Love, Utley

Love Letters #1

by S.J. Tilly

Hannah

Maddox Lovelace. The captivating football player I met in college.
The one I only knew for a week. A week that was… life-changing.
Until my phone rang, and I had no choice but to go home.
I left Maddox a letter, putting my feelings on paper, giving him my number, hoping he’d call.
But he didn’t call.
He never called.
He got drafted into the professional league and lived like a king while I stayed home and struggled to stay afloat.
I may have followed his career, but now that he’s retired from football, I’ve forced myself to stop thinking about him.
And it’s okay that I won’t ever see him again. That week in college was fifteen years ago.
I’m not in love with Maddox anymore.
I might even hate him.

Maddox
Hannah Utley. The name that’s haunted me since my senior year of college.
The girl who caught my attention with her wide eyes and freckled nose.
Who spent one week twisting up my insides until she stole a piece of my heart the night we got locked inside the campus library.
The girl who disappeared without a word.
It’s the name of the girl I’ve been trying to forget for fifteen years.
And it’s the name looking up at me from the résumé in my hand.
Because Hannah Utley works for the company I just purchased.
And that makes her mine. Whether she likes it or not.

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Sports, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Workplace Romance, Contemporary

388 pages, Hardcover

Published June 27, 2024

About the author

S.J. Tilly lives in Minnesota with her husband and their herd of boxers. She spends an unhealthy amount of time with her face buried in books, reading and writing. If she’s not nose deep in text, or harassing her dogs, she’s probably playing with her plants, pretending she knows how to garden.

You can find her stumbling around on Instagram @sjtillyauthor

https://www.amazon.com/S.J.-Tilly/e/B...

Reviews

[S.J. Tilly]

Available now!

What to expect…
🗄️ workplace romance
❤️‍🔥 Alpha Hero
💛 First Love
🏈 Retired Athlete
🥵 Plus Size Heroine
❤️‍🩹 Angsty

Grab your copy today!
https://a.co/d/iGUTZId

[Noa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I don't have many regrets in my life, but the lost time between us, that's the biggest one I have."

Maddox Lovelace.
The first love of one miss Hannah Utley.
One week in college. One life-changing week.
But one letter later - and everything came crashing down.
That was fifteen years ago.
Now Hannah is sitting in front of her new boss.
Her new boss being Maddox Lovelace.
Hannah might think she's over Maddox.
But no matter what Maddox is not over Hannah Utley.
Even if she thinks she is.

"That's right, Little Bunny, you can run, but I'm going to chase."

S.J. Tilly can write anything she wants to and this book is the perfect example. I have loved her writing since "The Alliance" series - AKA dark mafia romance - and now she comes out with this absolute MASTERPIECE of a contemporary romance. Tell me why I was giggling and kicking my feet from the very first chapter - I'll tell you why - because this book was just THAT GOOD!! Maddox being the alpha retired football player with an obsession and Hannah being our bookish girlie with a crush she is convinced is gone… sure Hannah sure - trust me with Maddox no one would blame you. I would've folded like a foldable chair so fast girl so fast!! I am already in love with this new series by S.J. Tilly and I cannot wait for the rest 💙💙

"Despite everything, being with her still feels so easy. We fit. The perfect equation."

Maddox Lovelace is a retired Football player who just purchased the company Hannah works at - as you can tell this leads to some shenanigans to say the least. I fell for Maddox the second he showed up on the page and I will not apologize!! The absolute OBSESSION this man has and the way that the second he saw Hannah's face everything came rushing back and he was like - why am I the only one freaking out? Meanwhile Hannah was equally freaking out!!! Side note before I continue with this absolute amazing couple - FUCK BRANDON HE CAN GO SUCK ON A FUCKING PEN!! THE ABSOLUTE AND UTTER ASSHOLE!!! Anyways, Maddox and Hannah - it all comes down to the letter and the reaction Maddox had just raised the bar so fucking high I can't even properly explain it but OMFG I WAS SWOONING!! And I am %100 absolutely fucking serious when I say that I cannot wait for the rest of the series because I know IT WILL ABSOLUTELY DELIVER!!

"I never forgot you. Even when I tried, I never forgot."

This playlist is giving Rose colored glasses romance (in the best way) and we swoon for that 💌💌

(Link - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7K9... )

🎶 "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "Hoodie" - Hey Violet
🎶 "New Romantics (Taylor's Version)" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "HOT TO GO!" - Chappell Roan
🎶 "High School Sweethearts" - Melanie Martinez
🎶 "So High School" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "Carry You Home" - Alex Warren
🎶 "Espresso" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎶 "Spectrum" - Florence + The Machine
🎶 "Rollin'" - Meghan Trainor
🎶 "Forget Me" - Lewis Capaldi
🎶 "Death Wish Love" - Benson Boone
🎶 "the boy is mine" - Ariana Grande
🎶 "Taste" - Ari Abdul
🎶 "Should've Been Us" - Tori Kelly
🎶 "Hammer to the Heart" - Teddy Swims
🎶 "you broke me first" - Tate McRae
🎶 "Beautiful Things" - Benson Boone
🎶 "Fast Times" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎶 "Rocks at My Window" - Bridgit Mendler
🎶 "Made You Look" - Meghan Trainor
🎶 "Easy" - Camila Cabello
🎶 "Coffee In The Morning" - Jeremy Jordan
🎶 "Always Been You" - Shawn Mendes
🎶 "OWN MY MIND" - Maneskin
🎶 "Paris" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎶 "Eat Your Young" - Hozier
🎶 "Lose Control" - Teddy Swims
🎶 "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" - USHER
🎶 "That's My Girl" - Russ
🎶 "I Feel You" - Depeche Mode
🎶 "She Looks So Perfect" - 5 Seconds of Summer
🎶 "Never Let Me Go" - Florence + The Machine
🎶 "Movement" - Hozier
🎶 "Shameless" - Camila Cabello
🎶 "Bubbly" - Colbie Caillat
🎶 "Belong Together" - Mark Ambor
🎶 "greedy" - Tate McRae
🎶 "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" - Billie Eilish
🎶 "Women Don't Owe You Sh*t" - ASTON
🎶 "Baby" - Madison Beer
🎶 "Cruel Summer" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "Paper Rings" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "Power Over Me" - Dermot Kennedy
🎶 "Crowded Room" - Meghan Trainor
🎶 "I Like It" - Alesso, Nate Smith
🎶 "Spicy Margarita" - Jason Derulo, Michael Buble
🎶 "Ooo La La La La" - Rayelle
🎶 "The Alchemy" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "People Watching" - Conan Gray
🎶 "Sucker" - Jonas Brothers
🎶 "Heavenly Kind Of State Of Mind" - Lewis Capaldi
🎶 "King Of My Heart" - Taylor Swift
🎶 "One in a Million" - Bebe Rexha, David Guetta

And S.J. Tilly proves she can deliver spice whether it's dark or contemporary romance - it's still hot 😏🌶️

"You can tell me if it's too much. But I know you can take me. Because you were fucking made for me."

"That's right. It's me inside you. It will only ever be me inside you."

"You trying to make me come, Bunny? Show me how good you are. Come for me now, Little Utley."

"You were fucking made for me. You were built to take all of me."

💌 Tropes 💌

🏈 Workplace Romance
🏈 Plus Size FMC
🏈 First Love
🏈 Retired Football Player
🏈 Boss x Employee

Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/p/C-IYIq5ND...

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

''We fit. The perfect equation.''

Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Miscommunication
- Separation (15 years)
- Manipulation
- Stalking
- Mention of loss of loved one
- HEA

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

Maddox and Hannah met in the first week of college and they spent that whole time falling for each other and dating. It seems like a small amount of time because it obviously is but for them it turned out to be something incredible and unforgettable.

They spent the last night together (unknowingly) stuck in the library where they had sex for the first time and truly believing they were going to be together forever but sadly when she goes back to her dorm room that morning, she gets the call that her mother has been admitted to the hospital and has cancer. She knows she has no choice but to leave and take care of her and take care of their only source of income (her mother’s flower shop). She goes to Maddox's home but it's so early and decides to leave a letter in the mailbox letting him know what has happened and her phone number so he would be call.

Sadly, he never does so what happens? Thankfully that information has not dragged on, but we find out earlier than I expected.

Fast forward to 15 years later where Maddox has retired from professional football and Hannah has been working and living with her mother and her niece (after her mother dies). Maddox is now more invested in business and buys Hannah's company though he does not know about her being there nor does she know he is the new owner until they see each other at the meeting.

Maddox is insanely pissed about her just leaving without a word and has spent the last 15 years never being able to truly move on, he admits that he never has been able to be with anyone that looks like her or reminds him of her. This also goes for Hannah.

I didn't expect either of them to be celibate, but it seems like neither of them also never had a truly real relationship or wanted to settle down with anyone.

Maddox wants to make her feel pain for how he felt and seek revenge but Hannah derails all of that when she makes him feel guilty for never calling her so this causes confusion and it's where the truth comes out about how Maddox never received the letter she left and he cannot believe that he lost all this time with her and she feels like things make more sense knowing he never meant to not be with her.

We also get a bigger explanation about what happened that day and this is where I was really upset and I hated a small slight info dump we got, Maddox finds out about Hannah leaving after he was told by a girl who he knew and was trying for ages to get with him that she overheard Hannah telling people that she was leaving but the truth is Hannah NEVER told anyone she was leaving and it was impossible for her to be overheard.

When she asks Maddox if he meant to find her the next day at the library like they had planned he admits he never went but it's only because he was stopped on his way there by the girl telling him Hannah left, we then find out that the girl had seen Hannah put the letter, she took it and read it knowing the truth and decided to lie to Maddox.

So yeah, it was neither of them that did anything wrong, but the third party fucked it all up. Here is where Maddox reveals that months later, he was drunk off his ass and pissed off still and sleeps with the girl but regretted it and it never happened again.

Once all that info has been revealed, they are able to truly move on and get back together to make up for all the times they have lost.

They are very much in love, and they know how special the feeling and relationship is.

He is wonderful to her and her family, it's great to see how well they all get along. Their chemistry was to die for, and I swooned over so many moments they had together.

I really loved this book; I loved Maddox and Hannah. I loved how well the miscommunication and separation was handled. It is sad that they lost 15 years, but they didn't waste time after getting back together.

We had a bit of a side drama with a co-worker of Hannah's who wanted to date her for ages but was pissed off she never wanted to so he took photos of Hannah and Maddox together and took them to the company when he knew it would get her fired since there is no fraternization allowed. Thankfully it all works out and they can get him fired and Hannah finds another job with Maddox's best friend.

There is not a lot of side drama outside of that co-worker. We spend more time in this book with them being together and happy rather a slow burn and push/pull situation.

The book ends with them getting married and him having his home set up so her mother and niece will move in with them since he knows Hannah needs them to be all together.

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I smiled, teared up a little, and was gushing like a little kid reading this book!!

Hannah and Maddox were everything and more!! They had a moment, and then they had to go separate ways, and it sucked because Hannah didn't wanna leave Mad and wanted a future it just wasn't the right time. She did leave him a note explaining what happened and wanted to keep in touch. But sadly, he never got it.

Now, years later, Hannah is working and enjoying her life with her family, until an interview at the company brings a blast from the past Maddox, and it was surprised. Both are hurt and confused about what happened all those years.

Both thinking the other ghost them didn't want them. And a few chapters, I was like, "JUST TALK TO EACHOTHER!!" Took some time, but they both tried to talk and get answers. But we get the reconnecting, and him being around her family, it was cute them being friendish to a couple.

We do have some drama from a dude who can't take no for an answer. I wish Maddox broke more than his nose. I can't wait to read more from the side characters. Idk who's next. Is it the brother the bestie? The other bestie?

The spice was low but a delicious moment.

Saftey- they both said they dated other ppls during the separation. Just spoke about it. Nothing was shown. The om drama the h doesn't care for him.

Low angst, om drama, no cheating, Sexy times, no virgins

Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶

Prologue
36h/37H
Pinning
Seperation years
Push away from h
Praise kink
Miscommunication
No condom
Hea
Epilogue

[Kristie (read_between.the_wines) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with this book. 10/10 sj Tilly can do no wrong

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s a BIG BOY with a health appetite!! Missed connection turns into 15 years of LONGING until they see each other again…and this man’s YEARNING was palpable!!

♥️✨💌✨❤️✨💌✨♥️

“There is no room for self-consciousness when a man is acting this feral, this starved” AMEN SISTER!

Hannah & Maddox had a brief but intense connection in college but life rudely tears them apart. Now he is her new boss and determined to make their relationship work.

Their chemistry as off the charts all the way up to the smutty heaven! It was something about his self-assured masculinity while also being the ultimate green flag man. Maddox made Hannah feel secure so she could be EXTRA SLUTTY for him 🌶️✨Now that right there is brilliant writing!

Things I enjoyed:

💌 he is giant mountain of a man! I’m petition to write more LARGE MEN (not tall!) like genuinely big boys into the universe!

💌 spicy office encounters as these two can’t keep their hands to themselves *insert hot dirty talk*

💌 lovable characters in their 30s that know what they want

💌 he is a throat grabber *yes mammaaa*

I’m typically not into office romances nor second chance tropes but this one was both AND NEITHER. It was just an obsessed man fully committed to his girl after finding her again after 15 years apart. And I was totally behind the concept!

Favorite moment: they haven’t seen each other in a decade but something shakes her up at work & he is IMMEDIATELY on his knees calling her babe

CONTEMPORARY romance that didn’t bore me! I credit this solely to SJ Tilly and her fast switching POVs that make for such a fun reading. POVs would switch mid scenes and you knooooow I was living for his perspective.

workplace romance
second chance
independent fmc
teddy bear mmc
size difference
miscommunication (but doesn’t drag on)
NO third act breakup
dual POV
🌶️🌶️🌶️
HEA

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Love, Utley was a sweet second-chance romance between Hannah and Maddox. These two have a moment in college and it’s going somewhere until Hannah urgently has to go home. Now they’re both in their 30s and haven’t seen each other since. There is a little complication though- Maddox is Hannah’s new boss. This was an enjoyable quick romance I would recommend!

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Andi Arndt & Jacob Morgan
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre:Romance
Length: 8h 40m

[Hey Lin]

Me at 8% so wondering if this book occurs in 1983 because why didn't she just text him instead of writing a note that someone could easily throw away 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 after a week, wouldn't you get his number so you can arrange to meet up or talk? Am I crazy? Don't kids these days text like 143 times a day on group chats and shit? Like my 12 year old and his friends? 😐😐😐😐😐😐😐😐😐😐 I get that the author needs a plausible way to make this separation happen but this is far fetched 👀🤷🤷🤷👎 why is she not texting him that her mom had a stroke and she gotta make like a tree and LEAF?! 😕😬😬😬 and I know its present day since she gets a phone call about her mom 😂😂😂🤔🤔🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Ok, I'm calling it at 18%. I'm going to dnf this. There is a lot of back
And forth from past to present and the writing is so choppy. I don't remember her sentences being like this in her previous books and it makes it unpleasant to read! And at 18% they haven't even spoken to each other but maybe 3 sentences. What is this? I want them to interact. JUST FUVK ING talk to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😐😐😐😐😐😐😐😐 aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh this book is frustrating. Good on you if y'all enjoyed this book but the girl is stupid for constantly hiding, running away, not asking the smart questions cuz she's constantly running and he's a doofis bunghole for not talking to her and instead asking his tech friend to look up her history. Just fucking ASK you DIPSHIT!!!

They (coworkers and H and h) go out to lunch and when he orders a ham and cheese sandwich, she cries because it beings back memories of their one week together in college lolololololol whaaaaaat the fuck.........🤔🤔🤔🤦🤦🤦🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 like.....get yo shit together woman! Damn, one week and he wrecked your pussy that hard? Lordt.

Fucking fuvk. I'm so aggravated. I really was excited d for this book but this ain't it sis.

D. N. F!!!!!

[Jenny Lovez Bookz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate when I get so excited to read a book that everyone else seemed to love and end up not liking it at all. Are we reading the same book??This book was so immature. Hannah is literally in her mid thirties and is being so dramatic about something that happened one week in college 15 years ago!! Actually I believe it was just one night. Like its not even that deep. He didn't call after u left a letter in his mailbox that he obviously never got..... She didn't even have his number to call, that's how NOT serious it was. Also being introduced as Maddox Mad Dog Lovelace every single time was annoying AF and Little Bunny is the worst nickname ever

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: workplace romance, first love, second chance, retired athlete, plus size FMC, legal guardian, miscommunication.
Rating: 4✨

I had a great time reading Maddox and Hannah’s story. I was truly surprised by this book because I had previously read two others by this author, but unfortunately they weren't for me. This one was very good tho.

I didn’t mind all that much for the insta-love here because they had already met and had their romance, even tho it was a very short lived one, and then they pined after each other for more than a decade.

I'm not a big fan of the second chance trope, but I must say that this one was well-executed.
I found it refreshing to see that both of the main characters weren't celibate. I mean, it wouldn’t have been believable if two 20yrs old stayed celibate for fifteen years, and I hate reading stories where the man f*cks around while the woman doesn’t.

Maddox's interactions with Hannah’s family were beautiful, but the relationship he built with Chelsea was heart warming. By the way, she’s my favorite character.

It was satisfying seeing Bradon running with his tail between his legs. I liked how Maddox dealt with him, any other way would have felt completely off for me.

«I love you, Hannah Utley. And I don’t believe in curses. But I’d still do it. I’d still love you, even if it kills me because I don’t know any other way to live.»

Can’t wait to see what S.J. Tilly has set in store for us.

[~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book in Ms. Tilly's new series, Love Letters..

It started out really good.. I was liking and loving both characters.. but somewhere along the way Hannah just wasn't all that cool a character to me. And Maddox Lovelace (Really can't help but cringe at his last name), even he began to turn into more of a sap, instead of an Alpha with a gentle heart for his woman, the way the story began..

Still, there were sweet and hot intense moments here, between these two. The plot was decent but simple and pretty predictable.
There were some funny moments here as well.

I didn't care for the fact that this story has 121 chapters and two Epilogues.. Mainly because it's clear this many chapters were only due to alot of the chapters, mainly when it came to Maddox's POV, were literally just 2-3 sentences long.. All this tells me is that Maddox's personality wasn't as well thought out as Hannah's was. Because she did get more POV time than him and many of her chapters were way longer than his as well.

So even though the book has lots of chapters, the story is still pretty short and rushed a bit.. This being confirmed by the Author's note at the end about how quickly this story was actually written(4 weeks)..

Now, this was still a decent read. Not one of faves by Ms. Tilly, but still a decent read.

We do get other POVs here as well, from Maddox's baby brother Max, who has followed in his retired brother's football 🏈 footsteps... And Maddox's friends, Tony and Waller.. I'm curious enough about them to read their stories.. At least Waller's and Tony's.. I hope I love their stories. We'll see.

Nice intro to a new series.
I would recommend.
✌️

[Kate 💞 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The miscommunication trope was TOO strong in this book. I think I hate read it in the end.

The characters had zero personality and everything just seems to ‘click’ into place, no drama or further expansion. I wanted tension but they seem to just accept eachother after like 50% and then not much else happens. There’s no true plot

I feel as though there was room for a lot more conflict and room to expand some plot points and develop the characters. I wanted more from Ruth and Chelsea, then they are present in chapters they are just there and when they aren’t it almost as if they are forgotten about.

The only thing that’s kept me going was the short chapters meaning I could fly through the book. I’m disappointed as I love SJ and her books but this one by far is my least favourite.

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4⭐️

[Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love SJ Tilly’s Alliance series - it’s one of my go to faves. But I have to say that it stands out from all the others. This one is the same formula as all the others - fluffy quiet unassuming wallflower with no personality vs outgoing large confident hot guy. This girl’s personality was that she cried over a ham and cheese sandwich and her mum had a stroke. Not for me.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD IM SO HAPPY THAT MY FAVE WROTE A NEW BOOK YAY!! Ahh my short chapter queen!

What a great start to a new series 🤭 the epilogue had me emotional af. Ugh I love sj Tilly & her writing so much!

I ate this story up. Maddox & Hannah were perfect for each other. What started off as a 1 week fling between the two in college, with the potential for more, ends up with a second round yearsssss later. These two were each others *should’ve been you* relationship and seeing them reconnect and rebuild their love when finally given the chance was so beautiful. And it was quite the journey 🤪 and boy they were H O T together. The desk scene at work….lord have mercy.

Chelsea was so cute ugh I loved her relationship with Maddox so much. They were the cutest ever.

Booktype: audio

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
Workplace Romance
Second chance
It’s always been you
Found family
Alpha hero
Retired athlete

[(betts) ⚜ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐ / 3🌶️

read count —
#1: july 2024 [📱]
#2: october 2024 [📱]

— vibezz
💌 retired football player
🐇 boss/employee
💌 second chance
🐇 he calls her bunny
💌 one week stand → 15 years later

mini blurb — ✍🏻
Hannah and Maddox met each other during college where they spent the most memorable week of their life, but because of thing beyond their control they lost contact with one another up until one fateful day Hannah discovers that the new owner of the company where she works, is none the less infamous Maddox.

//

My lips form a soft smile. “I love you, Maddox Lovelace. Have for a long time.”
“I love you, Hannah. Have for a long time.”

my babes 🩷🩷🩷

I loved this one, but let me make some premises before I go on and ramble about how cute they were.

Yes, the why behind the reason they were separated was a little stretched imo, if they both wanted to they would bc thank god it's the XX century and we have DMs and phones, and people and PIGEONS.
But, I can understand why she didn't expose herself more, for me too one (supposed) rejection is more than enough.
For him tho, buddy I get you got all prikly and grudgy, but *bombastic side eye* 👀 homies DO. YOUR. RESEARCH.
But yeah, if we stretch it, it was plausible.


That said, 🩷🩷🩷 the vibes were absolutely there, and they both were goners from the beginning.
It was the perfect combination of funny and cute, a little angsty and a pinch of banter.

Maddox the old man, lmao he's 36 with the crippling knees of an 85yo this poor thing 😂
This man had his eyes focused and stopped on nothing.
I want to say there was some push/pull from Hannah but really not, they had heart eyes from each other and when the reason behind was acknowledged and dealt with (as two intelligent adults would, cheers to that) there was really no turning back.

I'm also excited for all the side-characters introduced 👀 and I'm already looking for the next book.

[Karla ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Empezaré por decir que me ha gustado, ha sido un romance lindo.
No sé si les pasa, pero a veces solo quieres leer algo romántico, con su toque picante, sin esos dramones, solo lo justo y necesario. conocer a los personajes, ver su desarrollo como pareja, y a veces porqué no, lo cursi que pueden ser entre ellos, y esta historia me ha dado eso.
Esperaba más? Probablemente. Pero para lo que andaba buscando creo que me funcionó muy bien.

[jo 🏹 · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was so silly, but entertaining.

[Cheesy (Rhysand's wife) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read: me olvide marcarlo como terminado jsjjs, la primera vez lo leí hace un año pero mantengo mi reseña, cutes 💗

4 💫 | Está autora siempre sabe como hacer la formula perfecta para enamorarme. Y este libro no fue la excepción 🤌🤌🤌

Necesito un Maddox en mi vida 💞. La relación de ambos fue demasiado tierna, como un abracito al corazón (al igual que en la mayoría de sus libros, incluso los de mafia 😏😉).

P. S. Exijo el libro de Waller rigth now! (y el de Max, obvio). Y SI ESPERANDO EL DE TONY EH, ME URGE 🙏

[simplybookmad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly this could have been higher but I hate when the H sleeps with the girl who causes trouble in their relationship even when they have separated 😫

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

S.J. Tilly does it AGAIN 😭 Another absolute BANGER of a read. Love, Utley had everything from lost love, reunited but angry with each other, found family, all wrapped up in a perfect, beautiful bow.

Read if you like:
🖤 short-lived college romance turned lost love
💌 "touch her and die" vibes
🖤 retired hockey star
💌 workplace romance
🖤 plus sized heroine

[Kailynn (slump 😔)]

self note

I don’t think S.J. Tilly is for me

[Grisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 stars

Sweet second chance romance with an edge. SJT's style made the story so easy to read and built likeable characters.

The angsty parts was in the first third of the plot. It required a bit of suspension of disbelief, but SJT did a nice job in making her characters still feel the flame 15 years later (I esp. liked Maddox's brand of laser focus on not letting Hannah go 😊). The middle part was sweet as they built their relationship anew (with scorching scenes too 🥵!) but perhaps was a bit too long. I was starting to get bored and then the final drama hit at the 80% mark. The drama was fun and sweet (though the middle management's decisions were eye-roll worthy and I do think they ought to have had their knuckles rapped on page).

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I won't be reading the next one in the series because the twist is too OTT, but I hope SJT will continue the series with the other characters' stories.

[Ashley 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So. I didn't hate this one but I also wasn't obsessed like I have been with all her others so far.

It was lacking something for me, some connection between the characters. It just fell flat for me.

I do think that was just a me thing and not a book thing.

[Ainhoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was weird and fun.

By 30% I was sure I was dnfing this because all the major drama was out of the way, and what was left, I was wondering…

But she gave us a lot of precious moments, funny situations and lots of love being displayed and demostrated. The timeline was a bit rushed, (I think I found this with her other series) but the dork MMC, the sassy teen, the sweet mom and a heroine who let go instead of holding onto her grudge, made a very good story.

[cad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in a day.

Months ago I read Nero in a day. And I thought… wow it can’t get better than this.

Boy, was I wrong. If you love SJ Tilly’s writing, hold on to your seats bc you ain’t seen nothing yet…I’m excited for all of you to meet Maddox.

If you’re into top tier book boyfriends, you’ll definitely enjoy this book. But let me be clear, Maddox is not top tier book boyfriend material…nope. He’s top tier book husband material. 🐰

[Anna (The Bursting Bookshelf) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was … so bad. Also, little bunny is the worst nickname.

[✨booktrovertkait ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes-
✧.* workplace romance 📆
✧.* retired athlete 🏈
✧.*. plus size heroine ✨
✧.* alpha hero 🫶🏽
✧.* first love😍
✧.* angsty🔥

“𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗.“

👑 OMG! The queen did it again. What a book, I totally devoured this. How did the queen craft this beautiful book in just four short weeks? Gosh, I just love her. 🫶🏽

🥪 Maddox Lovelace is a top tier swoon-worthy book boyfriend.. all of S.J. Tilly’s characters are, I fall in love with every single one of them!

🐰 Hannah and Maddox met the first week of college and spent a steamy night together locked inside HOP Universities library. Hannah gets a phone call that changes everything and she must leave college immediately, she leaves Maddox a letter in his mailbox, but she never hears from him again. Fast forward 15 years later, guess who bought the company Hannah works for and becomes her new boss? Maddox freakin’ Lovelace. Cue the drama and incredible H O T steamy forbidden office romance. 🔥

🍊 Maddox spent the last 15 years never forgetting the girl he spent the night with in the library. Watching their love story unfold was so precious, I swooned, laughed and cried. The banter was everything, I laughed out loud so many times particularly every time Chelsea spoke. 🤣 I will forever think of Maddox and Hannah when I think of bunnies, tic tacs, wine and ham and cheese sammiches. 🥹

I have never saw a miscommunication trope done so well, S.J. Tilly seriously can do no wrong, girl, I’ll read your grocery list.

💭 quotes I loved:

“𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳. “𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰, 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘰.”

“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦.” 🤤

“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥!𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦.” 😮‍💨

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩.” 𝘏𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦. “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬!𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.” 🥵

[casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5! my love for short chapters >>

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️
3/5🌶️

I forgot how much I love S.J. Tilly’s writing style!! I enjoyed this book so much. It was such a quick, fun, light read. Absolutely loved Maddox & Hannah. Their banter & chemistry was so easy & natural.

Thank you S.J. & VPR for the ARC!

Tropes:
- Workplace Romance
- Second Chance
- Retired Athlete
- First Love
- Plus Size FMC