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Front Range University #3
Beautifully Conflicted
Competition is my love language.
A Bi-Awakening Rivals to Lovers Romance
The first time I saw Bennet Armstrong’s baby blues staring up at me from underneath his helmet, stunned and confused that I’d tackled him, I was smitten.
So, I tackled him again. And again. Whether he had the ball or not, I’d take him down, just so I could have his eyes on me.
I thought we were connecting. He thought I was a poor sport. Needless to say, when we found ourselves on the same team years later, he was not a happy camper. It got even worse when Coach paired us together for our pre-season workouts, giving me a chance to stoke his competitive buttons, which I seem to do whether I intend to or not.
Bennet hates to lose, but there’s more to the fire in his eyes than a desire to beat me. He might not know it, but I do, and I’m determined to show him I’m right.
To do that, I have to bring him to his knees, and that reveals some wounds I didn’t know were there. Wounds that are so deep they blind him to the truth about himself, and us.
I should leave him in peace, and maybe I would if I didn’t know in my soul that he’s supposed to be mine. Now I just need to convince him, and what better way to do that than by making him want to win me?
**Beautifully Conflicted is a high-heat MM romance between two rivals turned lovers. It’s a medium angst story that includes sports, hurt/comfort situations, and a bi-awakening with lots of humor and spice. This is book three in a series of interconnected standalones.
A Bi-Awakening Rivals to Lovers Romance
The first time I saw Bennet Armstrong’s baby blues staring up at me from underneath his helmet, stunned and confused that I’d tackled him, I was smitten.
So, I tackled him again. And again. Whether he had the ball or not, I’d take him down, just so I could have his eyes on me.
I thought we were connecting. He thought I was a poor sport. Needless to say, when we found ourselves on the same team years later, he was not a happy camper. It got even worse when Coach paired us together for our pre-season workouts, giving me a chance to stoke his competitive buttons, which I seem to do whether I intend to or not.
Bennet hates to lose, but there’s more to the fire in his eyes than a desire to beat me. He might not know it, but I do, and I’m determined to show him I’m right.
To do that, I have to bring him to his knees, and that reveals some wounds I didn’t know were there. Wounds that are so deep they blind him to the truth about himself, and us.
I should leave him in peace, and maybe I would if I didn’t know in my soul that he’s supposed to be mine. Now I just need to convince him, and what better way to do that than by making him want to win me?
**Beautifully Conflicted is a high-heat MM romance between two rivals turned lovers. It’s a medium angst story that includes sports, hurt/comfort situations, and a bi-awakening with lots of humor and spice. This is book three in a series of interconnected standalones.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2024
90 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Michele Lenard
33 books151 followersMichele writes contemporary romance that is both sweet and steamy. Her goal is to make you fan your face as you wipe a tear from your eye. Several of her books have been named as finalists in the MARA Fiction From the Homeland contest. Her books are part of a series but there are no cliffhangers so each can be read as a standalone. When she isn't reading or writing she enjoys the outdoors, something that pops up in her books from time to time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
March 31, 2025
Oh man this was good!
I LOVED the push and pull of the two main characters but also loved that it wasn’t very angsty towards the end. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for an enemies to lovers but with a slight twist!
I LOVED the push and pull of the two main characters but also loved that it wasn’t very angsty towards the end. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for an enemies to lovers but with a slight twist!
October 26, 2024
Tropes: Rivals to lovers, secret relationship, hurt/comfort
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: homophobic parent, religious references, undiagnosed neurodivergent MMC
4.5 stars
Damien and Bennet have been football rivals since peewee days. Damien has always targeted Bennet, he shadowed him and tackled him at every opportunity even when he didn't have the ball. And as they got older, Damien would needle Bennet and he came off as obnoxious. Then after 10 years of rivalry, Damien gets transferred to Bennet's college and we realize that Damien is neurodivergent and he doesn't know how to properly interact with people and communicate, he thought he was flirting and Bennet thought he hated him. Damien is gay. Bennet has never been attracted to a guy before Damien, so he's confused about his sexuality. Bennet also has a homophobic father who went no contact with his uncle who is gay. So Bennet is afraid that he'll lose his family if he comes out as bisexual.
They bicker and Damien one-sidedly flirts with Bennet. Damien pushing the lines leads to some touching and Bennet gives in, but he wants them to hook up in secret. They have a secret relationship for a while and the sex is clearly turning into boyfriends, but Bennet isn't really self aware enough to know he's behaving like a boyfriend and not like a f*** buddy. Eventually things come to a head.
I adored the character of Damien. I love a character who is a boy obsessed, who is a simp, a little delulu at times. Damien is pretty clearly on the spectrum, and his behaviors get misconstrued by people before they get to know him. He's actually very endearing and sweet and not the a****** that he sometimes comes off as. One of his love languages is trash talk and I actually really identify with being neuro spicy and having trash talk as one of my love languages. Damien was really giving off Niko from God of Fury vibes, Damien was also chasing a guy who claimed he was straight, completely gone on his love interest. This book is a lot lighter than GOF though, a lot less intense, very different too.
This book had very good sexual tension in it with lots of feelings and tenderness as well. There was good humor. There were a bunch of typos, but I could forgive that because this couple were a great vibe!
Some notable moments:
This scene of 12-year-old Damien being "confused and not knowing how to play the game" when really Damien just likes Bennet and wants to be touchy touchy with him was adorable. "“Why does that kid keep tackling you even when you don’t have the ball?” my teammate Tommy asks. “I dunno. I’m not sure he understands the rules.” “Tackle the guy with the ball is the easiest rule there is.” Tommy snorts. I lift my shoulders, which makes my pads bump the bottom of my helmet. “He said he likes tackling. Maybe the ref will actually call a foul this time.” “He only does it to you though.” Tommy points at the field."
The way Damien's mind works is hilarious. The way it jumps from one thought to another. "“The only thing I’m afraid of is that I’m gonna kill you before the end of this run, and then I’ll either get benched or arrested.” “So, you’re a cat person then?” “What?” He stares at me, openly stares, like I’ve lost my mind."
Damien was so unexpectedly wise and a rock for Bennet. I liked that, it made their relationship deeper. "All of a sudden it hits me, Damien is way too calm for a conversation that revolves around hope and what-ifs. I sit up with a gasp. “You think I’ve already fallen for you,” I accuse. His jaw clicks back and forth as he considers how to answer that. “I know you have.”"
A tender moment! "The pattern of his warm breath on my skin changes, and since he’s starting to wake, I indulge in what I’ve been wanting to do all morning. I bury my nose in Bennet’s hair and kiss the top of his head. It’s kind of a weird thing to enjoy, but it makes me feel like he’s mine."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: homophobic parent, religious references, undiagnosed neurodivergent MMC
4.5 stars
Damien and Bennet have been football rivals since peewee days. Damien has always targeted Bennet, he shadowed him and tackled him at every opportunity even when he didn't have the ball. And as they got older, Damien would needle Bennet and he came off as obnoxious. Then after 10 years of rivalry, Damien gets transferred to Bennet's college and we realize that Damien is neurodivergent and he doesn't know how to properly interact with people and communicate, he thought he was flirting and Bennet thought he hated him. Damien is gay. Bennet has never been attracted to a guy before Damien, so he's confused about his sexuality. Bennet also has a homophobic father who went no contact with his uncle who is gay. So Bennet is afraid that he'll lose his family if he comes out as bisexual.
They bicker and Damien one-sidedly flirts with Bennet. Damien pushing the lines leads to some touching and Bennet gives in, but he wants them to hook up in secret. They have a secret relationship for a while and the sex is clearly turning into boyfriends, but Bennet isn't really self aware enough to know he's behaving like a boyfriend and not like a f*** buddy. Eventually things come to a head.
I adored the character of Damien. I love a character who is a boy obsessed, who is a simp, a little delulu at times. Damien is pretty clearly on the spectrum, and his behaviors get misconstrued by people before they get to know him. He's actually very endearing and sweet and not the a****** that he sometimes comes off as. One of his love languages is trash talk and I actually really identify with being neuro spicy and having trash talk as one of my love languages. Damien was really giving off Niko from God of Fury vibes, Damien was also chasing a guy who claimed he was straight, completely gone on his love interest. This book is a lot lighter than GOF though, a lot less intense, very different too.
This book had very good sexual tension in it with lots of feelings and tenderness as well. There was good humor. There were a bunch of typos, but I could forgive that because this couple were a great vibe!
Some notable moments:
This scene of 12-year-old Damien being "confused and not knowing how to play the game" when really Damien just likes Bennet and wants to be touchy touchy with him was adorable. "“Why does that kid keep tackling you even when you don’t have the ball?” my teammate Tommy asks. “I dunno. I’m not sure he understands the rules.” “Tackle the guy with the ball is the easiest rule there is.” Tommy snorts. I lift my shoulders, which makes my pads bump the bottom of my helmet. “He said he likes tackling. Maybe the ref will actually call a foul this time.” “He only does it to you though.” Tommy points at the field."
The way Damien's mind works is hilarious. The way it jumps from one thought to another. "“The only thing I’m afraid of is that I’m gonna kill you before the end of this run, and then I’ll either get benched or arrested.” “So, you’re a cat person then?” “What?” He stares at me, openly stares, like I’ve lost my mind."
Damien was so unexpectedly wise and a rock for Bennet. I liked that, it made their relationship deeper. "All of a sudden it hits me, Damien is way too calm for a conversation that revolves around hope and what-ifs. I sit up with a gasp. “You think I’ve already fallen for you,” I accuse. His jaw clicks back and forth as he considers how to answer that. “I know you have.”"
A tender moment! "The pattern of his warm breath on my skin changes, and since he’s starting to wake, I indulge in what I’ve been wanting to do all morning. I bury my nose in Bennet’s hair and kiss the top of his head. It’s kind of a weird thing to enjoy, but it makes me feel like he’s mine."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2024
Ok, I enjoyed the F out of this book.
November 1, 2024
Rivals to lovers done so well tho It was one sided but Damien didn’t even make it easy I mean he Riles Bennet up just because it turns him on. I love how patient and loving Damien was towards Bennet. You know how they say the calm to my storm that’s the definition of Damien to Bennet.
The understanding, being there for him, it was perfect. Damien is a perfect book boyfriend and Bennett is so lucky to have him which he knows by the way😍
I haven’t read other books but I’m trying to understand why Aiden was so angry and I’m falling short at that and also I didn’t like Bennett friends making it seem as if it was a must for them to come out immediately and not at their own pace.
October 28, 2024
4☆
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:😭
ᗰᑕᔑ: Bennet, Damien
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Grumpy/Sunshine, Rivals to Lovers, Bi-awakening.
Amo esta serie es tan divertida como dramática y sus despertar bi son tan graciosos. Lenard Amo tu manera de escribir y dios Amo a Bennet y Damien son tan geniales 💕
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:😭
ᗰᑕᔑ: Bennet, Damien
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Grumpy/Sunshine, Rivals to Lovers, Bi-awakening.
Amo esta serie es tan divertida como dramática y sus despertar bi son tan graciosos. Lenard Amo tu manera de escribir y dios Amo a Bennet y Damien son tan geniales 💕
October 24, 2024
1 star
DNF 25%
So sick of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and outright rape being normalized and romanticized. If one character gives you hard boundaries, you don’t get to tell them that you aren’t crossing their boundaries - THEY decide that. So that means you don’t get to slap their ass and then tell them you did nothing wrong when they’re not comfortable with it. And no means no. An erection is not a substitute for verbal consent, and especially does not override a hard “no”.
Excerpt:
Despite what I told myself earlier about not crossing any lines, I trap both our dicks in my fist and hold on tight, so he has nowhere to go. Bennet sucks in a lungful of air and holds it as his eyes darken, the rigid set of his jaw suggesting he’s about to blow a gasket. Yet he doesn’t move. He holds utterly still, not even moving his lips as he rasps, “Let go of my cock.” I try to shake my head, and he increases the pressure on my neck. “I said, let go.” His fingers dig into my soft flesh. “Not while you’re this hard.” I slide my fist over our lengths, aided by the soap and water sluicing off my body. I try not to gloat when I hear a startled little gasp pass between Bennet’s slightly parted lips. Right before the glare returns. “I mean it, Damien.” He repositions his fingers on my neck. “Take your hand off my dick.” Though he’s sending out mixed signals, I err on the side of no means no, and start to loosen my grip. But when Bennet’s cock twitches I hear his body say what his mouth won’t. More. “No.” This time I push my hips forward as I give a long, firm tug on our dicks.
DNF 25%
So sick of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and outright rape being normalized and romanticized. If one character gives you hard boundaries, you don’t get to tell them that you aren’t crossing their boundaries - THEY decide that. So that means you don’t get to slap their ass and then tell them you did nothing wrong when they’re not comfortable with it. And no means no. An erection is not a substitute for verbal consent, and especially does not override a hard “no”.
Excerpt:
Despite what I told myself earlier about not crossing any lines, I trap both our dicks in my fist and hold on tight, so he has nowhere to go. Bennet sucks in a lungful of air and holds it as his eyes darken, the rigid set of his jaw suggesting he’s about to blow a gasket. Yet he doesn’t move. He holds utterly still, not even moving his lips as he rasps, “Let go of my cock.” I try to shake my head, and he increases the pressure on my neck. “I said, let go.” His fingers dig into my soft flesh. “Not while you’re this hard.” I slide my fist over our lengths, aided by the soap and water sluicing off my body. I try not to gloat when I hear a startled little gasp pass between Bennet’s slightly parted lips. Right before the glare returns. “I mean it, Damien.” He repositions his fingers on my neck. “Take your hand off my dick.” Though he’s sending out mixed signals, I err on the side of no means no, and start to loosen my grip. But when Bennet’s cock twitches I hear his body say what his mouth won’t. More. “No.” This time I push my hips forward as I give a long, firm tug on our dicks.
March 10, 2025
Damien Montgomery has changed universities so he can play better football, and have a great coach. He is aware that someone he wants, attends Front Range university too. That won’t stop Damien getting what he wants.
Bennet Armstrong cannot abide Damien, in fact he hates him, but when hate is as strong an emotion as love, does he really hate him. He is not happy with the fact that coach decides to pair him and Damien together to do practice runs every day.
The more they train together, the more Damien flirts. Bennet is straight and only dated women, he simply cannot be gay, that is if he wants to keep his family. His father is homophobic. Bennet feels responsible for the breakdown of his father and uncle’s relationship, his uncle is gay and his father finds it disgusting and disapproves.
Damien and Bennet spend time together while at practice, feelings start to get involved, until they bubble over and then cannot keep their hands off each other.
Michele Lenard has done it again, another great book in the Front Range University series. The writing flows easily and the characters are described perfectly.
I am looking forward to Aiden’s story , with what I hope is his professor as his love interest.
Bennet Armstrong cannot abide Damien, in fact he hates him, but when hate is as strong an emotion as love, does he really hate him. He is not happy with the fact that coach decides to pair him and Damien together to do practice runs every day.
The more they train together, the more Damien flirts. Bennet is straight and only dated women, he simply cannot be gay, that is if he wants to keep his family. His father is homophobic. Bennet feels responsible for the breakdown of his father and uncle’s relationship, his uncle is gay and his father finds it disgusting and disapproves.
Damien and Bennet spend time together while at practice, feelings start to get involved, until they bubble over and then cannot keep their hands off each other.
Michele Lenard has done it again, another great book in the Front Range University series. The writing flows easily and the characters are described perfectly.
I am looking forward to Aiden’s story , with what I hope is his professor as his love interest.
March 17, 2025
4.5 stars
This was delicioussss👀
This was delicioussss👀
November 10, 2024
Hmm this is a tricky one. On one hand, I loved Damien and his full on puppy behavior to Bennett was just adorable. On the other hand, yep, his sexual pushiness was full on harresment level. I guess since we also read from Bennett's pov, knowing he wasnt feeling forced makes it easier to overlook Damien's behavior. Though still, yes, he didnt felt forced, but he did not want it either. Practically saying "see your body responds,you want it" is waaay too icky to say the least. But then the author also goes and brings up Damien being neurodivergent (or being on the spectrum but it's just thrown in there, it is not acknowledged by Damien nor there is any indication he is diagnosed or not) and his inability to understand social cues etc. I dont know what to make of it to be honest. Because whether that was the case he pushed too much or not (which honestly you are not sure in the end, because though Damien does have problems with social interactions, in those moments he felt like he knew what he was doing), I felt quite at unease with AD being brought up kind of like an excuse for this type of behavior. Irrisponsible representation and a scetchy ground to walk on regarding an issue like this.
But this side of the book aside, they did have amazing chemistry. Though things are rushed a lot at the final part. I thought there would be so much more to the story.
This concludes the series I guess for now. Not that it is declared but I assume at some point there'll be an Aiden book. Poor guy was used as a tool for jealousy thoroughout the series and I'm pretty sure he was crushing on Bennett all this time but he will probably end up with the prof he took the lecture from😬 this is just my guess though so we'll see.
Story:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Chemistry:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Banter:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing quality:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶
But this side of the book aside, they did have amazing chemistry. Though things are rushed a lot at the final part. I thought there would be so much more to the story.
This concludes the series I guess for now. Not that it is declared but I assume at some point there'll be an Aiden book. Poor guy was used as a tool for jealousy thoroughout the series and I'm pretty sure he was crushing on Bennett all this time but he will probably end up with the prof he took the lecture from😬 this is just my guess though so we'll see.
Story:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Chemistry:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Banter:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing quality:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶
October 23, 2024
Bennet and Damien have always been rivals on the football field since they were kids. Or at least that is how Bennet interpreted it. Truth is, Damien has always had feelings for him and love the competitiveness between them that pushed them to make them better players. And what Damien thought was flirting in their banter, well, for Bennet, not so much. When Damien transfers to Front Range, they are finally on the same team. And Damien begins to wonder if they can finally be friends and maybe more if he can figure out if Bennet likes him back. For Bennet, he thinks it is the end of the world and no one seems to see what he does when it comes to Damien. It takes a bit but Bennet slowly figures out Damien and who he is and all his quirks. And maybe, he wasn’t actually trying to antagonize him, but he was genuinely trying to be nice and flirt. But there comes another problem with that. Bennet has always pushed the side of him that could have been interested in guys. With how he grew up, he knew it would not be well received and he was never willing to risk his family and his potential career in the NFL for the one guy that had the potential of making him forget all of that. So he’ll push away…but that can only last for so long. I really loved Damien, he was just so sweet and genuine. Bennet it took a bit for me to warm up to but the more we got to know him, the more you realize exactly what his state of mind is and understand him a bit more. And I loved him more when he finally was able to just be himself and say what and who he wanted. It was a hard journey for both of them but a very sweet ending! Loving this series and I can’t wait for more.
January 6, 2025
DNFed at 47% I couldn't stand Damien. I couldn't connect with him and I just plain out didn't like him. I didn't like the way he treated Bennett. You don't straight out harass the guy you claim to be into.. & then Bennetts friend, Liam? i think.. like bro you don't talk/assume someone's sexuality especially behind their back.. that 47% i read made it look like Bennett has terrible friends. I didn't like anything about this
January 10, 2025
Questionable behaviors.
I loved the first 2 books of this series, but I skipped some big chunks of this one. Parts of this just hopscotched right on the line of consent. The whole, you're words say no, but your body says yes is absolutely not okay.
I loved the first 2 books of this series, but I skipped some big chunks of this one. Parts of this just hopscotched right on the line of consent. The whole, you're words say no, but your body says yes is absolutely not okay.
April 13, 2025
No complaints, but nothing special either.
November 7, 2024
This deserves a 10 star.
🌟Rivals to Lovers
🌟Secret Relationship
🌟Hurt Comfort
🌟Low Angst
🌟Banter as flirting
This is inarguably the best non-toxic/non-dark romance MM book I’ve read this year. Don’t get me wrong, I love my toxic boys, but this. The good feel of this literally puts this book above any Rival to lovers MM romance book I’ve read this year.
**
Damien and Bennet are both football players and have known each other since they were twelve. According to Bennet they are rivals, Damien is his bully and he is sure Damien hates him for no particular reason.
According to Damien, he doesn’t hate Bennet, he doesn’t have one single bone in his body to hate Bennet because he’s had a crush on Bennet since they were twelve. He’s in love with the guy. Damien is competitive and he loves pushing Bennet on the field, but that’s only because he’s studied Bennet enough to know Bennet plays better that way. Damien comes off as obnoxious to Bennet, a bully and Bennet remembers him as that kid that always tackled him on the field even when he wasn’t holding the ball.
In Damien’s defence he was only trying to flirt with Bennet, and he thought he was being very obvious with it whenever he tackled Bennet. I mean he even told Bennet that he likes staying on top him. All Bennet saw though was this obnoxious, egoistic kid that loved making his life hell and Bennet hated him.
Fast forward 10 years later, Bennet is in Uni, come to find out that Damien has transferred to his school, and now they’re on the same team. Obviously Bennet doesn’t like this, and wants nothing to do with Damien, but Bennet best-friend just so happens to be the first friend Damien makes and, Aiden thinks Bennet might be overreacting about Damien hating him.
We find out that Damien is neurodivergent, doesn’t understand social cues and all the times he’s tackled Bennet, winked at Bennet, slapped his ass, or make certain remarks was his own way of flirting with Bennet. Damien never understood why Bennet hated him, he understood their rivalry on the field, but it made no sense to him why Bennet hates him off the field. And Damien wants to know why, because he might’ve transferred to the same college because he wanted a better chance at getting drafted but no one knows that his main reason of choosing the same college as Bennet’s college was so he could get closer to Bennet and hopefully make Bennet fall in love with him. Which of course isn’t going so well because Bennet hates him, and Damien can’t seem to fathom why.
He winks at Bennet because he’s seen guys do it as a form of flirting with girls and he thought he was being obvious whenever he winked at Bennet that he was obviously flirting. 😹😹
Bennet, later finds out from their mutual friend that Damien might be on the spectrum and most of the things he says might not have any mean blood behind them, just Damien voicing out the first thing that comes to mind.
This sorta opens Bennet’s eyes and he starts seeing things differently, also figures that maybe he was always wrong about Damien. But even as they get closer, Bennet doesn’t want to explore what he’s always known about himself and the possibility of him being bisexual. He fears his father might disown him and he also fears not making his dream as a NFL player.
I loved every second of this. Every paragraph, every page. I loved every bit of it. And I loved Damien so much. He’s of the greenest flag to ever green even though he is slightly delulu 😹.
One of the things I absolutely loved about Damien, was his understanding of Bennet and how he actively supported Bennet’s decisions. Damien is gay, doesn’t go out of his way to announce it to the world but he also doesn’t hide it. But after helping Bennet out of his head and push him to accept his sexuality, Bennet requests that they remain a secret.
Let me tell you, usually when this happens in books, it gets me so mad, especially when it seems like the other character is getting shoved back into the closet or getting the short end of the stick. But this was done in such a way that I couldn’t even complain because you get them you know. You realize you understand Bennet and his worries, because they are valid and Damien understands this too. So he doesn’t complain, even when they got to a point where Bennet decides he wants to give up his dreams as an NFL player so he could be out and have Damien forever, Damien wouldn’t let him give it up. Damien knew just how much getting drafted meant to Bennet, and actively frowned against Bennet’s decision. Encouraged him not to give up and go at least try as an open Bisexual player.
Damien is just that kind of lover anyone would wish for. He was obsessed with Bennet in a way that was so cute and healthy. He wanted Bennet alright, but he wasn’t going to force Bennet out of his comfort zone. He understood him, loved him unconditionally. And that just warms my heart. So much. 🥺🥺
I could keep going.
Honestly I could go on and on and on about so many things that made this such a beautiful read. Damien was an absolute angel, the best lover and Bennet, once he made peace with himself and sexuality also saw how awesome Damien was and wasn’t going to let him go. Not even if it meant getting disowned by his father.
I absolutely cherish and adore this book to pieces.
🌟Rivals to Lovers
🌟Secret Relationship
🌟Hurt Comfort
🌟Low Angst
🌟Banter as flirting
This is inarguably the best non-toxic/non-dark romance MM book I’ve read this year. Don’t get me wrong, I love my toxic boys, but this. The good feel of this literally puts this book above any Rival to lovers MM romance book I’ve read this year.
**
Damien and Bennet are both football players and have known each other since they were twelve. According to Bennet they are rivals, Damien is his bully and he is sure Damien hates him for no particular reason.
According to Damien, he doesn’t hate Bennet, he doesn’t have one single bone in his body to hate Bennet because he’s had a crush on Bennet since they were twelve. He’s in love with the guy. Damien is competitive and he loves pushing Bennet on the field, but that’s only because he’s studied Bennet enough to know Bennet plays better that way. Damien comes off as obnoxious to Bennet, a bully and Bennet remembers him as that kid that always tackled him on the field even when he wasn’t holding the ball.
In Damien’s defence he was only trying to flirt with Bennet, and he thought he was being very obvious with it whenever he tackled Bennet. I mean he even told Bennet that he likes staying on top him. All Bennet saw though was this obnoxious, egoistic kid that loved making his life hell and Bennet hated him.
Fast forward 10 years later, Bennet is in Uni, come to find out that Damien has transferred to his school, and now they’re on the same team. Obviously Bennet doesn’t like this, and wants nothing to do with Damien, but Bennet best-friend just so happens to be the first friend Damien makes and, Aiden thinks Bennet might be overreacting about Damien hating him.
We find out that Damien is neurodivergent, doesn’t understand social cues and all the times he’s tackled Bennet, winked at Bennet, slapped his ass, or make certain remarks was his own way of flirting with Bennet. Damien never understood why Bennet hated him, he understood their rivalry on the field, but it made no sense to him why Bennet hates him off the field. And Damien wants to know why, because he might’ve transferred to the same college because he wanted a better chance at getting drafted but no one knows that his main reason of choosing the same college as Bennet’s college was so he could get closer to Bennet and hopefully make Bennet fall in love with him. Which of course isn’t going so well because Bennet hates him, and Damien can’t seem to fathom why.
He winks at Bennet because he’s seen guys do it as a form of flirting with girls and he thought he was being obvious whenever he winked at Bennet that he was obviously flirting. 😹😹
Bennet, later finds out from their mutual friend that Damien might be on the spectrum and most of the things he says might not have any mean blood behind them, just Damien voicing out the first thing that comes to mind.
This sorta opens Bennet’s eyes and he starts seeing things differently, also figures that maybe he was always wrong about Damien. But even as they get closer, Bennet doesn’t want to explore what he’s always known about himself and the possibility of him being bisexual. He fears his father might disown him and he also fears not making his dream as a NFL player.
I loved every second of this. Every paragraph, every page. I loved every bit of it. And I loved Damien so much. He’s of the greenest flag to ever green even though he is slightly delulu 😹.
One of the things I absolutely loved about Damien, was his understanding of Bennet and how he actively supported Bennet’s decisions. Damien is gay, doesn’t go out of his way to announce it to the world but he also doesn’t hide it. But after helping Bennet out of his head and push him to accept his sexuality, Bennet requests that they remain a secret.
Let me tell you, usually when this happens in books, it gets me so mad, especially when it seems like the other character is getting shoved back into the closet or getting the short end of the stick. But this was done in such a way that I couldn’t even complain because you get them you know. You realize you understand Bennet and his worries, because they are valid and Damien understands this too. So he doesn’t complain, even when they got to a point where Bennet decides he wants to give up his dreams as an NFL player so he could be out and have Damien forever, Damien wouldn’t let him give it up. Damien knew just how much getting drafted meant to Bennet, and actively frowned against Bennet’s decision. Encouraged him not to give up and go at least try as an open Bisexual player.
Damien is just that kind of lover anyone would wish for. He was obsessed with Bennet in a way that was so cute and healthy. He wanted Bennet alright, but he wasn’t going to force Bennet out of his comfort zone. He understood him, loved him unconditionally. And that just warms my heart. So much. 🥺🥺
I could keep going.
Honestly I could go on and on and on about so many things that made this such a beautiful read. Damien was an absolute angel, the best lover and Bennet, once he made peace with himself and sexuality also saw how awesome Damien was and wasn’t going to let him go. Not even if it meant getting disowned by his father.
I absolutely cherish and adore this book to pieces.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐
This book had a lot going for it, but I felt like the parts that were good kind of stalled out and ended with an average overall flavor. Plus there's that whole part about the dub-con that's never really resolved in any way...
STRONG START
Damien is an adorable golden retriever type college football player who's mind bounces all over the place. Later, it's proposed he may be "on the spectrum," but this is never explicitly defined or "diagnosed. However, if he is "on the spectrum," the author does a good job of portraying a neurodiverse individual in a realistic and positive way, at least for the first 50% of the book. As the story continues, he kind of just starts acting like all the people around him, and we don't get to see the random thought process (that makes sense when he explains it) that makes him unique and adorable. In fact, he morphs into this incredibly emotionally insightful character. It's hard to track his arc that he went from someone who doesn't realize winking at someone over and over again isn't "sexy," to being able to pick up on incredibly subtle cues and adjust his behavior accordingly:
But I'm getting ahead of myself to the "What Went Wrong" part.
Another thing that was really good about the first part of the book was the tension between the two MCs. This is definitely a rivals-to-lovers and not enemies-to-lovers, because only one of the MCs hates the other. And the tension is good. Bennet is mean to Damien and manages to break his happy spirit a couple of times...even though he rebounds pretty quickly. Then, they have sex, and boom...tension done. It's like they're suddenly two different MCs. I don't understand Bennet at all in the second half of the book, which leads me to...
WHAT WENT WRONG
The characters shift over time. Damien becomes less socially unaware and kind of rambling but interesting and unique to stable, insightful, and mature. I'm just not sure I see the dots connecting. Bennet goes from biting and tense to thoughtful and cuddly. Again, these arcs aren't inherently impossible, it was just like they went to bed one day as one MC and woke up the next day as the other. I didn't see how it happened.
The spice. It was hot...I suppose. If you have a blowjob kink. They're sucking each other off every other scene. I started skipping over those scenes at some point. I mean, could they have not done anythingelse? Ok, ok, they had penetrative sex twice and frotted twice. But for the sheer number of sexual encounters they had in this book, the number of blowjobs was...excessive.
The first encounter was of dubious consent, but it was not discussed as such in the book nor revisited in any way at all:
"Let go of my cock."
I try to shake my head, and he increases pressure on my neck.
"I said, let go." His fingers dig into my soft flesh.
"Not while you're this hard." I slide my fist over our lengths...
"I mean it, Damien." He repositions his fingers on my neck. "Take your hand off my dick."
Though he's sending me mixed signals, I err on the side of no means no, and start to loosen my grip. But when Bennet's cock twitches I hear is body say what his mouth won't. More.
This encounter is never framed in terms of dub-con, despite the language that's used that is literally the cliche non-con argument: "Your body is saying yes." It just felt...icky. At least revisit it and have the MCs define it for themselves. If they saw it differently, let them tell the reader.
This book had a lot going for it, but I felt like the parts that were good kind of stalled out and ended with an average overall flavor. Plus there's that whole part about the dub-con that's never really resolved in any way...
STRONG START
Damien is an adorable golden retriever type college football player who's mind bounces all over the place. Later, it's proposed he may be "on the spectrum," but this is never explicitly defined or "diagnosed. However, if he is "on the spectrum," the author does a good job of portraying a neurodiverse individual in a realistic and positive way, at least for the first 50% of the book. As the story continues, he kind of just starts acting like all the people around him, and we don't get to see the random thought process (that makes sense when he explains it) that makes him unique and adorable. In fact, he morphs into this incredibly emotionally insightful character. It's hard to track his arc that he went from someone who doesn't realize winking at someone over and over again isn't "sexy," to being able to pick up on incredibly subtle cues and adjust his behavior accordingly:
But I'm getting ahead of myself to the "What Went Wrong" part.
Another thing that was really good about the first part of the book was the tension between the two MCs. This is definitely a rivals-to-lovers and not enemies-to-lovers, because only one of the MCs hates the other. And the tension is good. Bennet is mean to Damien and manages to break his happy spirit a couple of times...even though he rebounds pretty quickly. Then, they have sex, and boom...tension done. It's like they're suddenly two different MCs. I don't understand Bennet at all in the second half of the book, which leads me to...
WHAT WENT WRONG
The characters shift over time. Damien becomes less socially unaware and kind of rambling but interesting and unique to stable, insightful, and mature. I'm just not sure I see the dots connecting. Bennet goes from biting and tense to thoughtful and cuddly. Again, these arcs aren't inherently impossible, it was just like they went to bed one day as one MC and woke up the next day as the other. I didn't see how it happened.
The spice. It was hot...I suppose. If you have a blowjob kink. They're sucking each other off every other scene. I started skipping over those scenes at some point. I mean, could they have not done anythingelse? Ok, ok, they had penetrative sex twice and frotted twice. But for the sheer number of sexual encounters they had in this book, the number of blowjobs was...excessive.
The first encounter was of dubious consent, but it was not discussed as such in the book nor revisited in any way at all:
"Let go of my cock."
I try to shake my head, and he increases pressure on my neck.
"I said, let go." His fingers dig into my soft flesh.
"Not while you're this hard." I slide my fist over our lengths...
"I mean it, Damien." He repositions his fingers on my neck. "Take your hand off my dick."
Though he's sending me mixed signals, I err on the side of no means no, and start to loosen my grip. But when Bennet's cock twitches I hear is body say what his mouth won't. More.
This encounter is never framed in terms of dub-con, despite the language that's used that is literally the cliche non-con argument: "Your body is saying yes." It just felt...icky. At least revisit it and have the MCs define it for themselves. If they saw it differently, let them tell the reader.
November 29, 2024
'Don’t be fooled, Bennet. Staring at Damien is like staring at the sun–do it too long you’ll get burned...
'I hate him almost as much as I want him.'
Bennet and Damien are so much fun!
I was intrigued by Bennet and Damien when I heard about their rivalry in earlier books of the Front Range University series, but in Beautifully Conflicted we find out the origins of their rivalry and we learn that everything is not quite as it seems...
Damien can read each move Bennet makes on a football field, but it isn't just because of his skill in defence, but because of the huge crush he's had on his rival for years, and how closely he watches Bennet.
But his actions drive Bennet crazy. He tackles him even when he doesn't have the ball, he winks at him and calls him 'Lucy'... oh, not to mention the butt grabs 😉 It all adds up to Bennet dreading the sight of Damien.
But when Damien gets the chance to transfer to a better football programme to help him follow his NFL dreams, he chooses FRU to get closer to Bennet.
Bennet, however, is not happy to see his nemesis on his football team or making friends with his roommates. And this is one point where Beautifully Conflicted sadly lost a star for me, because Damien is such a golden retriever character who's just so loveable, and I hated some of the awful things Bennet said to him and how he isolated him from making friends. It really hurt to see Damien sad, and Bennet's attitude lasted a little bit too long for me.
That being said, Bennet is struggling with his bisexuality, and when we find out why, my heart hurts for him. Unfortunately, his father is incredibly homophobic and Bennet is afraid to lose the family he loves despite their flaws.
I defy anyone not to fall in love with Damien. He's such a happy, sweet guy who sees the best in everyone and says what he thinks and sees, which I found refreshing. He really stole the show here, for me. And whilst Bennet may not have wanted to give into his attraction to Damien, our beloved cinnamon roll hero was able to win him over.
Once they get on the same page with their secret relationship, Bennet and Damien are perfect together. They have amazing chemistry, they take care of each other; Damien, in particular, is so supportive of how Bennet wants to manage their relationship, all whilst aiming to guide Bennet into falling so in love with him that he won't give up on their connection - he's sweet and clever!
“Damien,” I whisper. “I love you.”
“So, we’re being real now?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” He rises off the chair and leans forward, pressing his mouth to mine in the most tender, affectionate kiss I’ve ever received. His soft lips linger for several beats, not seeking more or demanding entry, just soothing my broken spirit and echoing my confession. “I love you, too,” he whispers back.
I'd have loved a little more from the big reveal with Bennet's dad and for the conflict to maybe not be so easily resolved, especially given his father's previous actions with his own brother, but I did love how Bennet stuck by his man in those moments. He certainly stood up when it mattered.
Beautifully Conflicted was a really enjoyable read. It's sexy, it's funny, it has a great couple, and it is another brilliant story in this series from Michele Lenard. Don't miss it!
“Lucy.” Damien nuzzles my ear. “I would’ve given you an infinite chances.”
“Why?”
“Because you were always meant to be mine.”
'I hate him almost as much as I want him.'
Bennet and Damien are so much fun!
I was intrigued by Bennet and Damien when I heard about their rivalry in earlier books of the Front Range University series, but in Beautifully Conflicted we find out the origins of their rivalry and we learn that everything is not quite as it seems...
Damien can read each move Bennet makes on a football field, but it isn't just because of his skill in defence, but because of the huge crush he's had on his rival for years, and how closely he watches Bennet.
But his actions drive Bennet crazy. He tackles him even when he doesn't have the ball, he winks at him and calls him 'Lucy'... oh, not to mention the butt grabs 😉 It all adds up to Bennet dreading the sight of Damien.
But when Damien gets the chance to transfer to a better football programme to help him follow his NFL dreams, he chooses FRU to get closer to Bennet.
Bennet, however, is not happy to see his nemesis on his football team or making friends with his roommates. And this is one point where Beautifully Conflicted sadly lost a star for me, because Damien is such a golden retriever character who's just so loveable, and I hated some of the awful things Bennet said to him and how he isolated him from making friends. It really hurt to see Damien sad, and Bennet's attitude lasted a little bit too long for me.
That being said, Bennet is struggling with his bisexuality, and when we find out why, my heart hurts for him. Unfortunately, his father is incredibly homophobic and Bennet is afraid to lose the family he loves despite their flaws.
I defy anyone not to fall in love with Damien. He's such a happy, sweet guy who sees the best in everyone and says what he thinks and sees, which I found refreshing. He really stole the show here, for me. And whilst Bennet may not have wanted to give into his attraction to Damien, our beloved cinnamon roll hero was able to win him over.
Once they get on the same page with their secret relationship, Bennet and Damien are perfect together. They have amazing chemistry, they take care of each other; Damien, in particular, is so supportive of how Bennet wants to manage their relationship, all whilst aiming to guide Bennet into falling so in love with him that he won't give up on their connection - he's sweet and clever!
“Damien,” I whisper. “I love you.”
“So, we’re being real now?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” He rises off the chair and leans forward, pressing his mouth to mine in the most tender, affectionate kiss I’ve ever received. His soft lips linger for several beats, not seeking more or demanding entry, just soothing my broken spirit and echoing my confession. “I love you, too,” he whispers back.
I'd have loved a little more from the big reveal with Bennet's dad and for the conflict to maybe not be so easily resolved, especially given his father's previous actions with his own brother, but I did love how Bennet stuck by his man in those moments. He certainly stood up when it mattered.
Beautifully Conflicted was a really enjoyable read. It's sexy, it's funny, it has a great couple, and it is another brilliant story in this series from Michele Lenard. Don't miss it!
“Lucy.” Damien nuzzles my ear. “I would’ve given you an infinite chances.”
“Why?”
“Because you were always meant to be mine.”
November 2, 2024
Final Rating: 3 / 5
Notable Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Bi-Awakening, Teammates, Grumpy / Sunshine
Content Warnings:
Review
Admittedly I think Book 2 (Beautifully Devoted) is probably still my favorite book in this series but overall this was a solid and entertaining read!
This book is very character focused with most of the plot being centered around the interactions of our main couple and their friend group. As for our main couple - to be honest, I didn’t really like Damien at first - BUT he really grew on me throughout the book especially as his relationship with Bennet developed. As for Bennet’s character - I felt like he was pretty likable in general. And his initial dislike of Damien felt justified especially throughout the first half of the book.
As for the side characters.......I LOATHED Liam, Cruz and Aiden. First of all, Liam was awful with all the speculating/assuming Bennet’s sexuality; like throughout that whole conversation he had with Damien regarding it.. I was just like “bro who tf do you think you are?” And then there is Cruz who was just annoying tbh. Like despite rating their book pretty high I was having a hard time remembering why I liked them at all. And then there is Aiden - oh my god, I get wanting to form your own opinions about people but when it is very clear your friend has vitriol hate towards someone and has made it known that they are uncomfortable with that person being around.....why would you continuously bring that person around? And to the house you share with said friend of all places.
And sadly even though I love Cam and Jag, they also had some questionable moments. Like admitting you get physical in front of your friend because you “think” they’re curious and it’s funny to you despite them clearly telling you to stop is not cool.
Also I feel like no one took Bennet’s concerns about coming out seriously. The whole "we’re openly gay so why can’t you be" is such flawed logic. Even without them knowing the whole story.
All that aside though, I did like Damien and Bennet as a couple. Once they got past their misunderstandings/hate; they honestly had really good communication and understanding of each other. To the point that I was bummed we didn’t get to see them be more “couple-y”. Lastly, the plot’s main "conflict" and said that conflict's resolution did feel a bit rushed, I think an extra 50 pages would have served the book well. But again still a decent read.
I will say this is not the strongest book in the series but still definitely worth reading. And despite Aiden grinding on my nerves throughout this book - I am still looking forward to his book which I am assuming is next up.
Notable Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Bi-Awakening, Teammates, Grumpy / Sunshine
Content Warnings:
Review
Admittedly I think Book 2 (Beautifully Devoted) is probably still my favorite book in this series but overall this was a solid and entertaining read!
This book is very character focused with most of the plot being centered around the interactions of our main couple and their friend group. As for our main couple - to be honest, I didn’t really like Damien at first - BUT he really grew on me throughout the book especially as his relationship with Bennet developed. As for Bennet’s character - I felt like he was pretty likable in general. And his initial dislike of Damien felt justified especially throughout the first half of the book.
As for the side characters.......I LOATHED Liam, Cruz and Aiden. First of all, Liam was awful with all the speculating/assuming Bennet’s sexuality; like throughout that whole conversation he had with Damien regarding it.. I was just like “bro who tf do you think you are?” And then there is Cruz who was just annoying tbh. Like despite rating their book pretty high I was having a hard time remembering why I liked them at all. And then there is Aiden - oh my god, I get wanting to form your own opinions about people but when it is very clear your friend has vitriol hate towards someone and has made it known that they are uncomfortable with that person being around.....why would you continuously bring that person around? And to the house you share with said friend of all places.
And sadly even though I love Cam and Jag, they also had some questionable moments. Like admitting you get physical in front of your friend because you “think” they’re curious and it’s funny to you despite them clearly telling you to stop is not cool.
Also I feel like no one took Bennet’s concerns about coming out seriously. The whole "we’re openly gay so why can’t you be" is such flawed logic. Even without them knowing the whole story.
All that aside though, I did like Damien and Bennet as a couple. Once they got past their misunderstandings/hate; they honestly had really good communication and understanding of each other. To the point that I was bummed we didn’t get to see them be more “couple-y”. Lastly, the plot’s main "conflict" and said that conflict's resolution did feel a bit rushed, I think an extra 50 pages would have served the book well. But again still a decent read.
I will say this is not the strongest book in the series but still definitely worth reading. And despite Aiden grinding on my nerves throughout this book - I am still looking forward to his book which I am assuming is next up.
November 3, 2024
I downloaded this as soon as it hit KU but I was a victim of the wrong file debacle. No matter what I did I couldn't get the correct version so I finally had to seek it out elsewhere. Totally worth the trouble🖤
As with the other books this one was very hot but more than that I loved the relationship between Bennet & Damien. They truly belong together💙
I fell in love with sweet innocent Damien😂All he wanted was for Bennet to like him.
I’d say he’s a poor sport except he doesn’t glare at anyone else when they give him shit, just me. For years I thought that meant he liked me back—the whole be mean to people you’re crushing on thing that kids do when they don’t grasp what their feelings mean—but as I got older, I realized he legitimately doesn’t like me.
Damien has that sexy himbo thing going for him and he's also extremely thoughtful and accommodating of Bennet's reservations.
“Our dicks want to be friends.” Damien’s heated gaze rakes over me. Which my cock loves if its little happy dance is any indication.
This book had me laughing out loud several times. I love how the other couples are so prominent. In many series you get fleeting updates of past couples but with this series I feel like I still know exactly what is going on with my favorite guys. (And whatever game all the roommates played was hilarious). It was also cool when Bennet Took Damien to a Colorado Bulldogs game!
Cruz picks a card and reads, “Best pickup line.”
We all get to work crafting our answers and submit them face down. Like Liam did before him, Cruz reads them off one at a time. “Want to breed?... Stroke love weenie… Tug dazzling weapon… Play with Mister Tentacle… Top my fantasy flesh…”
As with the other books this one was very hot but more than that I loved the relationship between Bennet & Damien. They truly belong together💙
October 30, 2024
I'm unsure how I really feel about this book. I liked the character development, and I liked Bennett and Damien together once their relationship was firmly in place, but I had some major issues with the book before that happened.
Early on in the book, there's a part where Bennett's friend Liam tells Damien that Bennett might not be as straight as he claims, and later on, some of Bennett's other friends make fun of Bennett for saying he's uncomfortable with their PDA but then still watching them. You're not supposed to assume anyone's sexuality, which also means that you're supposed to believe someone if they say they're straight. If you have doubts, you should keep them to yourself.
Then, a little later in the story, there's a scene with let's call it extremely dubious consent. The consent doesn't come until well after the sexual contact has been started, and it made me uncomfortable. No remains no unless you've had a discussion where a safe word replaces it; an erection doesn't replace verbal consent.
It's also implied several times that Damien is on the spectrum although that's always the other characters assuming he is and not him claiming it, and I can see it. But this idea gives me an ugly feeling because readers are sort of nudged to be okay with Damien constantly harrassing Bennett and even sexually assaulting him because he's on the spectrum. That's just so wrong.
I also thought that the end of the book was rather rushed and that several questions weren't answered.
Early on in the book, there's a part where Bennett's friend Liam tells Damien that Bennett might not be as straight as he claims, and later on, some of Bennett's other friends make fun of Bennett for saying he's uncomfortable with their PDA but then still watching them. You're not supposed to assume anyone's sexuality, which also means that you're supposed to believe someone if they say they're straight. If you have doubts, you should keep them to yourself.
Then, a little later in the story, there's a scene with let's call it extremely dubious consent. The consent doesn't come until well after the sexual contact has been started, and it made me uncomfortable. No remains no unless you've had a discussion where a safe word replaces it; an erection doesn't replace verbal consent.
It's also implied several times that Damien is on the spectrum although that's always the other characters assuming he is and not him claiming it, and I can see it. But this idea gives me an ugly feeling because readers are sort of nudged to be okay with Damien constantly harrassing Bennett and even sexually assaulting him because he's on the spectrum. That's just so wrong.
I also thought that the end of the book was rather rushed and that several questions weren't answered.
November 26, 2024
story of Bennet and Damien
This is a rivals to more romance, featuring Bennet Armstrong and Damien Montgomery, and is book three in the Front Range University series.
Bennet and Damien have known each other since they were 12 years old, playing on rival pee wee football teams. Up until last year, they were on rival college football teams too until Damien transfers to FRU. Now they are teammates and Bennet is surrounded by Damien and his ways everywhere he goes.
This book is low angst, high heat, and a whole lot of back and forth tension and banter between Bennet and Damien. I loved the way Damien’s brain worked and how he went for want he wanted, slowly breaking through Bennet’s walls.
Bennet was so hard on himself, and he hung onto his denial for a while but he just couldn’t deny his attraction to Damien and once that door opened, there was no holding back how he felt.
It’s quite a journey these two go on but the story builds so sweetly until they are both all consumed and all-in. We see cameos from previous books in this series too, yay!
I have loved this series so far. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Things to expect in this book are:
3rd book in series
MM Sports Romance
Rivals to teammates
College football players
Grumpy / Sunshine
Long term crush
Forced proximity
Neurodivergent themes
Denial & Bi-awakening
Low angst & high heat
First times & bit of spice
Secret relationship
Coming out
All-in
HEA
This is a rivals to more romance, featuring Bennet Armstrong and Damien Montgomery, and is book three in the Front Range University series.
Bennet and Damien have known each other since they were 12 years old, playing on rival pee wee football teams. Up until last year, they were on rival college football teams too until Damien transfers to FRU. Now they are teammates and Bennet is surrounded by Damien and his ways everywhere he goes.
This book is low angst, high heat, and a whole lot of back and forth tension and banter between Bennet and Damien. I loved the way Damien’s brain worked and how he went for want he wanted, slowly breaking through Bennet’s walls.
Bennet was so hard on himself, and he hung onto his denial for a while but he just couldn’t deny his attraction to Damien and once that door opened, there was no holding back how he felt.
It’s quite a journey these two go on but the story builds so sweetly until they are both all consumed and all-in. We see cameos from previous books in this series too, yay!
I have loved this series so far. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Things to expect in this book are:
3rd book in series
MM Sports Romance
Rivals to teammates
College football players
Grumpy / Sunshine
Long term crush
Forced proximity
Neurodivergent themes
Denial & Bi-awakening
Low angst & high heat
First times & bit of spice
Secret relationship
Coming out
All-in
HEA
October 23, 2024
I love a good rivals to lovers romance and Damien and Bennet were perfect.
Damien and Bennet has been rivals since they were 12 years old playing on different football teams until they are in college, Damien is transferred to the same college as Bennet and they are now on the same teams.
I loved Damien and Bennet together. Their banter was so entertaining. They have hated each other for so long and being on the same team has made it even harder for them to keep hating each other. Bennet realizes that he doesn’t really hate Damien, he just hated that he is attracted to him. Damien never hated Bennet, he always had a crush on him and he purposely riles Bennet up because he thinks angry Bennet is hot.
When they realize they both are attracted together they start secretly seeing each other but what started out as a secret becomes more when they have stronger feelings towards each other.
I loved seeing their relationship developed from hate to attraction and to eventually love. They have really amazing chemistry.
I also really appreciated the neurodivergent representation in this book as well.
Overall Beautifully Conflicted was an amazing rivals to lovers romance.
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC to read and review, book three in this series is officially out today.
Damien and Bennet has been rivals since they were 12 years old playing on different football teams until they are in college, Damien is transferred to the same college as Bennet and they are now on the same teams.
I loved Damien and Bennet together. Their banter was so entertaining. They have hated each other for so long and being on the same team has made it even harder for them to keep hating each other. Bennet realizes that he doesn’t really hate Damien, he just hated that he is attracted to him. Damien never hated Bennet, he always had a crush on him and he purposely riles Bennet up because he thinks angry Bennet is hot.
When they realize they both are attracted together they start secretly seeing each other but what started out as a secret becomes more when they have stronger feelings towards each other.
I loved seeing their relationship developed from hate to attraction and to eventually love. They have really amazing chemistry.
I also really appreciated the neurodivergent representation in this book as well.
Overall Beautifully Conflicted was an amazing rivals to lovers romance.
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC to read and review, book three in this series is officially out today.
November 8, 2024
💫 For Bennet and Damien, rivalry has been their thing since they were 12—two competitive football players always trying to one-up each other on the field 🏈. Bennet thinks Damien’s there to make his life harder... but Damien’s been secretly head over cleats for him all along! 👀💕 All that trash talk and those “accidental” tackles? Just Damien’s own quirky way of saying “I like you.” When Damien transfers to Bennet’s college and they end up as teammates, Bennet’s world is turned upside down, and he’s forced to confront just how much Damien actually means to him. 🥰
Damien’s neurodivergent, bringing a wonderful mix of sincerity and unfiltered honesty to his character. His version of romance might be unconventional—sometimes missing social cues, sometimes hilariously straightforward—but it’s what makes him so unforgettable. 🥺💖 As Bennet starts to see through the tough exterior he’s built around Damien, he realizes he’s dealing with someone who cares deeply and genuinely, not just a rival or teammate, and it's a revelation that changes everything. 🌈
If you’re looking for an angsty yet heartwarming slow-burn with a side of swoon-worthy romance, Beautifully Conflicted delivers it all. These two take us on a journey full of laughs, blush-worthy moments, and the kind of loyalty that makes your heart ache in the best way. Bennet and Damien? Total goals. 🥺💪
Damien’s neurodivergent, bringing a wonderful mix of sincerity and unfiltered honesty to his character. His version of romance might be unconventional—sometimes missing social cues, sometimes hilariously straightforward—but it’s what makes him so unforgettable. 🥺💖 As Bennet starts to see through the tough exterior he’s built around Damien, he realizes he’s dealing with someone who cares deeply and genuinely, not just a rival or teammate, and it's a revelation that changes everything. 🌈
If you’re looking for an angsty yet heartwarming slow-burn with a side of swoon-worthy romance, Beautifully Conflicted delivers it all. These two take us on a journey full of laughs, blush-worthy moments, and the kind of loyalty that makes your heart ache in the best way. Bennet and Damien? Total goals. 🥺💪
October 30, 2024
I wasn’t expecting much from this book but I was pleasantly surprised.
This book had a bit of everything and enough of everything that it didn’t feel overly exposed by all the stereotypical tropes that plagues this genre.
Bennett is a good guy until he’s around Damien and he wants to 🔪 a b*tch. To be fair Damien has been on Bennett’s backside since they were kids and Bennett has no idea why.
Damien has been for a lack of better word obsessed with Bennett since he was a kid. When he gets a chance to play on the same team as him in college, all his dreams seem to have come true. He doesn’t understand why Bennett dislikes him so much, and that is where a lot of their issues arise from.
The characters are pretty interesting and even though it veers off into too much sex category at times. The characters actually talk a lot and make headway with each other. That in itself made it a good read, as you seen the characters developing and growing as people and as a couple.
It was a fun story.
This book had a bit of everything and enough of everything that it didn’t feel overly exposed by all the stereotypical tropes that plagues this genre.
Bennett is a good guy until he’s around Damien and he wants to 🔪 a b*tch. To be fair Damien has been on Bennett’s backside since they were kids and Bennett has no idea why.
Damien has been for a lack of better word obsessed with Bennett since he was a kid. When he gets a chance to play on the same team as him in college, all his dreams seem to have come true. He doesn’t understand why Bennett dislikes him so much, and that is where a lot of their issues arise from.
The characters are pretty interesting and even though it veers off into too much sex category at times. The characters actually talk a lot and make headway with each other. That in itself made it a good read, as you seen the characters developing and growing as people and as a couple.
It was a fun story.
November 8, 2024
Oof. This was a tough one for me and so disappointing compared to the first two books. I really struggled with the internalized homophobia Bennet was experiencing but was never explicitly called out by anyone. Him saying he’s not homophobic except when apparently it comes to himself was kind of bullshit. I was super glad he eventually was called out on it and Damien opened his eyes to the fact that actually his dad is the bad guy here. And it was a little cringe hearing some of the language bordering into the “being gay or bi is a choice” territory. This was super strange and confusing to me how this story was handled especially considering I thought the conversation in book one over Cruz’s sexuality was handled so well. I definitely didn’t get why this one took such a wrong turn. There were some fun moments, and Damien was just a goddamn delight for a good portion of the book. However, with the pretty abrupt ending and conclusion of the story, it just couldn’t get a higher rating from me.
January 11, 2025
This one is not as good as the ones that came before it.
Great rivals to lovers story. We really get a lot of history and understand how much Bennet hates Damien.
Ever since middle school, Damien has had a thing for Bennet and has been trying to get under Bennet's skin to get him to notice him. Unfortunately for Damien, he's just been annoying, and Bennet hates him. Fast forward to college and they're playing on the same team, now, if only Damien can get Bennet to admit that he's not as straight as his father wants him to be, they might have a chance at a future.
The book wraps up too quickly and into tidy of a bow. The confrontation that the entire book builds up to between Bennet and his father falls flat and is very underwhelming.
There is an HEA with an epilogue, but it's very cheesy. The epilogue tells us nothing really and doesn't go past college, so we don't know if they know make it to the NFL or the practice squad.
It's pretty spicy 🌶🌶🌶/5 chilis on the spicy scale.
Great rivals to lovers story. We really get a lot of history and understand how much Bennet hates Damien.
Ever since middle school, Damien has had a thing for Bennet and has been trying to get under Bennet's skin to get him to notice him. Unfortunately for Damien, he's just been annoying, and Bennet hates him. Fast forward to college and they're playing on the same team, now, if only Damien can get Bennet to admit that he's not as straight as his father wants him to be, they might have a chance at a future.
The book wraps up too quickly and into tidy of a bow. The confrontation that the entire book builds up to between Bennet and his father falls flat and is very underwhelming.
There is an HEA with an epilogue, but it's very cheesy. The epilogue tells us nothing really and doesn't go past college, so we don't know if they know make it to the NFL or the practice squad.
It's pretty spicy 🌶🌶🌶/5 chilis on the spicy scale.
November 6, 2024
Love this series
I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series so far. Bennet and Damien are both fun characters. Damien has been antagonizing Bennet for years, but probably doesn’t fully understand the extend to which it annoys Bennet. Bennet insists that he’s hated Damien for all that time & thinks he’s purposely riling him up & trying to make him angry.
Slowly, Bennet realizes that maybe he’s annoyed for reasons other than the ones he’s been clinging too, and that requires a lot of self-reflection that he’s very nervous to proceed with.
I was disappointed by the number of grammatical errors in this book. They’re not rampant, but they’re more plentiful than I’d have expected. I also four the ending to feel rushed and just kind of odd. I hope the next book comes out soon.
I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series so far. Bennet and Damien are both fun characters. Damien has been antagonizing Bennet for years, but probably doesn’t fully understand the extend to which it annoys Bennet. Bennet insists that he’s hated Damien for all that time & thinks he’s purposely riling him up & trying to make him angry.
Slowly, Bennet realizes that maybe he’s annoyed for reasons other than the ones he’s been clinging too, and that requires a lot of self-reflection that he’s very nervous to proceed with.
I was disappointed by the number of grammatical errors in this book. They’re not rampant, but they’re more plentiful than I’d have expected. I also four the ending to feel rushed and just kind of odd. I hope the next book comes out soon.
October 27, 2024
I really wanted to like this a lot. I generally liked Damien and Bennett together but it did feel rushed near the end. A lot of things are left a bit up in the air by the end and it just sort of ends a bit abruptly—at least for my taste. The big “conflict” with the dad wasn’t as “big” as I thought it would be and just sort of deflated quickly. I guess that’s why it was left so close to the end?
I didn’t love how much of a pushover Damien was about things but then again I guess Bennett was too. There were some moments between them that I didn’t love but overall they were pretty good together. Aiden seemed unnecessarily annoyed by their relationship and that sort of irked me. Anyways, it was good but there were things that were not for me.
November 16, 2025
While I enjoyed this book about Bennet and Damien, I didn't love it as much as the first two books in the series.
I loved the character growth --- especially Bennet --- but was left feeling a little uneasy about Damien in the beginning. It seemed that CNC may have been implied in the story here in the beginning, but I was left with the feeling that Damien was forcing unwanted touching. It was minor incidents throughout the beginning of the book and my perceptions may be wrong, but that's what I felt. (Note: I did not dislike Damien and came to enjoy him in the end when he takes care of and protects Bennet from some feelings, etc).
Otherwise, I enjoyed the pace, the characters and the story.
I loved the character growth --- especially Bennet --- but was left feeling a little uneasy about Damien in the beginning. It seemed that CNC may have been implied in the story here in the beginning, but I was left with the feeling that Damien was forcing unwanted touching. It was minor incidents throughout the beginning of the book and my perceptions may be wrong, but that's what I felt. (Note: I did not dislike Damien and came to enjoy him in the end when he takes care of and protects Bennet from some feelings, etc).
Otherwise, I enjoyed the pace, the characters and the story.
December 22, 2024
MM🌈
College
Football 🏈
Rivals to lovers
Grumpy/sunshine
Bi awakening
Neurodivergent
Bennet has hated Damien since they were 10. Damien has loved Bennet since they were 10, the first time he tackled Bennet and saw his blue eyes looking up at him. They have always been on opposing sides of the football field. Except Damien just transferred to Bennet’s college and they are now on the same team. The coach pairs them together for buddy workouts. Damien is determined to make Bennet realize they are meant to be together.
I rally enjoy this series. I am worried about Aiden though. I am thinking he hooks up with the speaker he went to watch.
College
Football 🏈
Rivals to lovers
Grumpy/sunshine
Bi awakening
Neurodivergent
Bennet has hated Damien since they were 10. Damien has loved Bennet since they were 10, the first time he tackled Bennet and saw his blue eyes looking up at him. They have always been on opposing sides of the football field. Except Damien just transferred to Bennet’s college and they are now on the same team. The coach pairs them together for buddy workouts. Damien is determined to make Bennet realize they are meant to be together.
I rally enjoy this series. I am worried about Aiden though. I am thinking he hooks up with the speaker he went to watch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2025
4.5 Damien & Bennet, this book exceeded my expectations! Definitely the best in the series. Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Bi-awakening
- Possessive MC
This book felt a level above the others, once I started I could not put this book down. Enemies to lovers but not quite, Bennet is playing the long-game and is so adorable, delusional and quietly confident in his pursuit of Bennett I just couldn’t cope! Throw in first times and a little bit of jealousy and this was a top tier read!
- Enemies to lovers
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Bi-awakening
- Possessive MC
This book felt a level above the others, once I started I could not put this book down. Enemies to lovers but not quite, Bennet is playing the long-game and is so adorable, delusional and quietly confident in his pursuit of Bennett I just couldn’t cope! Throw in first times and a little bit of jealousy and this was a top tier read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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