Sparkling Fear

by lilly sophia

CHARLES WHITFIELD the otherwise self-confident and cheerful captain couldn't love life more. Everything was perfect. He has his friends around him, is popular, and is a star on ice. Suddenly, everything changed with the death of his best friend, and his life threatened to collapse. Now he skips practice, distances himself, and tries to fight his inner demons.

LENI LOCKWOOD escaped the shackles of her strict mother, who projected her dream of a ballerina onto Leni. All she wants is to be her own person with her own decisions and dreams, and there was nothing better for the shy girl than being accepted by the Eastburgh Sport University with a room near campus. Nothing stands in the way of Leni's dream of having her own life, right?
But what happens when she meets the guy she fell in love with in New York before he broke her heart and left town? As if that wasn't bad enough, it's also her roommate.

Will Charles and Leni find each other again, or will their lives collide with each other if this fear of being hurt again is still there?

Genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Hockey, Hockey Romance, Second Chance Romance, Mental Health

Unknown Binding

About the author

SPARKLING HOPE out now!
instagram/tiktok/pinterest: lillysophiaauthor

Reviews

[Val Ohera · Rating 1 out of 5]

Im done with your shit.

[mylla ♡·˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS !!!! beta review

marmoris. lacuna. retrouvaille. serendipity.

charleni? soulmates. meant to be. it’s written in every star and it happens in every universe. even if charles and leni weren’t a thing, it would be okay because they had already fallen for each other. ethan knew it and fate would work with the rest. there’s no worry when they’re with each other and if one problem appears they’ll figure it out together as a team.

”those who were meant for each other would always find a way back together, and i was sure that leni and i were meant for each other.”

charles and leni were a thing back in new york but he ended everything because he didn’t know how they could work. but this semester things are gonna be different because leni is his new roommate. after the break up, leni promised herself that she wouldn’t give charles another chance but he explained everything and now she knows that his behaviors have a lot to do with him being scared. she understood that he wanted to be with her and that she needed to help him see that they are gonna make it. eventually, she realizes that charles would do anything for her and she knows that she would go to hell if it meant to save him because she loves him.

”it felt so damn right, and i would do anything to make sure leni knew she wasn't getting rid of me anytime soon. forever. until every single star in every galaxy dies.”

HE MADE A PLAYLIST WITH SONGS THAT REMINDED HIM OF HER AND SONGS THAT SHE LOVES BECAUSE HE WANTED TO FEEL CLOSER TO HER WHEN THEY WERE APPART . i didn’t know scrabble could be fun and hot at the same time. i guess we learn new things everyday ! and i won’t say much but third act will always surprise me. never in a million years i would think that this would happen. and all i have to say at this point is: cheers !

”and i would recognize her anywhere. everywhere. on every continent, in every city, on every planet, among all the shining and sparkling stars in this galaxy, she would be the first thing i would look at. always.”

leni helping charles with his panic attacks with a hug and then him opening himself to the guys about having one just made me so sad but i was so relived that he has them !!!! he knows that they’re his family and that it’s okay to be vulnerable with them. it’s a delicate subject but i think it was well done through out the plot. but the most delicate subject than that is here since sparkling hope, which is ethan. charles lost his platonic soulmate and seeing jude with the baby… charles talking to him… I CRIED. i will forever miss this man.

“i want to live. to really live. it hurts not to be able to do it with you anymore. i want to show leni the world, and i can only do that if i let go. if i let you go, ethan.”

well ofc i waited MONTHS for this book, lilly would send me random teasers while i was in class (i know she’s lovely) and i still didn’t know what to expect from it. but i can say that love isn’t enough to describe what i feel for charleni ! i can’t wait for the next books and it was lovely to meet holly and to see more of paisley, i love them !

i proudly was one of the beta readers and i couldn’t be more proud of lilly ! the original story had some points in the plot that needed to be fixed and i’m so glad that lilly listened and found better ways to work with it and now we have this masterpiece :,)

thank you lilly for letting me beta read charleni’s love story. thank you for being the first author to ask me to be a beta reader. thank you for letting me send random songs that reminded me of them at the most crazy times of the day and night. thank you for letting me help you with both playlists because ofc one isn’t enough for us. thank you for the kind mention in the acknowledgments. and thank you for being here everyday as my friend, i love you <3

[Bea · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 🌟 This book had so much potential and had lovable characters but the storyline was all over the place. There was main issues with overcoming grief and such but then there were other problems that really just side tracked the story but didn’t add to it. I would’ve loved to see a bigger development in Leni’s background but even if she was the fmc, her background with struggling with her mother, grief of her dad, ballet, only came up every now and again. Her issue with that was actually resolved quickly too which again, gave nothing to the plot.

The characters were fully together by 60% of the way in the book which left no room for angst or anything. They met earlier on, had a falling out but then got it back easily. I wished there was more angst and tension with a slow burn given that it’s already a forced proximity and somewhat of a second chance.

At some points I couldn’t understand why Leni would give Charles a second chance so quickly. I just felt as if the whole friends with benefits should’ve been more drawn out . Each and every single issue felt rushed. From where she first worked, the roommate situation, the whole falling out in New York and meeting each other again, her problems with her mom, Ethan, and the drug test, etc. so many problems would equal so many opportunities for growth in each character and plot but the storyline fell flat because each issue was underdeveloped.

A few things I did like was the found family. I’m definitely a sucker for that trope and this book definitely had it! I loved how I could easily see which couples might be next and characters to look out for. There were definitely cute moments that Leni and Charles shared and I enjoyed those parts!

Overall, I don’t think I would read the book again but I see the vision and I’m sure there could be better books to come by this Author but this one just wasn’t for me.💗💗

[em ‧₊˚ ☁️⋅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I wanted to thank Lilly Sophia for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of Sparkling Fear. This was my first time doing this and it was so incredibly enjoyable.

This book was so amazingly good. I’ve known since reading Sparkling Hope that I truly do love the characters that Lilly writes, but I was so shocked at how much I loved Leni Lockwood. She is the embodiment of sunshine and is so incredibly relatable. From her favourite artists, to her personality, to her visual aesthetic, everything about her is so beautiful.

Charles Whitfield however, needed to grow on me. I felt so incredibly sad towards what he was going through this book. I believed some of his actions towards Leni would have left me a bit more upset than she led on. But, he had amazing character development and seeing him become someone he’s truly proud to be was very inspiring.

Charles and Leni as a couple was ADORABLE!! I loved them so so much and was rooting for them since page one. I love my cat parents so much <333 This book was overall a story filled with grief, longing, happiness, and growth. Yes, it also did have me sobbing at 1am. I’m so very excited to see what other characters in this series will get their happy ending!! Thank you again Lilly!!!

[Leonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was trying to save my 5 stars for Carters book but l can't this book is 5! I love Charles and Leni so much.
From the start I was hooked and it continued that half way though the book I already had my rating! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!
The emotion in this book, the heartbreak, the longing, the grief and depression was written as perfectly as it could. I felt every moment of this book and the sensitive issues mentioned.
Leni and Paisley are my favourite female characters in the book series and even tho I have been a Carter girl from the start, I have to be a Charles girl too! The smutty scenes in the book was perfect too! The bathroom scene hot damn!
Lilly you should be so proud, this book is amazing in every way possible. The beautiful quotes and details in the book, keeping the consistency of the world and characters from Book 1. I honestly can't wait to read more of your books! Everything was perfect from the beginning to the end! 💜

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken boys…. :)

[dani (taylor’s version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

the stupidest shit i’ve read in a while

[Mad Hattress · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short Review:

This is one of my first romance books, and it’s part of a series. Despite not reading the first book, I didn’t feel lost. The story follows Charles, a football captain dealing with depression after his best friend’s death, and Leni, a ballerina escaping her abusive mother. They reconnect and heal together, navigating a bittersweet, slow-burn romance. The book includes some mild spicy scenes but focuses more on emotional growth and realistic challenges.
However, the ending felt unnecessary and predictable, with an obstacle that seemed forced just to extend the story. Additionally, the focus was mainly on Charles, with Leni’s issues being resolved too easily. Despite these flaws, the portrayal of therapy and emotional healing was well done. Overall, it’s a good read but could have been better with small changes. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Detailed, long Review:

This is not only the first book I’ve read in some time but also the first romance book. Funny enough, the only two romance books I think I’ve ever read are hockey romances, which were recommended to me. So, it might be a genre I’m personally a bit uneducated in. Keep that in mind when reading; maybe there are some things a more educated reader of the genre would notice that I don’t. But maybe I’ll become more versed in it in the future.
Also, like the last hockey romance I read, this book is part of a series! I knew this but kind of ignored it because, from my vast experience, these kinds of books can be read on their own without much knowledge about what came before. They usually focus on a couple and their stories, which might not have even appeared or been focused on much in prior books. I can’t say how much these two main characters came up in book one, which was called Sparkling Hope, but I can say that aside from getting to know the main cast of friends better, it did not feel like I was missing anything. But again, without book one to draw information from, my review might be a bit different, focusing only on what happens in Sparkling Fear.

This story is about a football captain who never knew love, then found it and ran away from it, and a ballerina who fell way too hard, way too quickly, and got her heart broken. They meet again at the most inconvenient of times, after the football captain’s best friend tragically dies. While the captain, Charles, starts to deal with depression, panic attacks, and alcohol abuse, the ballerina, Leni, finally gets away from her abusive mother, wanting to start a new life at a new university far away from where she came. It’s all about healing together, rekindling, and defining what’s between them, and finding out who they can be together.
It’s all in all a bittersweet love story that feels real to some extent, like something that could have really happened to a friend. But then again, fictional men are just so much nicer and more apologetic than the real ones. I was kind of taken out of the immersion by some of the nicer stuff and realizations that happen to the male character (with the help of therapy, I might add, so it’s somewhat realistic), but he also has his fair share of dumb decisions that he has to make up for again. So it’s a back and forth, almost a slow-burn romance between them, which I did really enjoy. There are some spicy scenes in this book for people who want to know about it. But they are rather short, few in general, and to me personally, not what one would call smut. They are on the safer side for readers with a faint heart.

The ending disappointed me a bit because it really felt like the story was already finished and a happy ending could have been told, but then something needed to happen so the book could go on for another few chapters. It’s written in a way that is really predictable. There is an obstacle coming out of nowhere, and you know it will be solved. It’s definitely made up; nothing prior indicated it could be anything but. As a reader, you just skip through the chapters to get to where the problem gets resolved because you know it will. To me, it really was not necessary. It felt like, for some reason, the author needed the problems the two already worked their way through to come up one last time, and for that to happen, she needed to come up with something to bring them forth. But they really didn’t, or if they really needed to, she should have come up with something more convincing so that the reader would really have to worry until the last second if it’s resolvable or not. That really taints the story in a way it would not have needed to be.
Another small point of critique I’d have is the ratio of whose story got to be in the spotlight. In this book, it is mainly on Charles. Leni has an abusive mother who calls her now and then, and she talks about it a few times. The mother even shows up once, but that’s about it. She does talk about her dad too, but not in the way Charles does. His dad comes up multiple times; we get to meet him and Charles’ sister fairly often, as well as his friends, coach, and even his favorite bartender. The death of his friend, which is obviously the main theme of the book, of course, plays a big part. And Leni really helps him deal with all of that. He, on the other hand, helps her eat like two times, and her problems just kind of vanish eventually. She does not even really have to do that much; it just never comes up again from a certain point. And that feels a bit sad. It could have maybe been a bit more like 50/50 or at least 50/40 or something. It felt more like 80/20 in this case, which is something that just bothers me personally.

Final Verdict

All in all, I’d still recommend the book to people who like tropes like couples helping each other to heal, work through things, soothe panic attacks, etc. I really love that men going to therapy is nicely portrayed here. More stories should include stuff like that, and as I said, it makes the nice things and the coming around of Charles way more believable than if he’d just come up with that and changed himself on his own. The story itself, which focuses much more on the male lead and his problems than the female lead, is very nice to read through and put a smile on my face often. Just the end kind of destroyed how good the book could have been for me personally. It even makes the epilogue, which is something I wish all romance books would give us, a bit meh. So I’d give the book 3 out of 5 stars. It’s a good read but could have been better with small changes.

[Anna Oostenbrink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg this was sooo cute. The struggle Charles went through is so real and was a good representation of how people with depression deal sometimes and grief. Would’ve loved to read about Leni’s ED and the relationship between her and her mom

[Kesha Patel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has so much potential but the grammar was so hard to get by. It was so confusing to follow what was going on - we were jumping from topic to topic so much..
For example, chapter 18.. “he needs the campus to some people”…

[alexreaddss · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If I got a star for every moment I thought about Leni, I would already have my own galaxy."

such a cute story and at the same time the most heartbreaking second chance romance and at the same time the most wholesome friendships and found family and navigating all of that when life tries to get in the way.

about the story, the whole setting was so interesting and the way lilly started and described the story left me HOOKED like i could not put the book down. i think i read this in one sitting actually. what i loved about charles is that he wasn't afraid to say that he messed up and he made it up to leni and leni was so good for him as she helped him deal with his feelings.

this book RUINED me like i was crying nonstop while reading some chapters, but its so worth it cause the story is so captivating. lily's characters are so perfectly flawed that i feel like they are actual people and i feel so close to the story.

[yuli reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

le falta más historia el final 2.5

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so incredibly good. i loved it so much and even though i’d say they got their perfect ending i wasn’t ready for it to end. there was just so much about charles and leni and it felt like there never was a dull moment. this book definitely make you feel all the feels.

charles is so strong but he doesn’t give himself enough credit for it. he had some obvious issues in the beginning but once he got his mind on straight he made some amazing progress. and even though he was struggling himself he still tried to be there for leni in his own way. there simply wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.

leni was amazing. she was so supportive, and even though she had her own struggles she still made sure charles knew she was there for him. she’s so strong and i admired about her that she isn’t afraid to speak about a important topic. there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for charles and everything about her felt just so natural and realistic.

the writing style made it such an easy read for me, it really felt like i was experiencing everything together with the characters. the heavy topics were described beautifully and it felt very natural and realistic. i do recommend reading the trigger warning first but if you like any of the tropes (second chance, hockey player x ballet dancer, small town, found family, sunshine x grumpy, dual pov, she falls first, he falls harder) i’d definitely recommend this to you!

[bookswstella · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5⭐️

First of all, I want to say thank you so SO much to the author Lilly for trusting me with an ARC of your second book, I’m so happy I got the chance to read it in advance! Thank you again!<3

I’m so in love…
With the book but especially the characters<3

I know this book, and the first in the Eastburgh devils series, will always stay special to me, and that both of them will be with me for the rest of my life, as well as several quotes.

I was so scared of starting Sparkling fear since I knew it would hurt so much to read, both for the characters but also personally, which it absolutely did.

The emotional connection I feel to these characters is insane, especially to Charles whom I can relate to in ways I wish I couldn’t, it felt like I got to heal and process grief together with him when reading which felt so beatiful<3

I love Charles, he grows so much as a character, tackling different kind of flaws that makes him feel so real, connecting to his emotions and learning how to deal with his pain<3 I loved how he stood up for Leni, and his gift-giving<3 And he’s also the hockey captain which I’m never saying no to!

Leni was wonderful, she helped Charles in his pain, hugged him and loved him when he needed it the most<3 She had her struggles and flaws too to tackle<3

The two of them was just so cute together<33 In love with all the small moments between them<3

I’m so sad I’ll never get to hang out with this friend group because I’m so in love with all of them<3 I love the girls but the guys?? I would give my heart to each of those boys!! They have THE CUTEST and most admirable relationship with each other, there’s one scene in particular that I can’t stop thinking about when it comes to them<3 My favorite of them is probably Carter at this point, his jokes are too funny and he crack them in the most inappropriate moments, and imo his hobbies/the things he’s good at are SO attractive!!

I love Paisley too even tho she doesn’t make that many appearances!<3 I think we’ll get the opportunity to get to know her better later tho!

The end was so beautiful and heartbreaking and gaahh I just loved it so much<33

You can definitely read it even tho you haven’t read Sparkling hope, but I would recommend you to read Soarkling hope before as you get a bit more backstory which I would say makes it more emotional!

DON’T KEEP READING IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS YET, SPOILERS AHEAD

I REPEAT, SPOILERS AHEAD!!
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OKAY AGAIN, SPOILERS AHEAD!!

The scene about the guys I can’t stop thinking about was when Charles started to get a panic attack and they all came and hugged him bc that what helps him<33
HE GOT HER A KITTEN!! And new pointe shoes!! Like seriously… I loved the part where Charles opened up to Leni about his feelings, and that she was the reason to him still being there<3 When he gave her his clothes so she wouldn’t freeze<3 When he was jealous and possessive just the right amount when other guys came to close<3 When he stood up to her mother<3 Giving his grandmothers ring as a promise<3 Meeting Jude and Eathan’s baby for the first time, made me so happy and so sad<33 Leni staying even when he pushed her away<3 The playlist<33 I LOVE Leni for forcing Carter to be Paisley’s date bc I’m SO obsessed with them!!

[Emma Frances · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 70%
I told myself that I could push through since I’ve literally NEVER DNF’d a book before but it was just horrid. The FMCs only relatability is the fact that she feels pressured by others around her (her mom) to lose weight for dance. The MMC is just so frustrating in general. The author is making a fantasy world where u give second chances to anyone and everyone no matter what they did to you. It’s also clear she has done minimal research on hockey and dance since she said that players sit behind plexiglass while on the bench when it’s only around the audience and players have to jump over the bench to get onto the ice so there literally can’t be plexiglass.
She also said how the FMC has been in point shoes since she could walk (ik that she’s exaggerating but she’s still implying that she’s been in them from an unhealthy age) when in reality no sane dance teacher would put a girl in point shoes without almost or fully formed feet, and they especially wouldnt put a girl in point shoes if she hasn’t had at LEAST 3 years of experience and is under the age of 9. (I say that bc I’ve seen some unethical teachers who gave point shoes to 9 year olds even when they weren’t experienced enough.
The author also says things like “I’m going to ice hockey” and “the national hockey league” when almost everyone who watches hockey knows u never say “ice hockey” unless ur explaining the type of sport u play, and nobody says “the national hockey league” cuz everyone knows it’s the NHL.
There’s also so many grammatical errors it’s insane. There was once a quotation mark as a comma! And the author forgets what she wrote, saying they’re laying on a bed one minute, then explaining how they’re not even in the bedroom the next.
The MMC also has panic attacks but basically says how he can hold it back and just getting a single hug fixes all of his problems, when in reality a human brain is much more obscure and isn’t that simple.
Point being, this author writes like a 12-year-old who just found out about Wattpad and doesn’t do research on very important topics in her book.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so cup potential from the tropes mentioned but it just wasn’t it. Not only was there multiple grammar issues, but the storyline was all over the place and frankly the characters were a little messy.

Charles - first of all, not the most like aesthetic name when she is trying to say his name during you know what- is a mess. Like i get going through grief but his reasoning for breaking up with Leni was just confusing. They then meet again and are mad for about a week before they are sleeping with each other again?? Like Leni, have some self respect girl. Then there was the fact that Leni would forgive him so easily for things that you just used grief as an excuse for. It’s a no from me.

This book very much gave Wattpad, written in someone’s bedroom. Like there was every possible scenario in this book. Dead father? Check. Controlling mother? Check. Eating disorder? Check. Grief? Check. Poor girl having to work a dodgy job so he “saves” her? Check. Like it was too cliche. Also, the fact that Charles was the one to dump her and yet that man was in love with her from like the first day? It just didn’t make sense. I also feel like there was just unnecessary information. Like what did it matter that his name was actually Aaron? Or that her favourite movie was lion king so she named her cat that? I feel like the author was trying to make the book have layers and it just failed.

Lastly, i feel like the spicy scenes were too early on and too frequent. Like Charles insults her, she stays mad for about 3 hours and then they are doing it in the kitchen? It’s just dumb to be honest. I so wish i could get the time back that i used to read this book. Would not reread.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Jas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary:
Charles leaves Leni heartbroken in New York after losing his best friend. Now while his life is collapsing, while Leni moves away from her strict mother due to being accepted at the Eastburgh University for ballet. She and Charles end up being roommates and slowly start rekindling their relationship, but then problems arise that constantly challenge themselves and their relationship.


Review: (2.5-3⭐️, 2.5-3🌶️)
I think that this book had potential and loveable characters that could have a great growth...however 4702pgs...the storyline was all over the place and honestly majority of the storyline I would skip over some pages. I felt that with the constant main issues on overcoming grief kind of side tracked the story. I would've liked to see a bigger growth with Leni's background with her mother, but the issue was resolved quickly. I understand grief is hard for everyone and everyone has their own pace...but I felt that within 4702 pages, Charles growth was quite also forced and long...especially the ending where he faced the accusations for having drugs in his bag and he just basically gave up...only for him and Leni to talk then everything was kind of okay? and then the end just ended there. I also think that every time Leni would just give Charles so many chances that it felt rushed. All the problems had opportunities for growth in the characters and plot but the storyline fell flat because there was honestly no break between each issue or what feels like a huge development. There was cute moments like each of them having a found family, and Leni and Charles having their own moments. But over all I don't think I will be reading this again.

[valantina · Rating 4 out of 5]

first of all, thank you for the arc read. the book got four stars from me, and here’s my review.

at the beginning, it was hard for me to get into the book. i was around 40% in it, and i always felt like something was missing. i mean, from the context and the bond between the characters, so i stopped reading for a while and thought it’s just because i’m in a different mood. and when i came back to reading, it all changed so quickly. suddenly, i couldn’t stop reading and got very obsessed with leni and charles. but especially with the friendships in the book.
i love the found family trope that was in the book. it was beautiful to see everyone’s flaws and problems and yet, they are all there for each other.
i have a special love to charles. i didn’t experience what he did with ethan, but i could see myself in him. i mean, the way he handled his anger and sadness. it was all very painful to read, but i loved it. it’s always beautiful to see you’re not alone with specific feelings. he is definitely my favorite from the book.
and the whole situation with ethan broke me. i cried many, many times. and i’m the kind of person that loves to read sad stuff, so i guess that’s a bonus though i want ethan back to life.
what i also really liked was that we found out about carter more! i’m excited for his story, and also for paisley’s! both are very interesting characters.

overall, it takes a bit to get into the book but once you’re in it, you’re gonna love it and enjoy everything. cried and laughed (mostly because of carter. thank you for that) and i really loved it.

[s. v. regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

sparkling fear || lilly sophia

release date: march 20, 2024

*.✧ review ✧.*

let me just start by saying oh my god y’all this book will bring you to tears.

charles whitfield, what a man. he was so sweet and you truly get to understand his reasons for the choices he makes. he makes mistakes, but ultimately, he does everything for leni and he always redeems himself. speaking of leni, I love her so so much!! She’s literally an angel and the sweetest girl at eastburgh <3 reading, i got to understand everything about her and her relationships, especially with charles. her and charles are so heartwarming together, and they click perfectly. they balance each other out and are willing to make sacrifices for each other, no matter what.

the way lilly portrays grief in sparkling fear is so incredible and brought tears to my eyes. especially when talking about death, the character’s feelings and reactions are so accurate and close to real life. this was such a gorgeous read and I can’t wait to see what’s next to come for the eastburgh devils!!

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 4.5/5

˚₊‧꒰ა 𝜗𝜚 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

tropes:
𐙚 || second chance
⛸ || found family
𐙚 || grumpy x sunshine
⛸ || right person, wrong time
𐙚 || forced proximity
⛸ || she falls first, he falls harder

[Cal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so so much. From the beginning I loved Charles and could relate to him and how much he was trying to keep himself together when it seemed like he couldn’t. I loved how throughout the story he learned that it’s okay to need help and to go to people he could trust when he needed it. I loved Leni and everything about her so so much. I love how she learned to be more independent and stick up for herself when she needed to. I also loved how much Leni and Charles learned from each other and how perfectly perfect they were for each other. Once again in this book I love how grief is presented and treated with such care and is so well developed. I love how Charles learns to process better and I still absolutely love Jude and Ethan with my entire heart and love reading more of their story each time.

[Viv · Rating 2 out of 5]

I understand that grief is different for everyone but I don’t think grief is an excuse to be a shitty person. Just because shitty things happen to you doesn’t allow you to be a shitty person. Especially if you’re an adult you should be held accountable for your actions and how they affect others. Can you tell this book really pissed me off?? I don’t even know if it’s a trope per se but he was shitty over and over and she forgave him because she loved him?? How do you love someone after 6 weeks?? one I would never let a man treat me as his own personal punching bag and two I would never sacrifice my own peace to comfort a man.

[denisse_grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so refreshing. It was easy and light-hearted. I love all the bromance and the friendships in this book. Charles, my man, I love you so much; you deserve everything.

"But Leni was the first person I cared about in a long time, and I would move mountains, travel to the ends of the world, and count every single star in the galaxy if that's what it took to get a second chance."

"God, Leni. I'm so incredibly in love with you. I love you more than yesterday, less than tomorrow. You have no idea how much I want you. How much I need you in my life. I want you and me to be end game."

[carli ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5★)

first off, thank you lilly for giving me the opportunity to read your book, i am so honored <3

this is a beautiful, heartbreaking but also heartwarming story. it’s about grief, leaning on your friends, second chances to make amends and not being afraid to fall in love. i had the best time reading it even though sometimes my heart broke a little, but the cute moments made up for it big time.

the book follows leni and charles who meet in new york city but then their relationship falls apart and a few months later leni transfers to eastburgh university. and to make matters worse, leni is now also suddenly charles’ new roommate. charles is struggling after the death of someone very close to him and he’s a little lost, but leni helps him grief and is there for him even though maybe she shouldn’t. somewhere between those little talks and comforting hugs, sparks start flying and maybe they start falling for each other again too.

i think i’m in love with leni lockwood, not only are her aesthetics the most beautiful ever, but her as a person is just so sweet and kind. i used to dance (and might start again soon) so i really related to her love for ballet. i’m proud of my girl for standing up for herself and taking care of herself even if sometimes she needed a little help from charles. also her friendship with carter was chef’s kiss, carter in general is the absulute best always.

and then my boy charles whitfield, i’m not going to lie reading about his struggles BROKE my heart especially since i could really relate to how he was feeling. but thankfully his friends and leni were there for him to help him through panic attacks and hard times. they really have the best friendgroup ever i love them all so so much <33

charleni, my bbs together were the cutest. everything he did for her, the way he talked about her, the thinks he thought about her. oh my god, i was obsessed, my boy charles was seriously whipped and i loved every single second of it, and my girl leni wasn’t afraid to demand better when he fucked up and i loved that

there were a few points that i think could’ve been written better, for example how leni’s relationship with her mom is now? and same for charles, did his dad apologize? he better have. but besides that minor detail i thoroughly enjoyed the book!!!

all in all, would highly recommend reading (after you’ve read the first book in the series ofc, wesluna deserve the same amount of love)

[Tala Tarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE
its a sports romance but it isn't CENTERED over sports which isn't common with the books ive read previously AND I LOVE THAT
like there was a lot of amazing factors in the book aside from ballet and ice hockey
Lowkey some parts were so yawn worthy and kinda slow
BUT I loved the second chance part
and the endless love
and all the cute references
and the friendship bonds
and the representation of mental health
I really loved the book
AND THANK GOD, not a lot of smut
Charles Whitefield has my heart
DEFINITELY recommend

[angelica acosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book overall , it tackled sensitive issues like addiction and ED , mindfully and pretty realistically. I just wished it was more fleshed out . I feel like the author touched on the topic of Leni’s ED but never really dove into how she was recovering from it. Leni never out right said she had ED to begin with , but was clear to both the MMC and the reader. Charles grieving was handled realistically and tastefully; however he never admitted to having an alcohol problem and kind of just recovered without addressing it.

[Ambrianna buckley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little disappointed honestly. The book had great potential but I couldn’t look past the crazy amount of errors in the text. Incorrect spelling (ex. Pole instead of pool), unfinished sentences or sentences that didn’t make sense, soooo many wrong punctuation marks (like quotations instead of apostrophes), it even randomly changed povs mid chapter (31) without any indication of the switch between characters. I loved the first book so I really tried to make it through this one but unfortunately I had to DNF it. I spent more time trying to decipher what I was reading rather than enjoying it.

[Charant౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐
First of all i love this series and i really like lilly Sophia's writing style.
-i loved leni 🎀. She was the definition of sunshine and was such a sweet and cute character .
- Charles had such a good character development and the fact that he decided to move on from Ethan's death was sucha an important step.
There relationship was so ADORABLE through out the whole book.also i my favourite character was definitely Paisley and i cant wait to read her book.

[♡❀Jayden♱˙✧˖ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was pretty good, the drug scandal came out of nowhere tho and I feel like we didn’t get to see enough after it it, they just went straight to Jude’s birth but it was a really cute read, even tho he did not apologize nearly enough for everything he put her through, also we didn’t get to know leni nearly enough, she had no personality other than liking Charles which sucks because she had such potential.

[Kamila Biela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the characters in this book, but i did feel like a lot of the time I felt unclear about the settings, and the characters and what was happening. I wish that was cleared up a lot, of the times i felt like i missed the introduction of new characters, and even felt like big details of events were missing. But overall this book had a great plot, which kept my attention well. Love how the two main characters are written and interact.

[Shyanna Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The grammar wasn’t the best & the story kinda went everywhere but all in all it was 5 stars for me. This book had me feeling all the emotions. Kinda got annoyed with Leni at some moments cause I wished she would’ve stood up for herself more against Charles and I found myself thinking wtf in some of Charles pov’s but like I said, overall it was a great read for me.