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Lindon U #1
Bloom Books Dare You to Hate Me (Lindon U).
When I asked my best friend to run away with me at sixteen, I knew he’d say no.
He had football, an amazing family, and a happy home to go back to every day.
So the night I snuck out of his bedroom window after hugging him goodbye, I’d accepted I’d probably never see him again.
Then we both wind up at Lindon University four years later.
I’m barely picking up the pieces of my life when the boy whose initials I used to doodle hearts around approaches me at work.
Aiden Griffith. Lindon U’s star tight end.
Still as attractive. Still as dedicated.
With rumors of him being drafted to the NFL coming to fruition, I know it’s only a matter of time before we have to say goodbye again.
But he can’t seem to let me go no matter what I say, and I don’t think I want him to.
He had football, an amazing family, and a happy home to go back to every day.
So the night I snuck out of his bedroom window after hugging him goodbye, I’d accepted I’d probably never see him again.
Then we both wind up at Lindon University four years later.
I’m barely picking up the pieces of my life when the boy whose initials I used to doodle hearts around approaches me at work.
Aiden Griffith. Lindon U’s star tight end.
Still as attractive. Still as dedicated.
With rumors of him being drafted to the NFL coming to fruition, I know it’s only a matter of time before we have to say goodbye again.
But he can’t seem to let me go no matter what I say, and I don’t think I want him to.
352 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2023
2443 people are currently reading
28912 people want to read
About the author
B. Celeste
41 books3,214 followersB. Celeste is a new adult and contemporary romance author that gives voices to raw, realistic characters with emotional storylines that tug on the heartstrings.
She was born and raised in upstate New York where she still resides with her four-legged feline sidekick Oliver “Ollie” Queen. Her love for reading and writing began at an early age and only grew stronger after getting a BA in English and an MFA in English & creative writing. When she’s not writing, she’s working out, binge-watching reality game shows, and spending time with her friends and family.
Email: bcdwrites@gmail.com
She was born and raised in upstate New York where she still resides with her four-legged feline sidekick Oliver “Ollie” Queen. Her love for reading and writing began at an early age and only grew stronger after getting a BA in English and an MFA in English & creative writing. When she’s not writing, she’s working out, binge-watching reality game shows, and spending time with her friends and family.
Email: bcdwrites@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,790 reviews
May 10, 2021
5 Stars!
... I dare you not to love this.
I really did love this book. A lot. And it was all because of Ivy Underwood. The award-winning character of this show. She felt more genuine than most of the female protagonists I've encountered who also has the same issues. She was stubborn, sarcastic, a little bit crude, and distrustful. But she was a honest representation of a girl who suffered, who was depressed, whose past haunts her still. She wasn't sugarcoated. She wasn't pleasant. But she was a complex and an ardent character. She needs to be understood.
Note: This is a friends to lovers, sports romance.
There's something sadder about the way Ivy ridicule herself being a whore, brushing everything she went through like nothing, and still, be as strong, selfless, and a dreamer as she was. I shed tears at times at the underlying relatability and actuality of Ivy's situation. The story perfectly captured the feeling of abandonment. The feeling of desperation. The feeling of giving up pride and moral to survive. And the feeling of aloneness. B. Celeste took us to a soul-stirring journey about a young woman in finding redemption, family, and love during rock bottom.
I liked that the main characters kept talking about "what ifs." "What if she didn't leave." "What if he didn't let her go." "What would have happened if they made different choices." These things heightened the intensity of the story. I connect more with them through their pain and mistakes. It made me understand deeper and reflect why they did what they did. I may not agree with some of their justifications, especially with the heroine, but I grasped the true reasons behind their actions. Self-harm is a very serious matter, but there's no doubt that B. Celeste handled and delivered a story out of it very well.
Now into the hero. I loved how sweet, caring, and considerate Aiden was. I'm really surprised of his devotion with Ivy. He waited for her, literally and figuratively. He wasn't your typical controlling, annoying, arrogant, self-proclaimed manwhore, football player. He was something else. Something worthy of my respect and adoration.
Aiden and Ivy's relationship from being a friend to a couple was smoothly transitioned and well-developed. I liked that they had history as friends and I liked how it helped intensified the tension between them. I liked the gradual build up of their relationship as a couple. It was the simple things like; sharing their insecurities and secrets first before sharing themselves. Not the usual storyline where sex first then talk.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book. I can't say that it is entirely flawless, to be honest, because it has negativities here and there. But if it is only subjective matters, I don't want to travel that road, at all.
If you're a fan of angsty, raw, and real stories that just isn't only filled with good romance but also about life and the strength of family, this might be for you.
I recommend this book to those who likes: B. Celeste, friends to lovers, sports, enemies to lovers, second chance, college, emotional, and a happily ever after.
... I dare you not to love this.
I really did love this book. A lot. And it was all because of Ivy Underwood. The award-winning character of this show. She felt more genuine than most of the female protagonists I've encountered who also has the same issues. She was stubborn, sarcastic, a little bit crude, and distrustful. But she was a honest representation of a girl who suffered, who was depressed, whose past haunts her still. She wasn't sugarcoated. She wasn't pleasant. But she was a complex and an ardent character. She needs to be understood.
Note: This is a friends to lovers, sports romance.
"I take her hand and squeeze it ... "You can’t always be the punching bag so others miss the hits, and that’s what you were.”
There's something sadder about the way Ivy ridicule herself being a whore, brushing everything she went through like nothing, and still, be as strong, selfless, and a dreamer as she was. I shed tears at times at the underlying relatability and actuality of Ivy's situation. The story perfectly captured the feeling of abandonment. The feeling of desperation. The feeling of giving up pride and moral to survive. And the feeling of aloneness. B. Celeste took us to a soul-stirring journey about a young woman in finding redemption, family, and love during rock bottom.
"This is…it’s a lifetime of battles ahead of me, and I don’t want to make anyone suffer by watching me figure out if I want to live or die when it all becomes too much."
I liked that the main characters kept talking about "what ifs." "What if she didn't leave." "What if he didn't let her go." "What would have happened if they made different choices." These things heightened the intensity of the story. I connect more with them through their pain and mistakes. It made me understand deeper and reflect why they did what they did. I may not agree with some of their justifications, especially with the heroine, but I grasped the true reasons behind their actions. Self-harm is a very serious matter, but there's no doubt that B. Celeste handled and delivered a story out of it very well.
“You can’t stop the voices in my head, Aiden.”
Now into the hero. I loved how sweet, caring, and considerate Aiden was. I'm really surprised of his devotion with Ivy. He waited for her, literally and figuratively. He wasn't your typical controlling, annoying, arrogant, self-proclaimed manwhore, football player. He was something else. Something worthy of my respect and adoration.
Aiden and Ivy's relationship from being a friend to a couple was smoothly transitioned and well-developed. I liked that they had history as friends and I liked how it helped intensified the tension between them. I liked the gradual build up of their relationship as a couple. It was the simple things like; sharing their insecurities and secrets first before sharing themselves. Not the usual storyline where sex first then talk.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book. I can't say that it is entirely flawless, to be honest, because it has negativities here and there. But if it is only subjective matters, I don't want to travel that road, at all.
If you're a fan of angsty, raw, and real stories that just isn't only filled with good romance but also about life and the strength of family, this might be for you.
I recommend this book to those who likes: B. Celeste, friends to lovers, sports, enemies to lovers, second chance, college, emotional, and a happily ever after.
"It’s not really a dream if you don’t sacrifice anything for it."
October 24, 2022
dare you to create a time machine so i can go back to a time where i haven’t read this
January 27, 2022
I’ll just say, Aiden and Ivy made my hatred for friends to lovers trope go away.
February 22, 2021
DARE YOU TO HATE ME Is a full length New Adult | Sports Romance book by B. Celeste. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.' Ivy and Aiden
I've just this second closed out of the last page with a heart that's full to bursting, words can't convey how much I loved this. The storyline pulled me in straight away, the characters made me love them without effort. A slow burn that hooked me with all the feels.
I adored our heroine, she had scars, she was perfectly imperfect but perfect in every way, she had flaws but god she was so strong. Her past was shady, but that just made her real. Her struggles were raw but she owned them.
Our hero had me melting and swooning like there was no tomorrow, he was perfection. A breath of fresh air. These two just made sense together. He was her pillar of strength even when she didn't need it, she was his strength to keep him fighting for what he wanted. Even as a young chid he always tried to protect Ivy and made sure she had somewhere to go when things were tough at home. To see that carry through as an adult was so good to see.
Admittedly this won't be for everyone, our heroine does suffer from self harm and it didn't fully go into the details as some might want it to, it was glossed over not making that the full focus of this book and I was ok with that. I understood what she went through, I didn't need to be pulled under that cloud. I appreciated the glimpse was saw of her evolving into her own.
This is by far one of my favourites by this author.
May 16, 2022
3. stars okay
I really REALLY liked Aidan. He was caring and very much “not like other boys” but in a good and not cringe way. He played football but he wasn’t really fake ever or pretended to be some giant fuck boy.
I really liked that and I thought he treated Ivy with respect which she didn’t get from anybody else.
Now Ivy was also an interesting character but I think that I got a bit bored after a while and that there wasn’t enough tension? Idk something was missing that would make me feel more emotions.
It was a good book don’t get me wrong but something wasn’t there. Tension
I really REALLY liked Aidan. He was caring and very much “not like other boys” but in a good and not cringe way. He played football but he wasn’t really fake ever or pretended to be some giant fuck boy.
I really liked that and I thought he treated Ivy with respect which she didn’t get from anybody else.
Now Ivy was also an interesting character but I think that I got a bit bored after a while and that there wasn’t enough tension? Idk something was missing that would make me feel more emotions.
It was a good book don’t get me wrong but something wasn’t there. Tension
August 3, 2021
It's so funny when I checked out my friends' reviews on this book, one person love both Aiden and Ivy, one person hates both of them, one person hates Ivy more... and here I am getting ready with a review bashing Aiden's character.
And we were reading the same book! 😂
Anyway, let's get to my thoughts on this book.
“I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don’t. You couldn’t even if you tried.”
I get what the book is trying to do. And this is one of those situations where it's not the book, it's me. Because I, for the life of me, could only wonder why.
I did enjoy it but oh boy, was it super depressing.
First, it started pretty good (and triggers-load for me). Then, past halfway mark, it got super frustrating. I had a hard time connecting with these people, despite having so much similarities with them. Hence why it was frustrating.
Second, there were some actions that Aiden did, that kinda bothered me. Young Aiden was perfect. This 21 year-old Aiden is pushy af. Sometimes I feel like he didn't respect (I'll use this word since it was thrown in the book couple of times) some of the heroine' s decision.
“I sleep beside you in bed without touching you no matter how bad I want to. Your curves, your ass, it’s all right there every fucking night tormenting me, but I never give in because I know damn well when I get a handful it’ll be because you want me to. Have any of the others refrained? Held back? Showed you an ounce of that respect?”
Is that what respect means to you, my dear Aiden? To not ask for sex when this girl is struggling in her life? And now you're shoving it in her face because she didn't want to go home with you on Thanksgiving???
The caveman acts, unfortunately, didn't fly with me. Especially against this poor girl. Yes I know she takes the stupidest risk sometimes in attempt of her self-preservation, but dammit the caveman things just worsened it for me.
Third, give the girl some girl friends dammit. why no one wants to befriend this cool ass no-nonsense chick is out of my mind. I would've grabbed her as my sidekick long time ago if I was in college.
All in all, I would've appreciated more lightheartedmess in this. Because there was a point in this book where I wondered whether this couple could ever made it in the end. Everything was super gloomy and dark for them. I would've shipped her with DJ more if Aiden was not in the picture. That's how emotionless I think about their relationship altogether.
But still, hey, an interesting story to be told.
And we were reading the same book! 😂
Anyway, let's get to my thoughts on this book.
“I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don’t. You couldn’t even if you tried.”
I get what the book is trying to do. And this is one of those situations where it's not the book, it's me. Because I, for the life of me, could only wonder why.
I did enjoy it but oh boy, was it super depressing.
First, it started pretty good (and triggers-load for me). Then, past halfway mark, it got super frustrating. I had a hard time connecting with these people, despite having so much similarities with them. Hence why it was frustrating.
Second, there were some actions that Aiden did, that kinda bothered me. Young Aiden was perfect. This 21 year-old Aiden is pushy af. Sometimes I feel like he didn't respect (I'll use this word since it was thrown in the book couple of times) some of the heroine' s decision.
“I sleep beside you in bed without touching you no matter how bad I want to. Your curves, your ass, it’s all right there every fucking night tormenting me, but I never give in because I know damn well when I get a handful it’ll be because you want me to. Have any of the others refrained? Held back? Showed you an ounce of that respect?”
Is that what respect means to you, my dear Aiden? To not ask for sex when this girl is struggling in her life? And now you're shoving it in her face because she didn't want to go home with you on Thanksgiving???
The caveman acts, unfortunately, didn't fly with me. Especially against this poor girl. Yes I know she takes the stupidest risk sometimes in attempt of her self-preservation, but dammit the caveman things just worsened it for me.
Third, give the girl some girl friends dammit. why no one wants to befriend this cool ass no-nonsense chick is out of my mind. I would've grabbed her as my sidekick long time ago if I was in college.
All in all, I would've appreciated more lightheartedmess in this. Because there was a point in this book where I wondered whether this couple could ever made it in the end. Everything was super gloomy and dark for them. I would've shipped her with DJ more if Aiden was not in the picture. That's how emotionless I think about their relationship altogether.
But still, hey, an interesting story to be told.
March 1, 2021
tw: self harm and suicide
2.5 stars.
Ivy Underwood has never had it easy. Even though her parents kept a roof under her head and fed her, it was still a painful experience to live there. So, when she met her new neighbor Aiden, he became her everything. However, that all came to a halt, when she asked him to run away with her at sixteen and he said, no. But she ran anyways, and now years later she finally stopped running only to find her best friend again. Aiden Griffith is now the star of their college football team. His only goal in life right now is football, but when his best friend comes back into his life, he can't resist getting to know her again. Is it all really meant to be though?
I was pretty excited to start this. It was a childhood best friends to lovers (which I love!) but also with the separation, the heroine and hero would have to learn to be friends again, so I was really interested in this. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. This was just boring. It felt so repetitive. And I did not have any interest in the two main characters or the romance between them.
Ivy was kind of annoying to me. I understood she went through hell and she is survivor. But I just did not like her character. Every time Aiden would try to help her, she would just turn him down and continuously question why he wanted to help her. And to some extent I understood why she was like that, but it got annoying at some parts and I just did not like her that much. Aiden was okay, I guess I liked him a more than Ivy but not by much. He was very sweet and selfless, but he was a bit pushy. I understand in some ways Ivy needed him to be a bit pushy, but it was just another thing that annoyed me.
As a couple, I did not really enjoy them. I saw no chemistry between them, whatsoever. I felt like they worked better as friends. This story as a whole to me would have worked better if it was not marketed as a romance. I just did not feel the connection. It felt more like Ivy's journey and her best friend helping her with that journey. I can't deny that they did have some cute moments but in all it just did not work for me.
I am sad that I did not like this, but I am still excited to check out more B. Celeste works as this is only my third book, I ever read from her.
And I am still grateful of the ARC I received of this!
2.5 stars.
Ivy Underwood has never had it easy. Even though her parents kept a roof under her head and fed her, it was still a painful experience to live there. So, when she met her new neighbor Aiden, he became her everything. However, that all came to a halt, when she asked him to run away with her at sixteen and he said, no. But she ran anyways, and now years later she finally stopped running only to find her best friend again. Aiden Griffith is now the star of their college football team. His only goal in life right now is football, but when his best friend comes back into his life, he can't resist getting to know her again. Is it all really meant to be though?
I was pretty excited to start this. It was a childhood best friends to lovers (which I love!) but also with the separation, the heroine and hero would have to learn to be friends again, so I was really interested in this. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. This was just boring. It felt so repetitive. And I did not have any interest in the two main characters or the romance between them.
Ivy was kind of annoying to me. I understood she went through hell and she is survivor. But I just did not like her character. Every time Aiden would try to help her, she would just turn him down and continuously question why he wanted to help her. And to some extent I understood why she was like that, but it got annoying at some parts and I just did not like her that much. Aiden was okay, I guess I liked him a more than Ivy but not by much. He was very sweet and selfless, but he was a bit pushy. I understand in some ways Ivy needed him to be a bit pushy, but it was just another thing that annoyed me.
As a couple, I did not really enjoy them. I saw no chemistry between them, whatsoever. I felt like they worked better as friends. This story as a whole to me would have worked better if it was not marketed as a romance. I just did not feel the connection. It felt more like Ivy's journey and her best friend helping her with that journey. I can't deny that they did have some cute moments but in all it just did not work for me.
I am sad that I did not like this, but I am still excited to check out more B. Celeste works as this is only my third book, I ever read from her.
And I am still grateful of the ARC I received of this!
July 20, 2022
Ivy is both a victim and a survivor. She escaped a family that treated her like a nuisance, freely flourishing attention and money on her younger brother because he was deemed worthy.
I can’t imagine being treated like I’m worthless or being a parent that could imagine that let alone treat my child with such behavior. It broke my fucking heart.
At 16 she left her home but more importantly she left her best friend (her whole life) behind. Years later fate brings them back together when they both land at Lindon U.
Ivy’s built such a high wall around herself that it requires Aiden to literally bulldoze himself back into her life.
I love that he never gave up, didn’t care how much it pissed her off as long as she was back where she belongs … with him.
Not gonna lie, there were a few things that Aiden did that I didn’t agree with. But at the end of the day he did what he needed to do.
Overall a sweet story that tugs pretty good on the old heartstrings.
I can’t imagine being treated like I’m worthless or being a parent that could imagine that let alone treat my child with such behavior. It broke my fucking heart.
At 16 she left her home but more importantly she left her best friend (her whole life) behind. Years later fate brings them back together when they both land at Lindon U.
Ivy’s built such a high wall around herself that it requires Aiden to literally bulldoze himself back into her life.
I love that he never gave up, didn’t care how much it pissed her off as long as she was back where she belongs … with him.
Not gonna lie, there were a few things that Aiden did that I didn’t agree with. But at the end of the day he did what he needed to do.
Overall a sweet story that tugs pretty good on the old heartstrings.
June 1, 2021
MALÍSIMO!!
Otro Friends to Lovers para el olvido.
Probablemente me hubiera gustado si la protagonista no fuera tan autodestructiva.
ADVERTENCIA DE SPOILERS
Para empezar se escapó de su casa sin motivo y razón, simplemente porque sus papás tenían problemas entre ellos y a ella la ignoraban, nunca hubo un maltrato, abuso hacia ella.
Escapó nomás para demostrar a sus papás que saldría adelante sin su ayuda, muy caprichosa la niña porque sí tenía 16 años.
Cuando vio que no podía en lugar de regresar arrepentida pues no por orgullosa decide prostituirse solo para tener un lugar donde dormir o sea DUDE is seriously?
NONONO todo mal con esta niña.
Y ya ni hablar de su comportamiento en la actualidad.
Lo único rescatable probablemente sea el final.
Otro Friends to Lovers para el olvido.
Probablemente me hubiera gustado si la protagonista no fuera tan autodestructiva.
ADVERTENCIA DE SPOILERS
Para empezar se escapó de su casa sin motivo y razón, simplemente porque sus papás tenían problemas entre ellos y a ella la ignoraban, nunca hubo un maltrato, abuso hacia ella.
Escapó nomás para demostrar a sus papás que saldría adelante sin su ayuda, muy caprichosa la niña porque sí tenía 16 años.
Cuando vio que no podía en lugar de regresar arrepentida pues no por orgullosa decide prostituirse solo para tener un lugar donde dormir o sea DUDE is seriously?
NONONO todo mal con esta niña.
Y ya ni hablar de su comportamiento en la actualidad.
Lo único rescatable probablemente sea el final.
Read
August 15, 2022Title: Dare You to Hate Me
Genre/trope: New adult sports romance, friends to lovers
I’ve lived the last few years believing that there aren’t such things as regrets because every decision made, no matter the outcome, is a lesson learned. And all the other guys who have kissed me with a purpose, touched me with a destination, and taken me to bed with a plan have never done so with as much passion as Aiden Griffith is right now.
READ HERE:
US: https://amzn.to/3ihoDGk
UK: https://amzn.to/2LNFiVy
CA: https://amzn.to/3byIijt
AU: https://amzn.to/2MXlqzX
Genre/trope: New adult sports romance, friends to lovers
I’ve lived the last few years believing that there aren’t such things as regrets because every decision made, no matter the outcome, is a lesson learned. And all the other guys who have kissed me with a purpose, touched me with a destination, and taken me to bed with a plan have never done so with as much passion as Aiden Griffith is right now.
READ HERE:
US: https://amzn.to/3ihoDGk
UK: https://amzn.to/2LNFiVy
CA: https://amzn.to/3byIijt
AU: https://amzn.to/2MXlqzX
March 9, 2021
“I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don’t...
...You couldn’t even if you tried.”
I thought that Dare You to Hate Me was pretty good. It’s basically past best friends reuniting unexpectedly in the same place at the same time. Sort of sports romance. Mainly the heroine overcoming her difficult past and really trying to figure out a life for herself. I liked the dynamic between Aiden and Ivy. Sort of this push and pull between them. Like Aiden clearly has these dominant vibes, but he’s also sweet and understands that Ivy can handle herself and doesn’t need the help or him trying to control her decisions. I don’t know this was just a good read. I even fell in love with most of the side characters and wish they’d all get books. She does talk about self harm in this book for one of the characters, so if that’s a trigger for you then you may want to skip this one or ask someone who has read it for clarification on how detailed it gets. If you find me on social media I can clue you in.
All in all this is a good read. A sports romance, some angst, a couple you root for together and alone, side characters you’ll want more of, and a pretty easy read. If you enjoy all of those things, then definitely pick it up!
...You couldn’t even if you tried.”
I thought that Dare You to Hate Me was pretty good. It’s basically past best friends reuniting unexpectedly in the same place at the same time. Sort of sports romance. Mainly the heroine overcoming her difficult past and really trying to figure out a life for herself. I liked the dynamic between Aiden and Ivy. Sort of this push and pull between them. Like Aiden clearly has these dominant vibes, but he’s also sweet and understands that Ivy can handle herself and doesn’t need the help or him trying to control her decisions. I don’t know this was just a good read. I even fell in love with most of the side characters and wish they’d all get books. She does talk about self harm in this book for one of the characters, so if that’s a trigger for you then you may want to skip this one or ask someone who has read it for clarification on how detailed it gets. If you find me on social media I can clue you in.
All in all this is a good read. A sports romance, some angst, a couple you root for together and alone, side characters you’ll want more of, and a pretty easy read. If you enjoy all of those things, then definitely pick it up!
May 29, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ I know I am in for a good, emotional/angsty romance when I picked up a book by B. Celeste. This had some very heavy themes (please DM for trigger warnings), but she counter balances it with the football team’s antics, friendships and lots of steam. The only issue I had with this book is that I felt as though some of the heaviness was overkill (bordering on trauma porn) and took away from the romance. That said I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to book two in this series.
dnf
April 13, 2023DNFing at page 63 because of the homophobia, slut shaming, and unnecessary hermaphrodite jokes. Author bio says she: "gives voices to raw, realistic characters." It's not raw and realistic to shame people's sexuality or genes. It's just being an asshole.
Also, the pacing is outrageous. She's jacking him off by chapter 2.
Also, the pacing is outrageous. She's jacking him off by chapter 2.
March 27, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️-⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
''I'm the one who left''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- Slight OW/OM drama
- Attempted s*icide/self-harm
- Su*cidal thoughts
- Parental neglect
- Bullying
- Trauma
- Domestic disputes
- HEA
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
Ivy had a tough life; her parents were neglectful. They were always fighting each other, and her mother never truly mothered her. She was always seen as someone who was just not wanted and throughout the years and everything her mother ever said, she finally had enough and ran away at 16. She asked her best friend Aiden to go with her, but he said no as he could not leave his home and his football dreams, and she left.
It's been over 4 years, and they end up in the same University and he is almost on his way to the NFL while she is starting her freshman year after years of doing everything nad anything to live and survive. She had sex for money, food and a place to sleep. At 18 she attempted to kill herself and it changed her forever.
Aiden always regretted not pushing her to stay with him and keeping her with him but now that she is back, he is determined to never let her leave. He attempts everything to make sure she is safe, taken care of and finally able to let go of her anger on him and choose him again.
They always had feelings for each other and loved each other, but it never moved from friendship back in their teens but now they are older, and Aiden wants nothing more than to have her forever.
While she was not a virgin and had sex with a lot of men (none of which she loved or cared about, it was all about survival), he only had a few experiences of oral sex with girls from what I gathered but he was a virgin when they had sex.
I think what bothered me in this was how her parents still were not even truly remorseful for how they treated her. Her mom was still basically the same even when she realized how much her daughter went through, I mean could you imagine not even reporting your daughter running away and LYING TO EVERYONE she went to live with her grandmother??
It was an okay story and okay book. Ivy's past is extremely sad, but she also let it all happen based on her need to prove to people she could survive without them, but it destroyed her in the process. The fact that they would have never gotten together because they were not looking for each other, and they just ended up in the same school by accident was a bit annoying?
I wish he had transferred over from his previous school because he saw her and wanted to the in the same place?
The story ends with him getting drafted, she quit college cause she never liked school and always wanted to do something with baking, so she does that to follow him and his dream. They get engaged later.
I won't be reading the next two books. Book 3 had the steady couple in this book going through a breakup and them getting with others while still wanting each other and I am not into that.
''I'm the one who left''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- Slight OW/OM drama
- Attempted s*icide/self-harm
- Su*cidal thoughts
- Parental neglect
- Bullying
- Trauma
- Domestic disputes
- HEA
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
Ivy had a tough life; her parents were neglectful. They were always fighting each other, and her mother never truly mothered her. She was always seen as someone who was just not wanted and throughout the years and everything her mother ever said, she finally had enough and ran away at 16. She asked her best friend Aiden to go with her, but he said no as he could not leave his home and his football dreams, and she left.
It's been over 4 years, and they end up in the same University and he is almost on his way to the NFL while she is starting her freshman year after years of doing everything nad anything to live and survive. She had sex for money, food and a place to sleep. At 18 she attempted to kill herself and it changed her forever.
Aiden always regretted not pushing her to stay with him and keeping her with him but now that she is back, he is determined to never let her leave. He attempts everything to make sure she is safe, taken care of and finally able to let go of her anger on him and choose him again.
They always had feelings for each other and loved each other, but it never moved from friendship back in their teens but now they are older, and Aiden wants nothing more than to have her forever.
While she was not a virgin and had sex with a lot of men (none of which she loved or cared about, it was all about survival), he only had a few experiences of oral sex with girls from what I gathered but he was a virgin when they had sex.
I think what bothered me in this was how her parents still were not even truly remorseful for how they treated her. Her mom was still basically the same even when she realized how much her daughter went through, I mean could you imagine not even reporting your daughter running away and LYING TO EVERYONE she went to live with her grandmother??
It was an okay story and okay book. Ivy's past is extremely sad, but she also let it all happen based on her need to prove to people she could survive without them, but it destroyed her in the process. The fact that they would have never gotten together because they were not looking for each other, and they just ended up in the same school by accident was a bit annoying?
I wish he had transferred over from his previous school because he saw her and wanted to the in the same place?
The story ends with him getting drafted, she quit college cause she never liked school and always wanted to do something with baking, so she does that to follow him and his dream. They get engaged later.
I won't be reading the next two books. Book 3 had the steady couple in this book going through a breakup and them getting with others while still wanting each other and I am not into that.
March 5, 2021
Been absorbed in some heavy hitting books this month and needed a little break. That always come with a trip to Kindle Unlimited to find a sports-related college romance. Can't say this one could be defined as refreshing or much lighter than the heavy hitters I've been reading. Wow! The angst and sad story was heartbreaking. But the star football player was a much-needed relief. A caring and sharing kinda guy who isn't full of himself. Just the kind of hero our poor heroine needed.
Speaking of the heroine -- the author really poured on the angst and hardships. Beware there are some possible triggers. Self-cutting and a suicide attempt are at the top of the list. This poor girl has been through some rough and tough times in her short life. I was teary-eyed and furious throughout three-fourths of the story. But she shows strength and pushes herself for achieving a much better life.
But there were also some cute and amusing football guys and all their wild and silly antics. And of course there is plenty of steamy match-ups along with the raunchy language that goes along with a house full of jocks. And through all the drama - a satisfying and happy ever after!
Now I'm diving into "We Begin at the End" by Chris Whitaker, another one of those tough but "must read" books on everyone's list!
Speaking of the heroine -- the author really poured on the angst and hardships. Beware there are some possible triggers. Self-cutting and a suicide attempt are at the top of the list. This poor girl has been through some rough and tough times in her short life. I was teary-eyed and furious throughout three-fourths of the story. But she shows strength and pushes herself for achieving a much better life.
But there were also some cute and amusing football guys and all their wild and silly antics. And of course there is plenty of steamy match-ups along with the raunchy language that goes along with a house full of jocks. And through all the drama - a satisfying and happy ever after!
Now I'm diving into "We Begin at the End" by Chris Whitaker, another one of those tough but "must read" books on everyone's list!
August 30, 2021
”Out of your head, Underwood.”
“Head in the game,” I call back”
!! MINOR SPOILERS : I PROBABLY ACCIDENTALLY SAID SOME REALLY MINOR SPOILERS BUT IT SHOULD BE FINE.. I THINK !!
this book was pretty good. the first half had me hooked for sure but then the second half was… kind of a turn off?? it was just repetitive and boring tbh and bad. its like 2-3 star but im feeling generous so it can have a 3
i started getting annoyed at how repetitive it got between ivy and aiden with her pushing him away and him pushing her into confiding in him. it was a lot of pushing and there wasnt really a balance
i can understand both characters and why they do what they do, it still gets really irritating when they arent willing to learn so it becomes a huge cycle of the same thing
PLOT ˎˊ˗
**tw : self harm, problematic family, attempted suicide**
two best friends. ivy underwood and aiden griffith. they met when ivy was 8 and aiden was 9. they lose contact when ivy is 16 and get reunited 4 years later. ivy, by this point has been through a shit ton and aiden is the star sport player who doesnt wanna let their friendship go. stuff happen blah blah blah, talks about past, sex, love, marriage. the typical stuff
this is basically childhood friends to strangers to unlabelled relationship to lovers and… it was ok
i didnt really like the timeline and how it was written. it was a “then and now” but it would change mid chapter? that was fucking annoying
the plot itself wasnt.. bad but definitely cliche. the topic surrounding it and that was addressed did let you in on ivy’s life and her hardship, how she handled it, etc but all in all, it wasnt captivating
the ending was also fucking shit. i mean ivy’s whole story is her having issues with her family only to have like a chapter with her finally talking to them about it?? why the fuck?? what type of closure is that…
ROMANCE + SMUT ˎˊ˗
the beginning of this book had me so hyped for the smut. she had him in a choke hold and playing with his pp at 12% like…? so obviously, me being me, just expected good smut
man was i fucking wrong.
look, it doesnt mean it was bad but it was just average. it was like they were just fucking with like no connection?? idk they didn’t really have chemistry. it doesnt really feel like their in love but more like ”they love each other because their besties with a history” and so yay lets have sex.
i mean there’s a ”dramtic, cliche, i want that to he me” part when he’s confessing to her “what he wants” and he asks her “what do you want” and theres a pause AND BAM theyre making out
basically all their sex was like quickies in places they could get it on…
there were cute moments where aiden did say cute things to ivy ig but like nothing original. i can conjure that shit out of my ass too buddy. youre not special <3
n e ways… to the characters :
ivy underwood :
⤷ didnt really like her that much
idk how to word it but she’s like the type of character that goes through so much that you kinda have to like her??? yeah well i didnt.
i didnt hate her but her character definitely annoyed me at times with her constantly pushing aiden away. i think to a certain extent i get her but its all. the. time.
people are bound to get annoyed.
she tends to also put herself down a lot which is a bad thing ofc but i think at some point in the book i started wondering if she even wanted help at all?? she kept on kinda falling in on herself that helping her didnt really seem to help.. if that made sense
aiden griffith :
⤷ kinda just a basic sport man
i think he’s a pretty basic male main character. theres nothing amazin about him and theres nothing particularly bad about him either. he’s kinda just… bland.
he definitely loves ivy but like he was so pushy with her confiding in him and im like… what…
he kinda just waltz back into her life and was like ”yup youre mine and you gotta tell me everything” like bitch??
eh. basic story, basic man
CONCLUSION ˎˊ˗
this book was a good read. it was easy. it was fast. it was pretty average and nothing super bad about it. idk no wow factor in it unfortunately but disappointment is nothing new at this point ;-;
ok bye <3
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December 29, 2021
After reading several of her novels, this author became one of my few auto-click authors in romance. And this book only comes to solidify my opinion.
“I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don’t. You couldn’t even if you tried.”
This is an emotional story about a girl that lost her way at 16 because of the toxic relationship with her parents. It's also a story about true friendship and true love and how that saved her life. It's a story about bad decisions due to bad circumstances and about a second chance at life.
I couldn't help but fall in love with Ayden and Ivy. They are imperfect young people. They have both made mistakes, they both hurt, they both have dreams and want a better life and go about achieving that as best they can.
The story is told in dual POV and alternates between present and past.
Ivy and Ayden become best friends at age 8 when Ivy moves next door to Ayden.
At age 16, Ivy runs away from a home where she feels no longer welcome, where her parents struggle with financial issues, where the cops are a constant presence after her parents fight and her mother verbally and emotionally abuses her.
4 years and a lot of bad decisions and mistakes later, including an attempted suicide, Ivy meets Ayden again at Linden University. They are both there for a second chance, Ivy to prove she can get her life back on track and Ayden to restart his football track to the NFL after some past troubles.
Ayden senses Ivy has problems and does his best to regain her confidence and help her.
"You were always mine, Chaos. Five years doesn’t change the fact that it’s always been me. Nobody else had a chance. So, that’s what I want. You. Not just your body. But you. Your personality. Your mind. Your problems. Your goddamn companionship. Because that’s what I’ve missed since the day I watched you disappear into the night. Stop trying to push me away. It won’t work.”
Ivy is flighty, untrusting and has very low self esteem.
”I do better when people aren’t looking out for me because there’s nobody to disappoint when things go south."
The slow burn between these two was amazing. I love this author's flawless writing style, the multi-dimensional characters and the emotional exploration of a complicated situation.
I also liked the fact that she emphasized the struggle to get specialized help for mental issues when you have no money.
"I’ve looked into counseling before when I was at my lowest, needing somebody. Just because resources exist for people like me who suffer from our own minds doesn’t mean it’s easily accessible. Every time I see a commercial or flyer about getting help, I believe less and less that the people who create them understand what it takes to link those who are suffering to those willing to help without charging a kidney per session. Finding happiness is easy to some, but happiness is subjective. It costs more than anyone can fathom because the very things that make you feel even the highest high in the moment can also bring you crashing down in the next. Not all of us want to stay unhappy. But not all of us have another choice."
Safety:
- trigger warning for attempted suicide, suicidal thoughts;
- 3+ semi explicit scenes with sexual content.
Highly recommend this book!
“I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don’t. You couldn’t even if you tried.”
This is an emotional story about a girl that lost her way at 16 because of the toxic relationship with her parents. It's also a story about true friendship and true love and how that saved her life. It's a story about bad decisions due to bad circumstances and about a second chance at life.
I couldn't help but fall in love with Ayden and Ivy. They are imperfect young people. They have both made mistakes, they both hurt, they both have dreams and want a better life and go about achieving that as best they can.
The story is told in dual POV and alternates between present and past.
Ivy and Ayden become best friends at age 8 when Ivy moves next door to Ayden.
At age 16, Ivy runs away from a home where she feels no longer welcome, where her parents struggle with financial issues, where the cops are a constant presence after her parents fight and her mother verbally and emotionally abuses her.
4 years and a lot of bad decisions and mistakes later, including an attempted suicide, Ivy meets Ayden again at Linden University. They are both there for a second chance, Ivy to prove she can get her life back on track and Ayden to restart his football track to the NFL after some past troubles.
Ayden senses Ivy has problems and does his best to regain her confidence and help her.
"You were always mine, Chaos. Five years doesn’t change the fact that it’s always been me. Nobody else had a chance. So, that’s what I want. You. Not just your body. But you. Your personality. Your mind. Your problems. Your goddamn companionship. Because that’s what I’ve missed since the day I watched you disappear into the night. Stop trying to push me away. It won’t work.”
Ivy is flighty, untrusting and has very low self esteem.
”I do better when people aren’t looking out for me because there’s nobody to disappoint when things go south."
The slow burn between these two was amazing. I love this author's flawless writing style, the multi-dimensional characters and the emotional exploration of a complicated situation.
I also liked the fact that she emphasized the struggle to get specialized help for mental issues when you have no money.
"I’ve looked into counseling before when I was at my lowest, needing somebody. Just because resources exist for people like me who suffer from our own minds doesn’t mean it’s easily accessible. Every time I see a commercial or flyer about getting help, I believe less and less that the people who create them understand what it takes to link those who are suffering to those willing to help without charging a kidney per session. Finding happiness is easy to some, but happiness is subjective. It costs more than anyone can fathom because the very things that make you feel even the highest high in the moment can also bring you crashing down in the next. Not all of us want to stay unhappy. But not all of us have another choice."
Safety:
- trigger warning for attempted suicide, suicidal thoughts;
- 3+ semi explicit scenes with sexual content.
Highly recommend this book!
August 2, 2022
1.5
I honestly can’t believe I read this to the end. This book is giving misogyny and like trying to give trauma but it undermines itself, idk. It kinda felt like it was written by a 40 year old man trying to understand a twenty something woman and her problems. I would not be suprised to find out that celeste b. is the pen name of some old white dude. 1.5 stars for being my entertainment for a couple of hours.
I honestly can’t believe I read this to the end. This book is giving misogyny and like trying to give trauma but it undermines itself, idk. It kinda felt like it was written by a 40 year old man trying to understand a twenty something woman and her problems. I would not be suprised to find out that celeste b. is the pen name of some old white dude. 1.5 stars for being my entertainment for a couple of hours.
March 12, 2021
This book gave me Dear Ava vibes which I liked. What the heroine went through was really sad and I liked that the heroine continued to work through her issues and just because she and the hero got together she isn't all of a sudden fixed. She sees a therapist and is working through her issues.
I loved the hero in this book, he knew that he had to give her space during the initial phase of their relationship but he still kept an eye out on her.
There is a lot of family drama and I genuinely felt so sorry for the heroine, cause I can't imagine not having the support my parents give me and the fact that she didn't have that, its no wonder she went through so much...
Overall a good read! And PS: The hero is a virgin and she is NOT. So basically this book is a unicorn!
I loved the hero in this book, he knew that he had to give her space during the initial phase of their relationship but he still kept an eye out on her.
There is a lot of family drama and I genuinely felt so sorry for the heroine, cause I can't imagine not having the support my parents give me and the fact that she didn't have that, its no wonder she went through so much...
Overall a good read! And PS: The hero is a virgin and she is NOT. So basically this book is a unicorn!
August 10, 2021
What the hell have I just read???😱😕😵
I thought it would be a good romance or friends to lovers story with damage heroine or something but it was utter waste of my time,I didn't wanted to read after I got to know why Ivy ran from home but I kept going thinking may be at some point it'll make sense but no man it was so bad I could not connect with any characters. I mean I like Heroine with the baggage but with Ivy's past I couldn't seem to connect to her because the only thing that was wrong with her home life was her parents fighting but whose parents don't fight mine used to fight when I was growing up (they still do)and in my childhood my mom also used to say something harsh after her fight with dad but that doesn't mean I am running from home and then the financial condition of their home I mean everyone is struggling now a days in money department its not easy but our parents they do their best,and after reading the book I got the impression hers were doing the same but No Our Heroine wanted to run away and what did she do after being a runaway she lost her virginity at sweet sixteen to a thirty three year old man I mean YIKES.And also just to have a roof over her head she slept around I mean I am not judging her we tend to do things when we are desperate but she already had a roof and a family who no matter was trying.And I mean unless and until you are not being abused physically or sexually at home then home is the safest place to be the world is very dangerous place no matter how much
Sometimes we want to change our parents or get angry on them but they still our the people who love us most and Ivy's brother turned out okay and her problems and her "demons" didn't started until she left the safety of her house so the description she gave about herself that she is selfish and a brat and she left her home and blah,blah,blah it is truly true. I don't mostly write reviews or say bad about a book because I think sometimes it just not go with my mood thats why I don't like a particular thing but this character Ivy I did not liked her at all.All her problems and everything that happened to her was her fault she was not brave if she was brave then she would've stayed home and try to deal with problems at hand instead of running.And romance was non existing Aiden was nice and all but lacked that depth.The only Character that I liked was Danny Boy he was funny.😂
This is purely my opinion no hate to anyone.😊
I thought it would be a good romance or friends to lovers story with damage heroine or something but it was utter waste of my time,I didn't wanted to read after I got to know why Ivy ran from home but I kept going thinking may be at some point it'll make sense but no man it was so bad I could not connect with any characters. I mean I like Heroine with the baggage but with Ivy's past I couldn't seem to connect to her because the only thing that was wrong with her home life was her parents fighting but whose parents don't fight mine used to fight when I was growing up (they still do)and in my childhood my mom also used to say something harsh after her fight with dad but that doesn't mean I am running from home and then the financial condition of their home I mean everyone is struggling now a days in money department its not easy but our parents they do their best,and after reading the book I got the impression hers were doing the same but No Our Heroine wanted to run away and what did she do after being a runaway she lost her virginity at sweet sixteen to a thirty three year old man I mean YIKES.And also just to have a roof over her head she slept around I mean I am not judging her we tend to do things when we are desperate but she already had a roof and a family who no matter was trying.And I mean unless and until you are not being abused physically or sexually at home then home is the safest place to be the world is very dangerous place no matter how much
Sometimes we want to change our parents or get angry on them but they still our the people who love us most and Ivy's brother turned out okay and her problems and her "demons" didn't started until she left the safety of her house so the description she gave about herself that she is selfish and a brat and she left her home and blah,blah,blah it is truly true. I don't mostly write reviews or say bad about a book because I think sometimes it just not go with my mood thats why I don't like a particular thing but this character Ivy I did not liked her at all.All her problems and everything that happened to her was her fault she was not brave if she was brave then she would've stayed home and try to deal with problems at hand instead of running.And romance was non existing Aiden was nice and all but lacked that depth.The only Character that I liked was Danny Boy he was funny.😂
This is purely my opinion no hate to anyone.😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2024
3.5 / 5 ⭐️
September 15, 2023
Both characters thought they were unloveable…and I’d have to agree with them. They were the worst.
November 30, 2023
drove me to the brink of tears because of how painful this was. what the actual fuck. “dare you to hate me” BITCH IT DIDN’T TAKE MUCH 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
March 12, 2021
*3.25 stars
I want to first start out saying that I completely adore B. She is the kindest, down to earth, hilarious young woman I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few years. Her Heartbreak series is what inspired my bookstagram journey because I felt like everyone needed to read her books right away, and I have no regrets. Each one of her books deals with issues that society often ignores: abuse, self harm, body dysmorphia, sexuality, ECT. She gives a voice to the voiceless, and I truly admire her for that.
That being said though, I really struggled with this book. I felt like there was so much of it that was beyond repetitive, and even though self harm is something that so many young people struggle with overcoming, it wasn't addressed as in-depth like I wished it was. We only got a few chapters into the true fragility of Ivy's mental state, and it just felt rushed towards the end as well, and then the ending itself was really abrupt. Maybe it's because I didn't love Ivy -- I know, I know, I'm sorry-- but she just rubbed me the wrong way. I get the horrible things she's endured in her young life, and what she had to do in order to survive when she ran away, but the way she overreacted to everything just drove me insane. She was so hot and cold, and I never felt like I knew who she truly was even at the end of the book.
I did truly love Aiden though. A virgin football player who is head over heels in love with the same girl he's adored his entire life? Along with being an actual gentleman?! My ovaries cannot handle this. Seriously, it's such a rarity in the romance world to get a polite H, let alone one that is a VIRGIN, aka, not a douchebag womanizer. That my catnip, baby! His love for football wasn't his entire personality either -- he was just such an inherently good person, and I just adored him.
As for the romance, I wish Ivy showed her love as freely as Aiden did, but I understood why she couldn't all the time. Towards the end of the book, I truly did appreciate her even though I never really fell in love with her. All in all this was still a great read from an incredibly talented author and I can't wait to see what she does next!!
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest opinions!**
I want to first start out saying that I completely adore B. She is the kindest, down to earth, hilarious young woman I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few years. Her Heartbreak series is what inspired my bookstagram journey because I felt like everyone needed to read her books right away, and I have no regrets. Each one of her books deals with issues that society often ignores: abuse, self harm, body dysmorphia, sexuality, ECT. She gives a voice to the voiceless, and I truly admire her for that.
That being said though, I really struggled with this book. I felt like there was so much of it that was beyond repetitive, and even though self harm is something that so many young people struggle with overcoming, it wasn't addressed as in-depth like I wished it was. We only got a few chapters into the true fragility of Ivy's mental state, and it just felt rushed towards the end as well, and then the ending itself was really abrupt. Maybe it's because I didn't love Ivy -- I know, I know, I'm sorry-- but she just rubbed me the wrong way. I get the horrible things she's endured in her young life, and what she had to do in order to survive when she ran away, but the way she overreacted to everything just drove me insane. She was so hot and cold, and I never felt like I knew who she truly was even at the end of the book.
I did truly love Aiden though. A virgin football player who is head over heels in love with the same girl he's adored his entire life? Along with being an actual gentleman?! My ovaries cannot handle this. Seriously, it's such a rarity in the romance world to get a polite H, let alone one that is a VIRGIN, aka, not a douchebag womanizer. That my catnip, baby! His love for football wasn't his entire personality either -- he was just such an inherently good person, and I just adored him.
As for the romance, I wish Ivy showed her love as freely as Aiden did, but I understood why she couldn't all the time. Towards the end of the book, I truly did appreciate her even though I never really fell in love with her. All in all this was still a great read from an incredibly talented author and I can't wait to see what she does next!!
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest opinions!**
June 14, 2021
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 3.25 stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
*TW: Suicide and self-harm*
so, i was definitely not in the right head space to read this one. It was very very triggering for me. But I have this weekly book club and this was the book for the week.
The first 30% was very hard for me to get through, but it got easier. And more boring heh. I was quite bored during this one. I liked more the side characters than the main. Ivy was tough and all, but I just couldn’t like her thaaat much. Aiden was sweet, but that first time Ivy is in his room... hated that. Couldn’t love him after that. He was a very good H, though. I just didn’t feel the love chemistry between them.
I liked Aiden’s friends appearances and the people from the bakery. I’m happy Ivy got her HEA and that she could finally live in peace. Overall, this was an okay reading, but I’ll probably won’t remember it in two weeks.
*TW: Suicide and self-harm*
so, i was definitely not in the right head space to read this one. It was very very triggering for me. But I have this weekly book club and this was the book for the week.
The first 30% was very hard for me to get through, but it got easier. And more boring heh. I was quite bored during this one. I liked more the side characters than the main. Ivy was tough and all, but I just couldn’t like her thaaat much. Aiden was sweet, but that first time Ivy is in his room... hated that. Couldn’t love him after that. He was a very good H, though. I just didn’t feel the love chemistry between them.
I liked Aiden’s friends appearances and the people from the bakery. I’m happy Ivy got her HEA and that she could finally live in peace. Overall, this was an okay reading, but I’ll probably won’t remember it in two weeks.
April 11, 2021
This was hard work and depressing with a woe is me heroine.
February 8, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
i really struggled with this book, i couldn’t connect with ivy or aiden which made it harder to feel the love chemistry between them. and honestly i was just bored 😐 having said that i think the topic being discussed here is very important and I did feel for ivy but unfortunately i just didn’t like her enough. i was honestly more invested with the side characters especially DJ - i will definitely read his story!
i really struggled with this book, i couldn’t connect with ivy or aiden which made it harder to feel the love chemistry between them. and honestly i was just bored 😐 having said that i think the topic being discussed here is very important and I did feel for ivy but unfortunately i just didn’t like her enough. i was honestly more invested with the side characters especially DJ - i will definitely read his story!
March 7, 2021
i really liked the premise but they got together so quick
March 11, 2021
***5 "Chaos!!!" stars***
AVAILABLE NOW!!!!
"Fate has a funny way of reminding us what's important in life, doesn't it?"
This story was perfect even though there were so many imperfections in there!!!
B. Celeste pull me under her spell and even though, my heart was breaking for our heroes, I just didn't want to let go...
This story was laced full of pain and heartbreak, but the author gave us hope and show us that there is a light after all in the end of the darkness!!!
I don't think that I will ever forget Ivy and Aiden and their complicated story...
"I'm usually good at ignoring what people think. Until Aiden."
Aiden and Ivy used to be best friends, until Ivy run away from home and they lost each other...
Four years later, fate is bringing them on each other's path for once again and things are getting complicated...
They have both changed very much, but Ivy changed a little bit more...
So, Aiden is starting to pushing and Ivy is starting to pulling...
But Aiden is a persistent man and he is determined to get into Ivy's life for once again...
"I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don't. You couldn't even if you tried."
Well, honestly, I don't know what more to say to you about this story...
It was too complicated to try to explain it, so it will be better to just jumb into this story without many informations about it...
Both our heroes have scars, but Ivy's are the longest and the scarriest... And Aiden is becoming for once again her strength to pull her out of her misery...
These two were not just best friends, they were each other's lifeline and they have a long road ahead of them to become that for once again...
"Four years has molded who I am, what I believe in, and how I view the world. So why hasn't it changed how I feel about the boy who used to be my best friend?"
I love Ivy even with her flaws and endless mistakes!!! This girl's actions and reactions could characterized as wrong from the mass, but if you will read this story, you will realize that Ivy was just a broken girl who was a survivor.
I was feeling so sad for her behalf on every level but she was proving to me over and over again how strong and determined she were, even though she was breaking inside.
"I pretend to be okay, but I'm not.
I pretend to be strong, but I'm not.
How can I be when I've let my weaknesses get the better of me?"
And what can I say for Aiden??? He was having a heart made of gold and even though he wasn't broken as Ivy were, he had his own share of heartbreak and disappointments..
Aiden was a boy that you could count on him and he was the world to Ivy, even though she didn't want to admit it!!!
Aiden was having big dreams and he was working very hard to achive his goals, but he couldn't lose Ivy for a second time...
"Come with me.
Three words that haunt me still.
But not as much as the two I replied with.
I can't."
These two were so perfect for each other...
They were feeling like war when they were apart but together, they could bring calmness...
Their story wasn't roses and puffy clouds... Their journey was paved with thorns and ugly storms, but they proved to us that together, they could conquer everything and find the road to happiness!!!
What an amazing ride was that!!! I totally recommend it!!!
"You were always mine, Chaos."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
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"Fate has a funny way of reminding us what's important in life, doesn't it?"
This story was perfect even though there were so many imperfections in there!!!
B. Celeste pull me under her spell and even though, my heart was breaking for our heroes, I just didn't want to let go...
This story was laced full of pain and heartbreak, but the author gave us hope and show us that there is a light after all in the end of the darkness!!!
I don't think that I will ever forget Ivy and Aiden and their complicated story...
"I'm usually good at ignoring what people think. Until Aiden."
Aiden and Ivy used to be best friends, until Ivy run away from home and they lost each other...
Four years later, fate is bringing them on each other's path for once again and things are getting complicated...
They have both changed very much, but Ivy changed a little bit more...
So, Aiden is starting to pushing and Ivy is starting to pulling...
But Aiden is a persistent man and he is determined to get into Ivy's life for once again...
"I dare you to hate me, Ivy. Because we both know you don't. You couldn't even if you tried."
Well, honestly, I don't know what more to say to you about this story...
It was too complicated to try to explain it, so it will be better to just jumb into this story without many informations about it...
Both our heroes have scars, but Ivy's are the longest and the scarriest... And Aiden is becoming for once again her strength to pull her out of her misery...
These two were not just best friends, they were each other's lifeline and they have a long road ahead of them to become that for once again...
"Four years has molded who I am, what I believe in, and how I view the world. So why hasn't it changed how I feel about the boy who used to be my best friend?"
I love Ivy even with her flaws and endless mistakes!!! This girl's actions and reactions could characterized as wrong from the mass, but if you will read this story, you will realize that Ivy was just a broken girl who was a survivor.
I was feeling so sad for her behalf on every level but she was proving to me over and over again how strong and determined she were, even though she was breaking inside.
"I pretend to be okay, but I'm not.
I pretend to be strong, but I'm not.
How can I be when I've let my weaknesses get the better of me?"
And what can I say for Aiden??? He was having a heart made of gold and even though he wasn't broken as Ivy were, he had his own share of heartbreak and disappointments..
Aiden was a boy that you could count on him and he was the world to Ivy, even though she didn't want to admit it!!!
Aiden was having big dreams and he was working very hard to achive his goals, but he couldn't lose Ivy for a second time...
"Come with me.
Three words that haunt me still.
But not as much as the two I replied with.
I can't."
These two were so perfect for each other...
They were feeling like war when they were apart but together, they could bring calmness...
Their story wasn't roses and puffy clouds... Their journey was paved with thorns and ugly storms, but they proved to us that together, they could conquer everything and find the road to happiness!!!
What an amazing ride was that!!! I totally recommend it!!!
"You were always mine, Chaos."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
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