im half delirious, half sleep deprived.
first off, thank you SO much heather!! for writing this masterpiece, for curing my sickness (atleast for the time during which i was reading this book), and sending me a copy of just don't call me yours! i knew i was going to love it, but i never expected to love it THIS MUCH. i didn't even know i could love something this much??!!
now into the actual book:
the reason i originally became OBSESSED with this book is when i saw an ig post claiming the fmc was very taylor swift while the mmc was very arctic monkeys. i love both these artists SO MUCH. so right off the bat, i'm in love. THEN, i find out he plays guitar. I PLAY GUITAR. love to see it in books. HE PLAYS AND LISTENS TO ARCTIC MONKEYS IN THE BOOKS??!?! literally inspired me to do the same. catch me at two am playing the do i wanna know? riff on repeat. i'm turning into jackson, i'm sure my neighbors hate me right now, but on the other hand, jacksons neighbor?? TENSION THROUGHT HE ROOF!!
margot and jacksons relationship progression just felt so.. right. the pacing of the book was perfection- i literally finished it in pretty much a day (i'm not counting the time i spent passed out bc i was deathly sick, sorry!), and it was just so easy to read and get lost in the story.
there was a sense of found family as well. jackson and margot bring not only romance, but also spice, vulnerability, and so much more!! this book literally made me cry, laugh, blush, and smile until my cheeks hurt!
10/10 recommend! this book made me feel things i haven't felt from a book in a while, it felt like my PERFECT reading experience🤍
i believe it comes out in march?? so go get yourself a copy!!
again, not the full review. i just need to put all these thoughts down bc theres no way i'm sleeping without sharing all this love i have for this book!!
• review + annotations on my bookstagram! @diagon.alie •
don't even ask me why the rating got so specific- it just felt right?? but this book was five stars.
let me just- THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST ROMANCES I'VE READ.. ever?? i saw a post for this book here on instagram and the post said "she's a little taylor swift, he's a little arctic monkeys" and you guys know i was obsessed right then and there.
heather, i don't know how you managed to craft something so beautifully perfect, but you did it! as i kept reading, i kept falling deeper and deeper in love with this book (even when it didn't seem possible to love it more than i already did!) i finished this book in a day, and just didn't sleep because i was so lost within the pages, and let me tell you that every second reading this book was worth it (despite the sleep deprivation)!
this book has the perfect balance of everything beautiful about romance books. the banter, tension, sweetness, spice, heartbreak, humor, it was all perfect!!
i think part of the reason i loved it as much as i did was also because i related to the characters? margot is such a swiftie pathological people pleaser and i loved and connected with her so much for that, while me and jackson bother everyone around us with our guitar playing!! jokes aside, this book delves into topics outside of romance, exploring family, friendship, and life's hardest decisions and how we navigate those changes. plus this books music taste is 10/10 chefs kiss- fleetwood mac, nirvana, taylor swift, arctic monkeys + more!
i know i keep using this word over and over and i should probably whip out my thesaurus and put that to use- but this book was just perfect.
while reading, margot and jackson's story always felt so right. the progression of their relationship was paced perfectly and it was like watching all the puzzle pieces fall into place. and it wasn't only them- matt and rae were the CUTEST and i loved them all the same !
i truly can't put into words how much i loved this book, it was definitely more than i expected or even knew someone could love a book! i don't think i've been so passionate about an ARC ever?? a book hasn't made me feel this way in a while, and i'm just going to advise you guys preorder this because you WILL love it!!
the biggest thank you to @heathergarvinbooks for sending me a physical ARC, so so honored i was able to read and annotate this book early (these might be my favorite annotations i've done ever??!), words cannot express my gratitude!
five stars from me!
-
here was my immediate reaction, written in a state of delirium at two in the morning on february 11:
its two am, i stayed up to read this all the way through. i just couldn't stop myself.
i'm so sorry if this comes off a bit chaotic but i have a fever of 103/39.4 and im half delirious, half sleep deprived.
first off, thank you SO much heather!! for writing this masterpiece, for curing my sickness (atleast for the time during which i was reading this book), and sending me a copy of just don't call me yours! i knew i was going to love it, but i never expected to love it THIS MUCH. i didn't even know i could love something this much??!!
now into the actual book:
the reason i originally became OBSESSED with this book is when i saw an ig post claiming the fmc was very taylor swift while the mmc was very arctic monkeys. i love both these artists SO MUCH. so right off the bat, i'm in love. THEN, i find out he plays guitar. I PLAY GUITAR. love to see it in books. HE PLAYS AND LISTENS TO ARCTIC MONKEYS IN THE BOOKS??!?! literally inspired me to do the same. catch me at two am playing the do i wanna know? riff on repeat. i'm turning into jackson, i'm sure my neighbors hate me right now, but on the other hand, jacksons neighbor?? TENSION THROUGHT HE ROOF!!
margot and jacksons relationship progression just felt so.. right. the pacing of the book was perfection- i literally finished it in pretty much a day (i'm not counting the time i spent passed out bc i was deathly sick, sorry!), and it was just so easy to read and get lost in the story.
there was a sense of found family as well. jackson and margot bring not only romance, but also spice, vulnerability, and so much more!! this book literally made me cry, laugh, blush, and smile until my cheeks hurt!
10/10 recommend! this book made me feel things i haven't felt from a book in a while, it felt like my PERFECT reading experience🤍
i believe it comes out in march?? so go get yourself a copy!!
again, not the full review. i just need to put all these thoughts down bc theres no way i'm sleeping without sharing all this love i have for this book!!
Want to read
March 1, 2024Jackson probably at some point
June 9, 2024
Can we please petition good reads to make zero stars an option, like come on.
The only reason I kept reading this book was because for some strange reason it takes place at USF (my alma mater). Seeing those three letters in the first chapter was truly a jump scare. My curiosity got the best of me and I had simply had to know why is this the setting? Also how many references to Tampa will there be and are they accurate? Some Tampa/usf things I noticed:
-Their English class was surely in Cooper hall
-They def live in the fancy dorms
-YBOR city shoutout but no chickens so was it really YBOR city??
-The club Rae and Matt wanted to go to was def the Castle
-The Irish bar they threw the party at was def the Paddy Wagon
What a weird thing this added to my reading experience.
Regardless of the setting taking me out of the story, this book sucked.
Everything about it was unbearable.
Jackson and Margot were incredibly immature and annoying. I kept thinking "i'm too old for this BS".
Jackson is the worst kind of music lover who is pretentious and thinks he knows better. He shits on popular music like Fleetwood Mac and Taylor Swift (interesting how it's women hmmmm). You'd think given his personality he only listen to things no one's ever heard of, right? WRONG. He lists that some of his favorite bands are Arctic Monkeys, Cage the Elephant (do not get me wrong I like these bands too). He just lists bands that were played on 97X (RIP). I can see how he can judge people from allll the way up there, huh.
Margot is just indecisive, like girl say something. So much of this book could have been parred down if she just opened her mouth. Also, who has a blog these days? There was no point to her blog except for a plot device that was sued literally once at the end. Another thing is can we please not have every single man in her vicinity hit on her? Love that she's a pretty gal but also she's 18. Why the hell is a grown ass bartender hitting on her and why isn't anyone in the story being like ermm weird. In that same scene 3 other dudes were hitting on her too. It seemed like these instances were just to make Jackson jealous or spur him into action.
Now most of the time when I read a romance book I'm like "of course the couple lives happily ever after" and will not succumb to reality and break up. Yeah there's no way these two are not breaking up within the year. I give it the spring semester actually.
Not too mention it seems like they are getting a sequel book... why? So that Margot can keep being indecisive and Jackson can keep being a prick? And they can both keep being immature together? I will be not reading it lol.
The only reason I kept reading this book was because for some strange reason it takes place at USF (my alma mater). Seeing those three letters in the first chapter was truly a jump scare. My curiosity got the best of me and I had simply had to know why is this the setting? Also how many references to Tampa will there be and are they accurate? Some Tampa/usf things I noticed:
-Their English class was surely in Cooper hall
-They def live in the fancy dorms
-YBOR city shoutout but no chickens so was it really YBOR city??
-The club Rae and Matt wanted to go to was def the Castle
-The Irish bar they threw the party at was def the Paddy Wagon
What a weird thing this added to my reading experience.
Regardless of the setting taking me out of the story, this book sucked.
Everything about it was unbearable.
Jackson and Margot were incredibly immature and annoying. I kept thinking "i'm too old for this BS".
Jackson is the worst kind of music lover who is pretentious and thinks he knows better. He shits on popular music like Fleetwood Mac and Taylor Swift (interesting how it's women hmmmm). You'd think given his personality he only listen to things no one's ever heard of, right? WRONG. He lists that some of his favorite bands are Arctic Monkeys, Cage the Elephant (do not get me wrong I like these bands too). He just lists bands that were played on 97X (RIP). I can see how he can judge people from allll the way up there, huh.
Margot is just indecisive, like girl say something. So much of this book could have been parred down if she just opened her mouth. Also, who has a blog these days? There was no point to her blog except for a plot device that was sued literally once at the end. Another thing is can we please not have every single man in her vicinity hit on her? Love that she's a pretty gal but also she's 18. Why the hell is a grown ass bartender hitting on her and why isn't anyone in the story being like ermm weird. In that same scene 3 other dudes were hitting on her too. It seemed like these instances were just to make Jackson jealous or spur him into action.
Now most of the time when I read a romance book I'm like "of course the couple lives happily ever after" and will not succumb to reality and break up. Yeah there's no way these two are not breaking up within the year. I give it the spring semester actually.
Not too mention it seems like they are getting a sequel book... why? So that Margot can keep being indecisive and Jackson can keep being a prick? And they can both keep being immature together? I will be not reading it lol.
March 14, 2024
I devoured this book. I love when a romance has short chapters and switches POVs and this was exactly that. Jackson and Margot were such fun characters. They both are starting their first year of college, getting to live with their respective best friends. Margot is wanting to be a journalism major while Jackson is in college to please his parents but plans to drop out once he is able to join a band and find some success playing guitar. They have a bit of meet cute where he is playing his guitar late at night preparing for an audition and since Margot lives across the hall from him and can't sleep with his noise, goes over to knock on the door to tell him to stop. They have this mutual dislike and conversations filled with teasing and banter. When their best friends end up dating, they end up forced to spend more time together. As they do things start to heat up, but Margot is hesitant to fall for a rockstar, especially one that may be leaving soon.
Jackson doesn't make it easy for Margot to ignore him and it was so fun to see the tension grow between them. They definitely don't like each other at the start but they find some comfort in the banter and conversation they have. While this is a college romance, I don't think the characters feel immature yet the also perfectly fit where they are currently at in life. They're both figuring out what they want to do and they both become something that's predictable for the other while everything else is filled with uncertainty. Their feelings moving from outright dislike, to a bit of physical attraction, to some actual feelings I think was so well done. Definitely a few moments that caused butterflies.
This books does in on a sort of cliffhanger. Nothing dramatic! I'd almost call it a happy for now but am super excited to read the next book to get the fully happily ever after for Jackson and Margot. They definitely need a bit more conversations and time together for them to be at that point.
💙 college romance
😠 dislike to lovers
🎵 he’s a musician
🤍 he falls first
👥 close proximity
dual POV
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️
Jackson doesn't make it easy for Margot to ignore him and it was so fun to see the tension grow between them. They definitely don't like each other at the start but they find some comfort in the banter and conversation they have. While this is a college romance, I don't think the characters feel immature yet the also perfectly fit where they are currently at in life. They're both figuring out what they want to do and they both become something that's predictable for the other while everything else is filled with uncertainty. Their feelings moving from outright dislike, to a bit of physical attraction, to some actual feelings I think was so well done. Definitely a few moments that caused butterflies.
This books does in on a sort of cliffhanger. Nothing dramatic! I'd almost call it a happy for now but am super excited to read the next book to get the fully happily ever after for Jackson and Margot. They definitely need a bit more conversations and time together for them to be at that point.
💙 college romance
😠 dislike to lovers
🎵 he’s a musician
🤍 he falls first
👥 close proximity
dual POV
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️
September 16, 2024
Review: *Just don't call me yours* - ARC - Heather Garvin
5+/5✨
2/5🌶️
OMG!! I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! It kept me hooked and I can tell you that Margot and Jackson are going to steal your hearts!! 💙 Thank you so much Netgalley & Heather Garvin for the change you've given me to read this AMAZING, ADDICTING story!!
The relationship between Margot and Jackson is not the best from the beginning🤣. Jackson is a young talented guitarist, who is disturbing the silence of his colleague who lives next door (Margot). From there everything just keeps pushing Margot buttons and she cannot stand that boy.
The banter between these two was THE BEST! I just loooved reading all their funny meetings and their teasing on each other🤭. It was a clear attraction between them and you could just feel the sparklers flying when they touch just an inch.
Even tho Margot seemed too scared of her feelings, it didn't made me hate her and I understood her side of the story. Jackson is such a sweetheart and always has his good mood and jokes with him, which made me fall for him instantly💙.
An important part to the story was played by their best friends, Rae and Matt. They were rooting from the beginning for their friends to be together too, but the hate between Margot and Jackson was pretty visible to everyone. Until everything changed. And they secretly started something together🤭.
I truly, truly recommend this book! It was perfect from my point of view and you should definitely read it if you love these tropes:
✨#EnemiesToLovers;
✨#OppositeAttract;
✨#SecretRomance;
✨#BoyFallsFirst;
✨#HeFallsHarder;
✨#BoyObsessed;
✨#CloseProximity;
✨#DualPov;
✨#Banter;
5+/5✨
2/5🌶️
OMG!! I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! It kept me hooked and I can tell you that Margot and Jackson are going to steal your hearts!! 💙 Thank you so much Netgalley & Heather Garvin for the change you've given me to read this AMAZING, ADDICTING story!!
The relationship between Margot and Jackson is not the best from the beginning🤣. Jackson is a young talented guitarist, who is disturbing the silence of his colleague who lives next door (Margot). From there everything just keeps pushing Margot buttons and she cannot stand that boy.
The banter between these two was THE BEST! I just loooved reading all their funny meetings and their teasing on each other🤭. It was a clear attraction between them and you could just feel the sparklers flying when they touch just an inch.
Even tho Margot seemed too scared of her feelings, it didn't made me hate her and I understood her side of the story. Jackson is such a sweetheart and always has his good mood and jokes with him, which made me fall for him instantly💙.
An important part to the story was played by their best friends, Rae and Matt. They were rooting from the beginning for their friends to be together too, but the hate between Margot and Jackson was pretty visible to everyone. Until everything changed. And they secretly started something together🤭.
I truly, truly recommend this book! It was perfect from my point of view and you should definitely read it if you love these tropes:
✨#EnemiesToLovers;
✨#OppositeAttract;
✨#SecretRomance;
✨#BoyFallsFirst;
✨#HeFallsHarder;
✨#BoyObsessed;
✨#CloseProximity;
✨#DualPov;
✨#Banter;
March 6, 2024
4.75/5⭐️
🖤💫"He's a little Arctic Monkeys. She's a little Taylor Swift."💫🖤
Margot Reid is preparing for her first year of college. She's checked everything off her list, and everything seems like it's going as planned. Except for the infuriating guitar player across the hall that's hellbent on pushing her buttons...
Okay, I had the best time reading this. Apparently rockstar romances are my new fixation because this was so fun, y'all don't understand! The constant bickering between Jackson and Margot had me snorting out loud, it was perfect. Jackson was so annoying, but in the sense that he had me smirking at my screen💀and blushing too.🤭
The way Margot and Jackson's relationship progressed was very realistic in the sense that they were these incredibly different characters that somehow ended up forming this unexpected connection. The tension was everything, the "will they, won't they?" had me reading chapter after chapter with anticipation😭 and THAT first kiss?? So very unexpected, but it was everything. And the way their conflict was resolved in the end was so organic to me, I loved it.
some tropes:
- enemies to lovers❤️🔥
- the funniest banter🤭
- college setting🏫
- rock and roll🎸
- ts AND arctic monkeys references🏹🖤
- opposites attract💫
🖤💫"He's a little Arctic Monkeys. She's a little Taylor Swift."💫🖤
Margot Reid is preparing for her first year of college. She's checked everything off her list, and everything seems like it's going as planned. Except for the infuriating guitar player across the hall that's hellbent on pushing her buttons...
Okay, I had the best time reading this. Apparently rockstar romances are my new fixation because this was so fun, y'all don't understand! The constant bickering between Jackson and Margot had me snorting out loud, it was perfect. Jackson was so annoying, but in the sense that he had me smirking at my screen💀and blushing too.🤭
The way Margot and Jackson's relationship progressed was very realistic in the sense that they were these incredibly different characters that somehow ended up forming this unexpected connection. The tension was everything, the "will they, won't they?" had me reading chapter after chapter with anticipation😭 and THAT first kiss?? So very unexpected, but it was everything. And the way their conflict was resolved in the end was so organic to me, I loved it.
some tropes:
- enemies to lovers❤️🔥
- the funniest banter🤭
- college setting🏫
- rock and roll🎸
- ts AND arctic monkeys references🏹🖤
- opposites attract💫
March 27, 2024
this was literally the cutest book ever i devoured it all in the past couple hours… pretty cheesy for me at some parts but i can’t even lie i was giggling and kicking my feet for the majority of this!!! made me miss living on a college campus fr
4 stars for the vibesssss 💁♀️
and thanks netgalley for the arc 🫶
4 stars for the vibesssss 💁♀️
and thanks netgalley for the arc 🫶
March 16, 2024
Jackson and Margot are both beginning their first year in college and moving in with their closest friends. They find themselves forced to spend more time together after their best friends start dating. Things begin to get romantic as they go along, but Margot is reluctant to fall in love with a rock star—especially one who might be moving out soon.
This book ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger. For the time being, I'd nearly call it happy, but I can't wait to read the next book to see Jackson and Margot's whole happily ever after. From the first chapter to the very last line, I loved it. To be honest, this book is among my best reads of the year thus far.
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-Op for the opportunity to review this book.
This book ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger. For the time being, I'd nearly call it happy, but I can't wait to read the next book to see Jackson and Margot's whole happily ever after. From the first chapter to the very last line, I loved it. To be honest, this book is among my best reads of the year thus far.
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-Op for the opportunity to review this book.
February 17, 2024
Advanced reader copy (ARC) from the author on 2/15/24, but my honest review.
When the dedication starts off “To the girls who create their own destiny and make it shimmer” I was instantly hooked.
Ok I know the story is technically about Margot and Jackson but first let’s talk about their roommates Rae and Matt because they were the true rockstars (see what I did there) of this book. Matt fell so fast and I loved that we got to hear him tell Jackson that he wanted to go out again with Rae. I want a whole book just of the two of them because they were the absolute cutest. Also they didn’t just ditch their besties after they got together and we love that.
Now onto our mains, Margot and Jackson. Jackson is trying to make it big time in a local band and Margot is trying to survive college. I honestly wasn’t expecting to like Jackson as much as I did. I think the reason for that is because this books marketing is presented kinda like he’s already a big rockstar when that’s not the case. He’s in a local band that’s starting to get more traction. And let me tell you I was here for the story line of watching him rise into that new roll in his life.
The banter between Margot and Jackson was amazing and unlike so many other enemies to lovers books this one actually felt believable regarding their relationship. The two of them made sense. The first kiss they had made sense. How they decided to move forward after that also made sense. The book flowed naturally and it takes a damn good author to be able to do that.
Now the one problem I had with the book was literally only the last ten pages. I won’t spoil anything here so I’ll just leave it at the following: are we getting a second book?! I wasn’t ready to commit to a second book (unless it’s Rae and Matt then bring it on) and was shocked at how abruptly this book ended. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy with the ending (“I wanna be yours” has been a favorite song of mine forever and truly that scene could have killed me with the butterflies I got) but I just wanted more of an ending tied up in a pretty little bow with some further details. Aka this can be a standalone but I’d appreciate more if it gets a sequel. Preferably one asap.
Lastly, we can’t end my review without my favorite line in the book from Matt’s grandma “Are we gossiping or cooking?”
When the dedication starts off “To the girls who create their own destiny and make it shimmer” I was instantly hooked.
Ok I know the story is technically about Margot and Jackson but first let’s talk about their roommates Rae and Matt because they were the true rockstars (see what I did there) of this book. Matt fell so fast and I loved that we got to hear him tell Jackson that he wanted to go out again with Rae. I want a whole book just of the two of them because they were the absolute cutest. Also they didn’t just ditch their besties after they got together and we love that.
Now onto our mains, Margot and Jackson. Jackson is trying to make it big time in a local band and Margot is trying to survive college. I honestly wasn’t expecting to like Jackson as much as I did. I think the reason for that is because this books marketing is presented kinda like he’s already a big rockstar when that’s not the case. He’s in a local band that’s starting to get more traction. And let me tell you I was here for the story line of watching him rise into that new roll in his life.
The banter between Margot and Jackson was amazing and unlike so many other enemies to lovers books this one actually felt believable regarding their relationship. The two of them made sense. The first kiss they had made sense. How they decided to move forward after that also made sense. The book flowed naturally and it takes a damn good author to be able to do that.
Now the one problem I had with the book was literally only the last ten pages. I won’t spoil anything here so I’ll just leave it at the following: are we getting a second book?! I wasn’t ready to commit to a second book (unless it’s Rae and Matt then bring it on) and was shocked at how abruptly this book ended. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy with the ending (“I wanna be yours” has been a favorite song of mine forever and truly that scene could have killed me with the butterflies I got) but I just wanted more of an ending tied up in a pretty little bow with some further details. Aka this can be a standalone but I’d appreciate more if it gets a sequel. Preferably one asap.
Lastly, we can’t end my review without my favorite line in the book from Matt’s grandma “Are we gossiping or cooking?”
October 27, 2024
This was so cute! I loved the references to Arctic Monkeys' "Just Wanna Be Yours," and now I can't listen to it without thinking about Margot and Jackson. It truly felt like an enemies-to-lovers story, and the pacing was perfect. The banter and tension between the two characters were chef's kiss. The chapters were nice and short, which made for a quick read. The ending was set up perfectly for the next book, and I honestly can't wait to read it!
February 27, 2024
Wowww all I can say is I read this book within 24 hours, binge-worthy, witty, captivating. Loved loved loved this story and the characters. Even swoon worthy moments that made me jealous of the characters in the book. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
March 23, 2024
first of all, taylor swift fans. i cannot explain just how deeply this book is for you. as a non-swiftie myself, i know a few references flew far, FAR above my head, but even i managed to catch a couple.
this book is one of those that you can recommend to just about anyone - it’s sweet, cute, funny, and jackson & margot are the best kind of enemies to lovers. i sometimes struggle when they start off as enemies and have this banter that has tension that just builds and builds then once everyone is happy and in love, the tension and banter just breaks. sometimes authors are only able to keep that tension alive through that third act breakup. but nope not here, even during their happy periods, margot was STILL dishing it out to jackson. you can see that she’s a sweet girl with a little bit of spice to her and i adore that.
we start off super quick, we hit a tiny lull from about 30-40% (nothing crazy, more than likely reader error) but then at that 50% mark we PICK. UP. and it’s SO good. i think it’s important to look at the front half of this book as ~worldbuilding~ is it fantasy? no. but considering this is a duet, you can’t go too hard at the start otherwise you don’t get time for their background to set up book 2. and god i can’t wait for book 2.
of course my chief and main complaint must be addressed (please read this next part in a completely unserious tone of voice. i am saying this with HUMOR IN MY WORDS): who the fuck wears a button down to a frat party. maybe the author and i had *very* different college experiences but not once in my time at university did i see any student wear a BUTTON DOWN to a FRAT PARTY.
this is a great book that id recommend to anyone. but ESPECIALLY to my taylor swift lovers. it’s a good time, keep in mind these are *young* college kids so i don’t wanna see comments on immaturity bc of course they are… they’re 18.
thank you so much heather garvin for the arc!!
this book is one of those that you can recommend to just about anyone - it’s sweet, cute, funny, and jackson & margot are the best kind of enemies to lovers. i sometimes struggle when they start off as enemies and have this banter that has tension that just builds and builds then once everyone is happy and in love, the tension and banter just breaks. sometimes authors are only able to keep that tension alive through that third act breakup. but nope not here, even during their happy periods, margot was STILL dishing it out to jackson. you can see that she’s a sweet girl with a little bit of spice to her and i adore that.
we start off super quick, we hit a tiny lull from about 30-40% (nothing crazy, more than likely reader error) but then at that 50% mark we PICK. UP. and it’s SO good. i think it’s important to look at the front half of this book as ~worldbuilding~ is it fantasy? no. but considering this is a duet, you can’t go too hard at the start otherwise you don’t get time for their background to set up book 2. and god i can’t wait for book 2.
of course my chief and main complaint must be addressed (please read this next part in a completely unserious tone of voice. i am saying this with HUMOR IN MY WORDS): who the fuck wears a button down to a frat party. maybe the author and i had *very* different college experiences but not once in my time at university did i see any student wear a BUTTON DOWN to a FRAT PARTY.
this is a great book that id recommend to anyone. but ESPECIALLY to my taylor swift lovers. it’s a good time, keep in mind these are *young* college kids so i don’t wanna see comments on immaturity bc of course they are… they’re 18.
thank you so much heather garvin for the arc!!
June 4, 2025
Reread update: received an audio code from the author as a thank you for being on her team and I loved these two so much more on audio.
Can’t wait for IJWTBY to come out on audio too!
- arc review -
4.5⭐️
Jackson & Margot were so fun! Enemies to lovers is on of my favorite tropes bc it’s so entertaining when they realize they start to have feelings for each other but they’re so confused and mad about it.
Jackson is a guitar player and his only dream has been to join a band and tour. When his all time favorite band is hosting auditions, he has no choice but to try out. Margot lives across the hall from Jackson in their dorm and his guitar playing at all hours drives her insane.
Forced proximity, tension, and all the feels. I was totally kicking my feet at the end and my only complaint is that I wish there was more!!
Happy release day to this beaut! Go read this one asap! It’s on kindle unlimited!!
-enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-rising rockstar
-sassy fmc
-he falls first and harder
-college romance
Can’t wait for IJWTBY to come out on audio too!
- arc review -
4.5⭐️
Jackson & Margot were so fun! Enemies to lovers is on of my favorite tropes bc it’s so entertaining when they realize they start to have feelings for each other but they’re so confused and mad about it.
Jackson is a guitar player and his only dream has been to join a band and tour. When his all time favorite band is hosting auditions, he has no choice but to try out. Margot lives across the hall from Jackson in their dorm and his guitar playing at all hours drives her insane.
Forced proximity, tension, and all the feels. I was totally kicking my feet at the end and my only complaint is that I wish there was more!!
Happy release day to this beaut! Go read this one asap! It’s on kindle unlimited!!
-enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-rising rockstar
-sassy fmc
-he falls first and harder
-college romance
March 8, 2024
3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed this book. It’s refreshing to read sometimes a story about college romance 🤩
I liked Margot, although sometimes she irritated me because of her indecision towards her feelings for Jackson. But I loved the fact that she was a Swiftie 🥹 Also, she became an Artic Monkey’s fan because of him and I found incredible that she supported Jackson’s dreams 🫶🏻
I loved Jackson. He was never afraid to show his feelings for Margot and he became a Swiftie because of her. Also he was an Artic Monkey’s fan which I absolutely love 🤩
What I loved the most in this book was the music aspect and how this is a major aspect to connect people and find love eventually. And the playlist of this book is incredible 🥹
I’m very excited to get my hands on the second book and find out Margot and Jackson’ story from now on 🥰
Thank you so much to Heather Garvin for sending me this ARC 🫶🏻
I enjoyed this book. It’s refreshing to read sometimes a story about college romance 🤩
I liked Margot, although sometimes she irritated me because of her indecision towards her feelings for Jackson. But I loved the fact that she was a Swiftie 🥹 Also, she became an Artic Monkey’s fan because of him and I found incredible that she supported Jackson’s dreams 🫶🏻
I loved Jackson. He was never afraid to show his feelings for Margot and he became a Swiftie because of her. Also he was an Artic Monkey’s fan which I absolutely love 🤩
What I loved the most in this book was the music aspect and how this is a major aspect to connect people and find love eventually. And the playlist of this book is incredible 🥹
I’m very excited to get my hands on the second book and find out Margot and Jackson’ story from now on 🥰
Thank you so much to Heather Garvin for sending me this ARC 🫶🏻
June 17, 2024
Thanks for the rec Isabella <3
This book has been so funny to read - defs the feel good read I needed
NOTE TO SELF SARAH YOUR NOTES ARENT IN ORDER YOULL NEED TO USE YOUR MEMORY
Up to chpt 39 - so far a 4/5 (chpt 33 was a VIBE, others I don't remember the no.s but have notes)
Girl finally learning to say no at chpt 41 was fun to read, lil miss bossy boots
the set up for chapter 43 and her asking for what she wants * chefs kiss *
the end of chapter 45 was so thoughtful
chapter 53 with the nickname and
Thought dump:
- "contains on page intimate scenes and is intended for mature audiences only." (it better)
- almost forgot i too was a journalism student once
- of course the door opens that shes leaning on and falls into guitar guy haha
- “Relax, Red,” he mutters, making me look at him. (chpt 3 and i already like him)
- My lips turn down. This is our year to do things together, but if she dates someone, we’ll have to bring him along with us. It will be different, but not necessarily bad. (was great before she mentioned the guy shes dating is the guy that plays guitar lmao, full circle)
- ngl i forgot she was a redhead again until i started chpt 13
- I was more like an employee than a child, only appreciated when I performed well. (ouch personal attack here haha)
- the breakdown chapter on the whole never have i ever game showed me what you're meant to do with that game instead of what actually happens
Fav lines:
- Or maybe it’s the way his eyes make me feel like he can see too much of me.
- It’s amazing what a difference coffee and a shower can make—and a little distance from your obnoxious neighbor.
- Her head lifts, and we lock eyes. With a smile that’s way too sweet to be genuine, she waves before going back to whatever she’s working on. She’s doing this out of spite, but I’ll let her have her fun. As long as I can have some fun, too. (giggling and kicking my feet rn)
- I’m on pins and needles, waiting for them to get back. I want her to have fun. She’s my best friend, and I love her more than anything, but the selfish part of me is hoping she doesn’t like Matt as much as she thought. Because if she doesn’t like Matt, it will be easier to pretend Jackson doesn’t exist.
- “I’m surprised you’re coming out tonight. I didn’t know you were capable of having fun.”
- He steps closer, and our arms are almost touching as he leans in to whisper in my ear. “I’m honest.” His warm breath against my neck makes my entire body tingle. It has such a strong effect on me, I’m instantly embarrassed like he’ll know my insides are melting while every hair on my body stands.
- Now it’s my turn to give her a dubious stare. “Do you think that woman needs to be taken care of?” Margot laughs, and it brings a small smile to my lips. “No,” she says, still grinning. “She’s a firecracker. I hope I’m like that when I’m older.” Looking her up and down, I mutter, “Oh, I have no doubt you will be. That’s probably why she liked you.”
- Her mouth has been avoiding me. But her eyes have been doing the opposite.
- Matt is such a good friend for jackson
- Matt is happy for me, but when it comes to Margot, everything feels different. More.
- “Are you writing me a note?” Her groggy voice asks, and I look over my shoulder to find her fighting to stay awake. “Yes, I’m writing you a note.” “Make sure you include that stuff about you being hopelessly mine,” she mumbles, pointing a sleepy finger at the paper. I let out a breath of laughter as I shake my head. “Go to sleep, Red.”
- I miss the girl I haven’t even left yet.
- Margot: Are you saying you miss me? My heart pounds in my chest as I type. Jackson: Too much.
Counting as warm up smut:
- “That one song you played tonight didn’t suck.” He cocks his head, and my body warms with how intently he’s looking at me. “Which one?”
- She’s about to take her turn in a game of beer pong and smiles at Keith before focusing on the cups in front of her. Her arm goes up and over as she throws the ball, and her shirt rides up enough to show a peek of ivory skin I can’t tear my eyes away from. The way her jeans hug her hips has me thinking things I shouldn’t be thinking, and when my stare makes its way up her body, I find her eyes locked on me. God damn it.
- Nothing good ever comes from being around Margot. She either pisses me off or distracts me. Even now, all I can think about is the freckle on her bottom lip hidden beneath her makeup. What would she do if I walked over and wiped some of her lipstick away with my thumb so I could see it again?
- The slightest movement from him sends a wave of nerves and warmth through me, and there suddenly isn’t enough air in the car.
- “Are you drunk?” I ask her. She glares at me, and she suddenly looks more like her usual self. “Ah, that’s better,” I say, taunting her. “That’s the way your face usually looks—all contorted and pissy.” She scoffs. “Are you always this charming to the people who watch you play?” Aside from looking pissed off, she’s gorgeous. I try not to stare at the way her eyes pop against the color of her shirt. Or how full her bottom lip is. Or the way her top dips just enough to break me.
- I try not to notice any of those things, but I fucking fail. I fail so hard and end up wondering what she’d do if I pressed her up against the wall and kissed her. Right here. Right now.
- I try to blame it on her red hair and not the fact that I just thought about pressing her up against the wall and seeing what that smart mouth tastes like. Probably a little like whatever she drank tonight and a lot like the insults she loves to throw my way. I’ve never kissed anyone with such a sharp tongue. I wonder if she’d tear me a new one just for touching her, or if her tongue would soften against mine, her pretty mouth opening more for me. (damnnnn)
- one room trope hahaha - I clasp my fingers in my lap. “Before you came here, I told Rae she could sleep with Matt.” He holds my gaze but says nothing. “So . . . maybe sleep on the couch?” He cocks an eyebrow. “And why would I do that?” I swallow, suddenly wishing I wouldn’t have brought this up with so many people around. Keeping my voice low, I say, “So we don’t have to share the room.” His eyes roam over my face, a slow lift of his lips forming. “Actually, Red, I don’t mind sharing a room with you at all.” I blink. “You can’t be serious,” I say in a harsh whisper. Jackson takes a sip of water, but even that can’t hide his amusement. “Oh, I’ve never been more serious about anything.”
Counts as lead up smut (looks like i categorise this now):
- “Well, what’s it going to be, Red? I promise I don’t bite.” The corner of his mouth lifts and there’s a devilish glint in his eye. “Unless I’m asked very nicely.”
- I want to know where she stands . . . what she’s thinking—really thinking. I want to know if she’s thought of me the way I’ve thought of her. I want to know if I should keep avoiding her, or if I should welcome whatever this is. Finally, I let out a sigh. Fuck this. I need to know. “I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest.”
- Especially when he’s looking at me like he wants to understand everything about me. Doing my best to hide my shallow breathing, I say, “Why?” in a voice that’s hardly a whisper. His eyes jump to meet mine. “Because,” he says, the fog in his eyes clearing. “I was thinking about kissing you.”
- “You can call me anything you want,” I say through heated breaths. “Just don’t call me yours.” (and then skiip a few chapters to then say..) “I’ve changed my mind. When you’re in my bed, you’re mine.” (and then followed by...) Margot’s breath catches, her hands gripping my hair. “I’m not yours.” She reaches down to guide me into her again. I sink inside her, and her head falls back, a satisfied smile teasing at the corners of her mouth. “But I’ll let you pretend.”
Funny moments:
- It’s almost 2:00 a.m. I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Margot, I know what you’re thinking, but don’t do it,” (lol)
- “She was wearing a Fleetwood Mac shirt.” He frowns. “You have to be drunk to like Fleetwood Mac?” I seamlessly switch melodies and go into the start of another song. “You should be.”
- I know her clipped answers are in response to last night, and the corner of my mouth quirks. This girl can’t stand me, and I don’t know if I should find it funny or be offended.
- She looks different. She’s kind of pretty now that she’s taken a shower and isn’t wearing a shirt for a shitty band that’s two sizes too big. Her red hair is long, falling to her lower back, and I like the way her hips move when she walks. Too bad she’s annoying and tried to make me look like a stalker in front of our entire English class.
- What the hell? His questions about Margot make a lot more sense, and I’m trying not to panic. “Who is it?” Please don’t say Margot. Please don’t say Margot. Please don’t say Margot. Matt registers the look on my face and laughs. “Would you relax? It’s not Margot.” (lmfao)
- “Just so you know, if I kick you in my sleep, I’m not sorry, and it probably wasn’t an accident.”
- “You kissed me!” I blurt. He tilts his head. “I know. I was there.” (bahahaha I'm WHEEZING)
Smut scene to tba organise later lol:
“Are you serious? You talk about kissing me, and now you’re going to sleep?”
He looks over at me. “Was there something else you wanted me to do?”
Glaring at him, I mutter, “No,” but it’s a lie. And right now, it feels like the biggest lie I’ve ever told.
Turning toward me again, he asks, “Are you sure?”
I scoff. “You’re an asshole. You barely talk to me for weeks and now . . .” I shake my head. “Forget it.” I start to roll away from him, but he puts his hand on me, stilling me. His hand is strong, sure as he pushes me flat on my back. Before I even realize what’s happening, he has me pinned beneath him, expertly keeping space between us other than the light brush of our arms and legs.
But even that light brush is enough for me to feel my pulse throughout my body. He takes up my entire view, and from this angle, he’s even more devastatingly good-looking. His tousled hair falls forward, his blue eyes are bright with mischief, but there’s a darkness to them, too. A shadow of what might be mistaken for lust if I didn’t know better.
“Maybe this is why I’ve been avoiding you,” he croons in my ear. “Maybe you distract me.” His breath on my skin alone could make my back arch, but I force myself to hold my ground.
I swallow hard. “I don’t think that’s true.”
He pulls away to look at me with a tilt of his head. “It is. All I can think about lately are the things I’d like to do to you.” The pad of his thumb brushes my bottom lip and I suck in a breath. Everything inside me is short-circuiting. I don’t understand what the hell is happening, but I know I want more of it.
*** (skip blah blah blah)
I squirm underneath him, trying to ease the building ache.
“I’ll kiss you,” he says as he brushes my hair from my forehead in a surprisingly tender gesture. “Right now.” When he looks me in the eyes again, he adds, “I’ll do anything you want.” A faint whimper leaves my throat, and his wicked smile grows. “But you need to say it. If you want me to kiss you, tell me.” Lowering his lips to my ear, he adds, “If you want me to do something else, you can tell me that, too.”
But when he pulls back to look at me, I can’t speak. I can’t do anything. Part of me doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Because as much as my body wants him right now, his game has me fuming.
“Tell me what you want, Margot.”
The fact that he uses my name sends a shot of electricity down my spine. I don’t understand what’s happening right now. Does he want this? Does he want me? My face runs hot—just another way my body has betrayed me tonight.
He moves, and my entire body tenses. I thought he was leaning in to kiss me, but he just tilts his head the other way, leaving me disappointed.
I’m disappointed.
I want him. I want to reach out and touch him. I want to slip my hands under the hem of his shirt and feel the muscles of his back. I want him to press his hips against mine. I want to feel how badly he supposedly wants me.
I want to know if this is real.
Because it feels like a trap.
---------
Scene notes:
- Her lips part—maybe because she was about to give me a piece of her mind, or maybe because she sucked in a gasp. Regardless of the reason, I take her bottom lip between mine. She tenses, gripping the sides of her chair while my hand grips the back of her neck like a reflex. It feels like forever that she’s frozen in place. I wait for some type of reaction—any reaction as my heart beats faster in my chest. Eventually, she sighs into my mouth, and I feel it go straight to my groin. Fuck, she feels good. Being this close to her has a way of stopping time, the only measure coming from the wild thudding in my chest. I could kiss this girl forever. Her body relaxes, and she leans forward. It’s probably a fraction of an inch, but it feels like a mile. It feels like the red light she’s been flashing for months just turned green, and it’s taking everything in me not to go zero to sixty. She’s kissing me back.
- I don’t want to stop. I want to pull her into my lap and let her have her way with me. I want to feel her hips writhe against me, and I want to learn what other sounds she might make.
- No matter how much my brain is screaming run, my body is perfectly content being a fly stuck in Jackson’s web. He touches me unapologetically with no hesitation. His hands are skilled and steady as he reaches up further, his fingers sliding under my shirt to trace my lower back. My entire spine tingles.
- When his hands slip fully under my shirt, holding my waist, my lungs stop working. His hands run over my stomach and up the sides. It’s too much, but at the same time, not enough.
- I want him. I don’t know how much or how little, but right now, I want him to close the space between us. I need him to. Somehow, between shallow breaths, I say, “Try.”
- I want to hear the words. She moves her lips to my neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses until she runs her tongue up the side of my neck, and I almost lose it. “Fuck,” I mutter, trying to regain my bearings. She doesn’t want to say it. She’d rather torture me until I crack and fuck her anyway. But two can play that game. Even with layers between us, I press my cock against her and feel her writhe beneath me. “Say it.” She whimpers before her mouth is frantically on mine again. Her hands are in my hair and her legs open wider as I lay into her. “Margot . . .” I groan as she knots her fingers in my hair, tugging it at the roots. “I don’t know if I can take this.” “I want you.”
- My lips twitch into a trace of a smile, and my fingers reach between her legs. I let out a breath as soon as I touch her because she’s fucking perfect. Her head falls back as I slip one finger in and then another. She’s warm and tight, and when she urges me with her hips, I give her pressure where she needs it most. She starts to ride my hand, and I curse under my breath. “You’re so fucking wet, Margot.”
- He holds my stare. “Fine.” He hooks his pinky around mine, but when I go to pull my hand away, he tightens his grip, pulling me back to him. “But let’s make one thing clear,” he says in a low voice, his eyes never leaving mine. “We’re doing that again.” His free hand tilts my face toward his, and he presses his lips to mine.
- I want to make her laugh. I want to make her mad. I want to fuck her like I hate her.
- His brows cinch. “Just say what you want, Margot.” He makes it sound so simple. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to squirm under the weight of having his full attention. It’s always hard for me to say what I want out loud, but with him, it’s worse. Finding words feels impossible when he’s looking at me like this, let alone words that will articulate how badly I want him. My cheeks warm at the thought. He takes a step toward me, and I sigh out a breath of relief. “Want to know what I want?”
- Seeing Jackson on his knees may have halted my thoughts, but the way he uses his tongue has completely erased them.
- “Fuck, Margot.” All I can do is nod because having him this way leaves me at a loss for words. I can feel every part of him like this, and it’s better than I could have imagined. Hooking my leg behind him, I urge him to move, and he does.
- “Margot,” he says, his voice strained. I look up at him, but as soon as my eyes lift to meet his, he mutters, “Fuck,” and shakes his head like just seeing me on my knees in front of him is too much. My heart thuds in my chest as I run my fingers over the tight bulge of his jeans. I want to taste him. I want him to lose control. I want to watch him come undone as he grips the back of my head and thrusts into my mouth. “Margot,” he rasps.
This book has been so funny to read - defs the feel good read I needed
NOTE TO SELF SARAH YOUR NOTES ARENT IN ORDER YOULL NEED TO USE YOUR MEMORY
Up to chpt 39 - so far a 4/5 (chpt 33 was a VIBE, others I don't remember the no.s but have notes)
Girl finally learning to say no at chpt 41 was fun to read, lil miss bossy boots
the set up for chapter 43 and her asking for what she wants * chefs kiss *
the end of chapter 45 was so thoughtful
chapter 53 with the nickname and
Thought dump:
- "contains on page intimate scenes and is intended for mature audiences only." (it better)
- almost forgot i too was a journalism student once
- of course the door opens that shes leaning on and falls into guitar guy haha
- “Relax, Red,” he mutters, making me look at him. (chpt 3 and i already like him)
- My lips turn down. This is our year to do things together, but if she dates someone, we’ll have to bring him along with us. It will be different, but not necessarily bad. (was great before she mentioned the guy shes dating is the guy that plays guitar lmao, full circle)
- ngl i forgot she was a redhead again until i started chpt 13
- I was more like an employee than a child, only appreciated when I performed well. (ouch personal attack here haha)
- the breakdown chapter on the whole never have i ever game showed me what you're meant to do with that game instead of what actually happens
Fav lines:
- Or maybe it’s the way his eyes make me feel like he can see too much of me.
- It’s amazing what a difference coffee and a shower can make—and a little distance from your obnoxious neighbor.
- Her head lifts, and we lock eyes. With a smile that’s way too sweet to be genuine, she waves before going back to whatever she’s working on. She’s doing this out of spite, but I’ll let her have her fun. As long as I can have some fun, too. (giggling and kicking my feet rn)
- I’m on pins and needles, waiting for them to get back. I want her to have fun. She’s my best friend, and I love her more than anything, but the selfish part of me is hoping she doesn’t like Matt as much as she thought. Because if she doesn’t like Matt, it will be easier to pretend Jackson doesn’t exist.
- “I’m surprised you’re coming out tonight. I didn’t know you were capable of having fun.”
- He steps closer, and our arms are almost touching as he leans in to whisper in my ear. “I’m honest.” His warm breath against my neck makes my entire body tingle. It has such a strong effect on me, I’m instantly embarrassed like he’ll know my insides are melting while every hair on my body stands.
- Now it’s my turn to give her a dubious stare. “Do you think that woman needs to be taken care of?” Margot laughs, and it brings a small smile to my lips. “No,” she says, still grinning. “She’s a firecracker. I hope I’m like that when I’m older.” Looking her up and down, I mutter, “Oh, I have no doubt you will be. That’s probably why she liked you.”
- Her mouth has been avoiding me. But her eyes have been doing the opposite.
- Matt is such a good friend for jackson
- Matt is happy for me, but when it comes to Margot, everything feels different. More.
- “Are you writing me a note?” Her groggy voice asks, and I look over my shoulder to find her fighting to stay awake. “Yes, I’m writing you a note.” “Make sure you include that stuff about you being hopelessly mine,” she mumbles, pointing a sleepy finger at the paper. I let out a breath of laughter as I shake my head. “Go to sleep, Red.”
- I miss the girl I haven’t even left yet.
- Margot: Are you saying you miss me? My heart pounds in my chest as I type. Jackson: Too much.
Counting as warm up smut:
- “That one song you played tonight didn’t suck.” He cocks his head, and my body warms with how intently he’s looking at me. “Which one?”
- She’s about to take her turn in a game of beer pong and smiles at Keith before focusing on the cups in front of her. Her arm goes up and over as she throws the ball, and her shirt rides up enough to show a peek of ivory skin I can’t tear my eyes away from. The way her jeans hug her hips has me thinking things I shouldn’t be thinking, and when my stare makes its way up her body, I find her eyes locked on me. God damn it.
- Nothing good ever comes from being around Margot. She either pisses me off or distracts me. Even now, all I can think about is the freckle on her bottom lip hidden beneath her makeup. What would she do if I walked over and wiped some of her lipstick away with my thumb so I could see it again?
- The slightest movement from him sends a wave of nerves and warmth through me, and there suddenly isn’t enough air in the car.
- “Are you drunk?” I ask her. She glares at me, and she suddenly looks more like her usual self. “Ah, that’s better,” I say, taunting her. “That’s the way your face usually looks—all contorted and pissy.” She scoffs. “Are you always this charming to the people who watch you play?” Aside from looking pissed off, she’s gorgeous. I try not to stare at the way her eyes pop against the color of her shirt. Or how full her bottom lip is. Or the way her top dips just enough to break me.
- I try not to notice any of those things, but I fucking fail. I fail so hard and end up wondering what she’d do if I pressed her up against the wall and kissed her. Right here. Right now.
- I try to blame it on her red hair and not the fact that I just thought about pressing her up against the wall and seeing what that smart mouth tastes like. Probably a little like whatever she drank tonight and a lot like the insults she loves to throw my way. I’ve never kissed anyone with such a sharp tongue. I wonder if she’d tear me a new one just for touching her, or if her tongue would soften against mine, her pretty mouth opening more for me. (damnnnn)
- one room trope hahaha - I clasp my fingers in my lap. “Before you came here, I told Rae she could sleep with Matt.” He holds my gaze but says nothing. “So . . . maybe sleep on the couch?” He cocks an eyebrow. “And why would I do that?” I swallow, suddenly wishing I wouldn’t have brought this up with so many people around. Keeping my voice low, I say, “So we don’t have to share the room.” His eyes roam over my face, a slow lift of his lips forming. “Actually, Red, I don’t mind sharing a room with you at all.” I blink. “You can’t be serious,” I say in a harsh whisper. Jackson takes a sip of water, but even that can’t hide his amusement. “Oh, I’ve never been more serious about anything.”
Counts as lead up smut (looks like i categorise this now):
- “Well, what’s it going to be, Red? I promise I don’t bite.” The corner of his mouth lifts and there’s a devilish glint in his eye. “Unless I’m asked very nicely.”
- I want to know where she stands . . . what she’s thinking—really thinking. I want to know if she’s thought of me the way I’ve thought of her. I want to know if I should keep avoiding her, or if I should welcome whatever this is. Finally, I let out a sigh. Fuck this. I need to know. “I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest.”
- Especially when he’s looking at me like he wants to understand everything about me. Doing my best to hide my shallow breathing, I say, “Why?” in a voice that’s hardly a whisper. His eyes jump to meet mine. “Because,” he says, the fog in his eyes clearing. “I was thinking about kissing you.”
- “You can call me anything you want,” I say through heated breaths. “Just don’t call me yours.” (and then skiip a few chapters to then say..) “I’ve changed my mind. When you’re in my bed, you’re mine.” (and then followed by...) Margot’s breath catches, her hands gripping my hair. “I’m not yours.” She reaches down to guide me into her again. I sink inside her, and her head falls back, a satisfied smile teasing at the corners of her mouth. “But I’ll let you pretend.”
Funny moments:
- It’s almost 2:00 a.m. I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Margot, I know what you’re thinking, but don’t do it,” (lol)
- “She was wearing a Fleetwood Mac shirt.” He frowns. “You have to be drunk to like Fleetwood Mac?” I seamlessly switch melodies and go into the start of another song. “You should be.”
- I know her clipped answers are in response to last night, and the corner of my mouth quirks. This girl can’t stand me, and I don’t know if I should find it funny or be offended.
- She looks different. She’s kind of pretty now that she’s taken a shower and isn’t wearing a shirt for a shitty band that’s two sizes too big. Her red hair is long, falling to her lower back, and I like the way her hips move when she walks. Too bad she’s annoying and tried to make me look like a stalker in front of our entire English class.
- What the hell? His questions about Margot make a lot more sense, and I’m trying not to panic. “Who is it?” Please don’t say Margot. Please don’t say Margot. Please don’t say Margot. Matt registers the look on my face and laughs. “Would you relax? It’s not Margot.” (lmfao)
- “Just so you know, if I kick you in my sleep, I’m not sorry, and it probably wasn’t an accident.”
- “You kissed me!” I blurt. He tilts his head. “I know. I was there.” (bahahaha I'm WHEEZING)
Smut scene to tba organise later lol:
“Are you serious? You talk about kissing me, and now you’re going to sleep?”
He looks over at me. “Was there something else you wanted me to do?”
Glaring at him, I mutter, “No,” but it’s a lie. And right now, it feels like the biggest lie I’ve ever told.
Turning toward me again, he asks, “Are you sure?”
I scoff. “You’re an asshole. You barely talk to me for weeks and now . . .” I shake my head. “Forget it.” I start to roll away from him, but he puts his hand on me, stilling me. His hand is strong, sure as he pushes me flat on my back. Before I even realize what’s happening, he has me pinned beneath him, expertly keeping space between us other than the light brush of our arms and legs.
But even that light brush is enough for me to feel my pulse throughout my body. He takes up my entire view, and from this angle, he’s even more devastatingly good-looking. His tousled hair falls forward, his blue eyes are bright with mischief, but there’s a darkness to them, too. A shadow of what might be mistaken for lust if I didn’t know better.
“Maybe this is why I’ve been avoiding you,” he croons in my ear. “Maybe you distract me.” His breath on my skin alone could make my back arch, but I force myself to hold my ground.
I swallow hard. “I don’t think that’s true.”
He pulls away to look at me with a tilt of his head. “It is. All I can think about lately are the things I’d like to do to you.” The pad of his thumb brushes my bottom lip and I suck in a breath. Everything inside me is short-circuiting. I don’t understand what the hell is happening, but I know I want more of it.
*** (skip blah blah blah)
I squirm underneath him, trying to ease the building ache.
“I’ll kiss you,” he says as he brushes my hair from my forehead in a surprisingly tender gesture. “Right now.” When he looks me in the eyes again, he adds, “I’ll do anything you want.” A faint whimper leaves my throat, and his wicked smile grows. “But you need to say it. If you want me to kiss you, tell me.” Lowering his lips to my ear, he adds, “If you want me to do something else, you can tell me that, too.”
But when he pulls back to look at me, I can’t speak. I can’t do anything. Part of me doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Because as much as my body wants him right now, his game has me fuming.
“Tell me what you want, Margot.”
The fact that he uses my name sends a shot of electricity down my spine. I don’t understand what’s happening right now. Does he want this? Does he want me? My face runs hot—just another way my body has betrayed me tonight.
He moves, and my entire body tenses. I thought he was leaning in to kiss me, but he just tilts his head the other way, leaving me disappointed.
I’m disappointed.
I want him. I want to reach out and touch him. I want to slip my hands under the hem of his shirt and feel the muscles of his back. I want him to press his hips against mine. I want to feel how badly he supposedly wants me.
I want to know if this is real.
Because it feels like a trap.
---------
Scene notes:
- Her lips part—maybe because she was about to give me a piece of her mind, or maybe because she sucked in a gasp. Regardless of the reason, I take her bottom lip between mine. She tenses, gripping the sides of her chair while my hand grips the back of her neck like a reflex. It feels like forever that she’s frozen in place. I wait for some type of reaction—any reaction as my heart beats faster in my chest. Eventually, she sighs into my mouth, and I feel it go straight to my groin. Fuck, she feels good. Being this close to her has a way of stopping time, the only measure coming from the wild thudding in my chest. I could kiss this girl forever. Her body relaxes, and she leans forward. It’s probably a fraction of an inch, but it feels like a mile. It feels like the red light she’s been flashing for months just turned green, and it’s taking everything in me not to go zero to sixty. She’s kissing me back.
- I don’t want to stop. I want to pull her into my lap and let her have her way with me. I want to feel her hips writhe against me, and I want to learn what other sounds she might make.
- No matter how much my brain is screaming run, my body is perfectly content being a fly stuck in Jackson’s web. He touches me unapologetically with no hesitation. His hands are skilled and steady as he reaches up further, his fingers sliding under my shirt to trace my lower back. My entire spine tingles.
- When his hands slip fully under my shirt, holding my waist, my lungs stop working. His hands run over my stomach and up the sides. It’s too much, but at the same time, not enough.
- I want him. I don’t know how much or how little, but right now, I want him to close the space between us. I need him to. Somehow, between shallow breaths, I say, “Try.”
- I want to hear the words. She moves her lips to my neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses until she runs her tongue up the side of my neck, and I almost lose it. “Fuck,” I mutter, trying to regain my bearings. She doesn’t want to say it. She’d rather torture me until I crack and fuck her anyway. But two can play that game. Even with layers between us, I press my cock against her and feel her writhe beneath me. “Say it.” She whimpers before her mouth is frantically on mine again. Her hands are in my hair and her legs open wider as I lay into her. “Margot . . .” I groan as she knots her fingers in my hair, tugging it at the roots. “I don’t know if I can take this.” “I want you.”
- My lips twitch into a trace of a smile, and my fingers reach between her legs. I let out a breath as soon as I touch her because she’s fucking perfect. Her head falls back as I slip one finger in and then another. She’s warm and tight, and when she urges me with her hips, I give her pressure where she needs it most. She starts to ride my hand, and I curse under my breath. “You’re so fucking wet, Margot.”
- He holds my stare. “Fine.” He hooks his pinky around mine, but when I go to pull my hand away, he tightens his grip, pulling me back to him. “But let’s make one thing clear,” he says in a low voice, his eyes never leaving mine. “We’re doing that again.” His free hand tilts my face toward his, and he presses his lips to mine.
- I want to make her laugh. I want to make her mad. I want to fuck her like I hate her.
- His brows cinch. “Just say what you want, Margot.” He makes it sound so simple. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to squirm under the weight of having his full attention. It’s always hard for me to say what I want out loud, but with him, it’s worse. Finding words feels impossible when he’s looking at me like this, let alone words that will articulate how badly I want him. My cheeks warm at the thought. He takes a step toward me, and I sigh out a breath of relief. “Want to know what I want?”
- Seeing Jackson on his knees may have halted my thoughts, but the way he uses his tongue has completely erased them.
- “Fuck, Margot.” All I can do is nod because having him this way leaves me at a loss for words. I can feel every part of him like this, and it’s better than I could have imagined. Hooking my leg behind him, I urge him to move, and he does.
- “Margot,” he says, his voice strained. I look up at him, but as soon as my eyes lift to meet his, he mutters, “Fuck,” and shakes his head like just seeing me on my knees in front of him is too much. My heart thuds in my chest as I run my fingers over the tight bulge of his jeans. I want to taste him. I want him to lose control. I want to watch him come undone as he grips the back of my head and thrusts into my mouth. “Margot,” he rasps.
March 3, 2024
I got an ARC of Don’t Call Me Yours in exchange for an honest review.
The book my USF graduate, Artic Monkey Fan heart needed! I breezed through this solid enemies to lovers story and didn’t want to put it down. The story starts with a little dorm room drama then unfolds from both main characters’ perspectives, which makes the evolution of their relationship feel so relatable.
The outward appearances of Jackson and Margot make them seem like complete opposites but as I read more I could see the threads of shared experiences Heather tied together to make their attraction understandable. I loved the banter and tension between the main characters so much so that I was missing it towards the end of the story and wished it had evolved a little more with their relationship. I enjoyed how Heather developed the supporting characters too, they grew into their college experience alongside Jackson and Margot. Overall, I’m left wanting more of this romance story and a new need to be serenaded by someone singing Artic Monkey.
The book my USF graduate, Artic Monkey Fan heart needed! I breezed through this solid enemies to lovers story and didn’t want to put it down. The story starts with a little dorm room drama then unfolds from both main characters’ perspectives, which makes the evolution of their relationship feel so relatable.
The outward appearances of Jackson and Margot make them seem like complete opposites but as I read more I could see the threads of shared experiences Heather tied together to make their attraction understandable. I loved the banter and tension between the main characters so much so that I was missing it towards the end of the story and wished it had evolved a little more with their relationship. I enjoyed how Heather developed the supporting characters too, they grew into their college experience alongside Jackson and Margot. Overall, I’m left wanting more of this romance story and a new need to be serenaded by someone singing Artic Monkey.
February 28, 2024
JDCMY is my second Heather Garvin book. I absolutely loved this book.
If you like:
Musician Romance
Banter
Spice
Angst
Hate to Love
This book is for you! I absolutely loved the angst. Like every time I was going to get what I wanted, Heather was like… not yet! Just wait. She knocked this one out of the park. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I NEED MORE!
If you like:
Musician Romance
Banter
Spice
Angst
Hate to Love
This book is for you! I absolutely loved the angst. Like every time I was going to get what I wanted, Heather was like… not yet! Just wait. She knocked this one out of the park. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I NEED MORE!
Read
April 14, 2024DNF @21%
Sadly, I just couldn’t get into this one. It’s not bad by any means, but I just couldn’t stand the MMC. His pretentiousness was too frustrating, and I wasn’t vibing with their dynamic.
I’m aware that this is very subjective, so while I didn’t love it, you might!
Thank you to the author for sending an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, I just couldn’t get into this one. It’s not bad by any means, but I just couldn’t stand the MMC. His pretentiousness was too frustrating, and I wasn’t vibing with their dynamic.
I’m aware that this is very subjective, so while I didn’t love it, you might!
Thank you to the author for sending an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2024
2.75. Engaged in the beginning but I needed more of a connection between the two. Being that they both deal with disapproving parents, I thought opening up to each other would come more into play. They are drawn to each other for what?
February 23, 2025
this should have been filthier than it was with all the fucking tension going around.
i literally could stab myself with how irritating this was getting by 80% but i needed to know how it ended cause bitch he’s in a band and he fucking wants you but you too “scared”? done. margot deserves jail time. ohhhhhh and don’t get me started on the cliff hanger! gorlllll if you thought i was gonna read part ll you thought WRONG. byeeeee
i literally could stab myself with how irritating this was getting by 80% but i needed to know how it ended cause bitch he’s in a band and he fucking wants you but you too “scared”? done. margot deserves jail time. ohhhhhh and don’t get me started on the cliff hanger! gorlllll if you thought i was gonna read part ll you thought WRONG. byeeeee
February 26, 2024
Thank you for selecting me for an ARC of Just Don’t Call Me Yours! This is my honest review and all thoughts are my own.
This was adorable and I read it in less than 24 hours! As a Swiftie, the Taylor Swift references were fabulous and I loved the playlist at the beginning. As for our main characters, I loved Jackson and how he was confident enough to go after his dreams and speak his mind. Margot I have more mixed feelings about. I wish she was more decisive and spoke her mind more, but I get that is part of her character development. I did love seeing them go from enemies to friends to lovers. I think my biggest critique is that I wish we got to see more of them as a couple. I didn’t know this was the start of a series, but I am excited to see where the next story takes us!
This was adorable and I read it in less than 24 hours! As a Swiftie, the Taylor Swift references were fabulous and I loved the playlist at the beginning. As for our main characters, I loved Jackson and how he was confident enough to go after his dreams and speak his mind. Margot I have more mixed feelings about. I wish she was more decisive and spoke her mind more, but I get that is part of her character development. I did love seeing them go from enemies to friends to lovers. I think my biggest critique is that I wish we got to see more of them as a couple. I didn’t know this was the start of a series, but I am excited to see where the next story takes us!
February 28, 2024
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Where to start….
I could not put this book down.
I’ll be honest, I don’t listen much to Taylor Swift or Arctic Monkeys but this book made me want to listen to both.
The enemies to lovers trope is my guilty pleasure, and this book hit it perfectly. “I want to fuck her like I hate her. And I want to make love to her like she’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me”. I mean- come on!!! Chefs kiss!
If you want to fall in love with a couple of college kids then Margot and Jackson are waiting for you.
I could not put this book down.
I’ll be honest, I don’t listen much to Taylor Swift or Arctic Monkeys but this book made me want to listen to both.
The enemies to lovers trope is my guilty pleasure, and this book hit it perfectly. “I want to fuck her like I hate her. And I want to make love to her like she’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me”. I mean- come on!!! Chefs kiss!
If you want to fall in love with a couple of college kids then Margot and Jackson are waiting for you.
March 17, 2024
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wow wow wow wow wow..wow
I received this as an ARC for my honest review 💗
There’s so much to say about this book…. I finished it about two weeks ago & still am having a hard time emotionally recovering from this one. 😮💨 Especially because miss ma’am had the whole audacity to make a playlist for her readers… heavy emotions were felt- I cannot stop listening to “Wanna be Yours” since reading JDCMY.
I never expected to love a college romance as much as I love this one but from the moment I picked it up I could NOT put it down. Half way through my read I decided it was emotional enough that I couldn’t quite put into words how magnificent this read was- I set up my camera 😭😭 oooooweee it’s been a hot minute since a book had me in tears
This being the first book of Heathers I’ve read- it compelled me to go out and purchase her others 🫶🏼
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wow wow wow wow wow..wow
I received this as an ARC for my honest review 💗
There’s so much to say about this book…. I finished it about two weeks ago & still am having a hard time emotionally recovering from this one. 😮💨 Especially because miss ma’am had the whole audacity to make a playlist for her readers… heavy emotions were felt- I cannot stop listening to “Wanna be Yours” since reading JDCMY.
I never expected to love a college romance as much as I love this one but from the moment I picked it up I could NOT put it down. Half way through my read I decided it was emotional enough that I couldn’t quite put into words how magnificent this read was- I set up my camera 😭😭 oooooweee it’s been a hot minute since a book had me in tears
This being the first book of Heathers I’ve read- it compelled me to go out and purchase her others 🫶🏼
March 15, 2024
I’m unwell.
This book was so freaking cute! Heather definitely stepped up her game with this one. I loved it so much! It had just the right amount of hate and tension between Jackson and Margot to leave you with wanting more every page. The banter was too-notched. I can’t wait to see how their story continues!!!
🌶️🌶️.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎸 enemies to lovers
🎸 college romance
🎸 rockstar romance
🎸 new adult
🎸 open door
🎸 witty banter
This book was so freaking cute! Heather definitely stepped up her game with this one. I loved it so much! It had just the right amount of hate and tension between Jackson and Margot to leave you with wanting more every page. The banter was too-notched. I can’t wait to see how their story continues!!!
🌶️🌶️.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎸 enemies to lovers
🎸 college romance
🎸 rockstar romance
🎸 new adult
🎸 open door
🎸 witty banter
May 7, 2024
A college romance, with enemies to lovers involving a guitarist in a band and a Swiftie??? Absolutely sign me up!
JDCMY is Garvin at her best. I’ve read almost all of her books and enjoyed every one but this one was extra special. The banter between Margot and Jackson was perfect. It had just the right amount of spice for me. AND THAT ENDING! I got literal chills when my brain started putting together what was going on.
If you’re a romance reader you absolutely have to pick this one up. Especially since there is a sequel coming in September!! And it’s now available on Kindle Unlimited!
Thank you Heather and NetGalley for the eARC! I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this one for my collection!
JDCMY is Garvin at her best. I’ve read almost all of her books and enjoyed every one but this one was extra special. The banter between Margot and Jackson was perfect. It had just the right amount of spice for me. AND THAT ENDING! I got literal chills when my brain started putting together what was going on.
If you’re a romance reader you absolutely have to pick this one up. Especially since there is a sequel coming in September!! And it’s now available on Kindle Unlimited!
Thank you Heather and NetGalley for the eARC! I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this one for my collection!
February 19, 2024
For the love of cats, I love this book.
February 18, 2024
Roses: Jackson is book boyfriend material for sure. He was self-aware of his feelings and made it really clear how he felt. He was funny and really ambitious to boot! He was still trying to figure out his way, but he was able to do it without coming across to self involved or to arrogant about it. Margot was a fun character, very feisty and was pretty witty when it came to her banter with Jackson. Their relationship was super playful and at times came across pretty immature however they are 18 year olds. But there were really sweet moments that we got to see the vulnerable and romantic sides. This was more so from Jackson than from Margot. Matt and Ray were such a cute little couple always going on their chili dates which I thought was really cute. Matt’s relationship with Jackson and seeing how they were more brothers than best friends was really nice because it really gave a new lens into their lives prior to this first semester of college. This I think helps the reader understand the issues that Jackson was going through at home and how Matt and his families differ. This was also a dual point of view story. I think it would’ve been really hard to fully understand banter of Jackson and Margot relationship if this was just coming from a single side. But because of it being dual point of view, it really helped the book flow easily. I love the spice in this book. I thought it was very well done. It was realistic and not in an overly graphic way. But realistic as in you could understand what was happening. This was definitely spicier than the last book that I read of hers, so I definitely enjoy this.
Thorns: I wasn’t a huge fan of Margot. I started to like her closer to the end of the book, because she started to grow her backbone, and stood up for herself, and letting people know what she was feeling, and what she wanted. However,, in the moments of where there was a romantic declaration from Jackson, she felt really flat. She wasn’t giving any real emotion back. I understand it was a part of her character, the whole not knowing what she wanted, and didn’t know how to express it correctly. That character trait really made me become put off by her. As a reader you are getting so much from one of the characters in the relationship, you want the other character to bring the same energy or at least give something to make the reader feel a connection to why they’re not giving any insight about their feelings to this other person. I was always left thinking why didn’t she say how she felt? Because most of the time there wasn’t solid reasons for why she should stay quiet. I think we could’ve left out the whole Dad and Jackson situation. It played a little bit into the story, but I feel like the book would’ve been just as good without it. I think it would’ve been a really cool thing to have had more scenes of interacting with the band members, and learning a little bit more about them, it came across a little odd that we had an 18-year-old being in a band with people who seem to be in their maybe late 20s or 30s and didn’t know very much about them and that’s who Jackson was spending a lot of time with. The story felt rushed at the end. We spent so much time during this book seeing Jackson and Margot bicker and banter back-and-forth. However, the moments of the actual romance were fast and didn’t last very long. I feel like I didn’t really get to see them in a relationship like I would’ve loved. I’m not sure if that’s going to come into book 2 of this series, however in this book my experience feels incomplete.
Thorns: I wasn’t a huge fan of Margot. I started to like her closer to the end of the book, because she started to grow her backbone, and stood up for herself, and letting people know what she was feeling, and what she wanted. However,, in the moments of where there was a romantic declaration from Jackson, she felt really flat. She wasn’t giving any real emotion back. I understand it was a part of her character, the whole not knowing what she wanted, and didn’t know how to express it correctly. That character trait really made me become put off by her. As a reader you are getting so much from one of the characters in the relationship, you want the other character to bring the same energy or at least give something to make the reader feel a connection to why they’re not giving any insight about their feelings to this other person. I was always left thinking why didn’t she say how she felt? Because most of the time there wasn’t solid reasons for why she should stay quiet. I think we could’ve left out the whole Dad and Jackson situation. It played a little bit into the story, but I feel like the book would’ve been just as good without it. I think it would’ve been a really cool thing to have had more scenes of interacting with the band members, and learning a little bit more about them, it came across a little odd that we had an 18-year-old being in a band with people who seem to be in their maybe late 20s or 30s and didn’t know very much about them and that’s who Jackson was spending a lot of time with. The story felt rushed at the end. We spent so much time during this book seeing Jackson and Margot bicker and banter back-and-forth. However, the moments of the actual romance were fast and didn’t last very long. I feel like I didn’t really get to see them in a relationship like I would’ve loved. I’m not sure if that’s going to come into book 2 of this series, however in this book my experience feels incomplete.
March 7, 2024
4.6 stars ⭐️ (rounded to 5)
✿ Received an eARC in exchange for an honest & free review.
Thank you,Heather! ✿
✨️ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔/𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
• enemies to lovers
• college romance
• he falls first & hard
• dual pov + opposites attract
• musician/rockstar mmc (he's arctic monkeys vibed)
• journalist fmc (she's taylor swift vibed)
• forced proximity (college neighbors & bffs dating)
• banter & spice
💌⁀➷
But God, do I want her.
I want to make her laugh.
I want to make her mad.
I want to fuck her like I hate her.
And I want to make love to her like she’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me.
Jackson & Margot was so perfect omg. The minute Heather announced their story & shared snippets of their scenes I was here for it, for them & for her incredible writing! Eagerly awaiting for her to share as she knew 👀 & now that I've read it, it has delivered 👌🏻
The aesthetic + settings of this book makes you want to go to their college and especially to Jackson's concerts. T'was a perfect college romance with young musician x journalism vibes and them falling in love so sweetly ❤️ as a "writer & music enthusiast this was perfect for me! Making music play a vital role here was so good.
Also I stan when writers know how to write a good fmc alongside a good mmc. Makes the story 100x better & is imperative asf. They were both so great!
And when Jackson pulled Margot out of head & was by her side, I meLted and omg their spice sizzled! T'was the right amount & so effortlessly added in with zero cringe. As a picky mild-medium spice reader this was such a win. It was perfect + the pace they connected/fell in love with felt authentic!
At the start Jackson was more mean than Margot so I was team Margot but then my guy started getting a crush & said + did things 🫠 yo I switched so fast coz heck I was shipping them hard & uff their angst and that opposites attract trope 🔥
Heather,knows what she's doing! Always has been.The cover,synopsis, their tagline,the writing & characters were all amazing! Incl side characters, Rae & Matt! so cute.
THIS is how you write college romance between characters in their early 20s. Feel like sometimes authors don't know how to write & have them be mature at the same time but not Heather ya'll she came to slay & wrote about college students that were mature,smart,ambitious & supportive. Becoz that's how it is & it's so refreshing to finally read it so
Also can we talk about that banter? Just wow! The humor,tension,emotions & the frenemies to lovers trope uff I ate it up!
Heather did not play around.
GO SUPPORT INDIE AUTHORS coz their books GO HARD!
Also, Heather casually leaving us on a mild cliffhanger like that. Gasps.
🕊 @𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚_𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧
𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐤 🕊
✿ Received an eARC in exchange for an honest & free review.
Thank you,Heather! ✿
✨️ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔/𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
• enemies to lovers
• college romance
• he falls first & hard
• dual pov + opposites attract
• musician/rockstar mmc (he's arctic monkeys vibed)
• journalist fmc (she's taylor swift vibed)
• forced proximity (college neighbors & bffs dating)
• banter & spice
💌⁀➷
But God, do I want her.
I want to make her laugh.
I want to make her mad.
I want to fuck her like I hate her.
And I want to make love to her like she’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me.
Jackson & Margot was so perfect omg. The minute Heather announced their story & shared snippets of their scenes I was here for it, for them & for her incredible writing! Eagerly awaiting for her to share as she knew 👀 & now that I've read it, it has delivered 👌🏻
The aesthetic + settings of this book makes you want to go to their college and especially to Jackson's concerts. T'was a perfect college romance with young musician x journalism vibes and them falling in love so sweetly ❤️ as a "writer & music enthusiast this was perfect for me! Making music play a vital role here was so good.
Also I stan when writers know how to write a good fmc alongside a good mmc. Makes the story 100x better & is imperative asf. They were both so great!
And when Jackson pulled Margot out of head & was by her side, I meLted and omg their spice sizzled! T'was the right amount & so effortlessly added in with zero cringe. As a picky mild-medium spice reader this was such a win. It was perfect + the pace they connected/fell in love with felt authentic!
At the start Jackson was more mean than Margot so I was team Margot but then my guy started getting a crush & said + did things 🫠 yo I switched so fast coz heck I was shipping them hard & uff their angst and that opposites attract trope 🔥
Heather,knows what she's doing! Always has been.The cover,synopsis, their tagline,the writing & characters were all amazing! Incl side characters, Rae & Matt! so cute.
THIS is how you write college romance between characters in their early 20s. Feel like sometimes authors don't know how to write & have them be mature at the same time but not Heather ya'll she came to slay & wrote about college students that were mature,smart,ambitious & supportive. Becoz that's how it is & it's so refreshing to finally read it so
Also can we talk about that banter? Just wow! The humor,tension,emotions & the frenemies to lovers trope uff I ate it up!
Heather did not play around.
GO SUPPORT INDIE AUTHORS coz their books GO HARD!
Also, Heather casually leaving us on a mild cliffhanger like that. Gasps.
🕊 @𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚_𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧
𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐤 🕊
Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews