She saved his life... Now he'll save her love life
Reese Vann has a couple of goals for her sophomore year of college: focus on her classes, determine how to handle her overprotective sister, and work up the courage to ask out Caleb, the boy she's been crushing on for a year now. Rescuing a stranger from near-certain death is not part of the plan.
Dane Kingsley has a couple of rules he's been following to avoid his father's scrutiny: lie low, stay out of trouble, and don't fall back into his old habits. Unfortunately, almost receiving a crowbar to the face is anything by lying low.
When Dane offers Reese a favor for saving his life, he never expects the shy girl to ask him for dating advice. And while the last thing Dane wants is to play Coach Cupid, he'll give her some pointers if she asks for them. Sort of. It's not his fault if his suggestions are far from helpful. He's a car enthusiast, not a love doctor.
Helping Reese win Caleb over is the deal. Falling for her isn't. Declaring his attraction to her for half the school to hear is definitely not part of it, either. But Dane has no choice. After all, she saved his life. The least he can do is save her love life.
Born in the late 1900s, Elvie Everly is a major book lover and romance junkie at heart. She loves to write about swoon-worthy heroes in her spare time.
If you love slow-burn romance, witty banter, and just the right amount of high-speed adrenaline, this book is for you!
Reese Vann is the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for. She’s smart, a little shy, and trying to navigate college life while dealing with an overprotective sister. Her awkwardness and internal struggles felt so relatable—especially when it comes to stepping out of her comfort zone. I saw a lot of myself in her, which made her journey all the more engaging. Even made me cry a little as I saw maybe too much of myself in her.
Then there’s Dane Kingsley—mysterious, reckless, and a little too charming for his own good. His love for cars and his complicated family situation reminded me of the Fast & Furious franchise (which I’m a huge fan of!). If you love that mix of loyalty, found family, and a rebellious streak, you’ll definitely enjoy Dane’s character. The car culture woven into the story added an exciting layer that made the romance even more unique.
What I loved most about this book is how naturally Reese and Dane’s dynamic develops. Their deal starts as something simple—just dating advice—but the way their chemistry unfolds is both heartfelt and hilarious.
Overall, this book is the perfect mix of humor, romance, and self-discovery. Whether you're here for the love story, the character growth, or just the car-loving bad boy with a hidden soft side, you won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my voluntary and honest review!
Morally gray / “touch her and die”. Loved this one from start to finish. Great chemistry that kept me turning the pages. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings!
After having gone through something terrible a few years back, Reese finds herself with a major crush on a fellow college student, Caleb, and no idea how to talk to him. Enter Dane, a ‘dangerous bad boy’ whom she finds outside her place of work one night in a tough situation. After helping him out, the insists on owing her a favor, which she exchanges for love advice. Dane doesn’t care much for people in general and wasn’t expecting to enjoy spending time with Reese, but he can’t seem to stay away from her. What starts as a repayment for saving him, soon takes a sharp U turn. Dane has very little experience with love, unless loving the old cars he fixes up counts, but his heart has started beating a little harder whenever Reese is around, and he’s not really sure what he’s supposed to do about it.
This spicy rom-com had me giggling and kicking my feet all over my house. I couldn’t put it down and binged it in a matter of 2 days! The characters were relatable, and kind of gave off Kat and Patrick vibes from 10 Things I hate About You vibes. Also, who doesn’t love a dangerous man who hates every one but her. I was never much for the friends to lovers trope because I feel like sometimes it can end up being a little too cutesy for my taste, but this was done so well! The characters were lovable and their banter and bickering had me making giddy noises, I’d never heard leave my mouth before. I loved the nicknames that Dane would give to Reese, they had me cheesing hardcore. I think some of their little jokes were overused and a bit repetitive, but overall I absolutely loved this book, and can’t wait to see what Elvie writes next!
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion about this book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.
Reese has a few goals for her sophomore year of college, including asking out Caleb, whom she has been crushing for a year. However, rescuing a stranger, Dane, from death was not planned. Dane offers Reese a favor as thanks for saving his life and does not expect her to ask for dating advice. Helping Reese win over Caleb is the goal. Falling for her in the process definitely is not.
I loved this book. I loved seeing Reese and Dane grow throughout the book; I loved the writing style. I just had a fantastic time reading this book. I love a bad boy x good girl trope, and I love it even more when it is a misunderstood bad boy. Reese and Dane were made to be such realistic characters that I loved reading about them. I cannot describe how much I related to Reese as a character, getting to see her internal struggles, navigating college, and how shy she was. I loved her. She was such a good character to relate to. Again, I love how their dynamic develops. You can feel the chemistry between them, so when they finally get together, it doesn't feel forced or insta-lovey. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Elvie.
❤️Love Coach 💛Who Did This To You? 💚He Hates Everyone But Her ❤️Bad Boy x Good Girl 💛Slow Burn 💚He Falls First
Very cute story with really lovely leads. A fun take on the bad boy with a heart of gold and shy good girl. I really loved how full both characters lives outside of their romance were, it made both of them feel very alive.
I have the cheesiest smile after reading The Crash Course. What a fantastic romance story! The brilliant storytelling was addictive and had me up late two nights in a row to try and get through it. Luckily, the middle of the book was an okay place to pause the night before, because reading past 2am isn't such a great idea when you need to work in the morning.
Seriously though, I'm obsessed with Reese and Dane. I loved both of them so much. Reese is incredibly caring and dealing with trauma throughout the book, while Dane is sort of doing his own growth into a better human. I loved that the author gave us so much story between them, and I found myself glued to their dialog and never once bored. I can't give away anything, but I encourage romance readers to give this one a go. It's not an overly emotional story, but I thought the entire thing was so well done. I love when the MMC is supportive and encourages the FMC and vice versa. This had that in spades. They were so good for each other, and it really came to life on the pages.
The writing was clever, and along with the plot, it felt fresh. Seriously, it's one of the best reads this year!
First a big thanks to NetGalley & Elvie Everly for allowing me the opportunity to read this book prior to its release!! This being your debut novel, I hope you continue writing! I loved this book.
I knew Dane was going to be a softy when it came to Reese. From the moment he meet Reese, I believe he was very intrigued with her (but thought she was too good for him). She helps him during their first encounter and he feels as he owes her a favor, he decided to befriend her and help her with a dude she was crushing on and honestly his name shouldn’t be in my review because (HATE what he and her sister and her sister did to her).
In the end, I think Dane needed Reese more than she needed him and I enjoyed their story. If a part two ever arises . . . I’m reading it!
✨Overprotective MMC ✨Plays Cupid (but takes what is his) ✨Slow burn ✨He falls first
Thank you Net Galley for letting me read the arc of The Crash Course! This book was so cute. I loved every minute of Reese’s and Dane’s story. They had such a soft spot for each other, and they flowed so well on the page. Dane literally made me swoon! I also liked how in this book, Dane and Reese both grew to be better people for each other, even when it was hard. They never gave up on each other, and always had each other‘s backs. I look forward to reading more by Elvie Everly!
This was Elvie’s debut book and it slapped. I loved everything about Dane and Reese. All of Danes nicknames for her were so cute (Reese’s Pieces was my favourite). I’m a sucker for a bad boy x good girl dynamic and that fact Dane was so patience and caring towards her during her panic attacks was so heart melting. I can’t wait to see what Elvie puts out next.
For this being the debut novel, I loved it and couldn’t put it down. I am excited to see where Elvie goes next and see what else comes after this one. I loved both Reese and Dane and i’m excited to see more from Elvie
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED This book! 6 ⭐️ I loved everthing about it from the characters, the relationships, the tension it was just brilliant. I had so much fun while reading this and I highly highly recommend. It’s become one of my all time favourites and considering this is a debut novel it’s a piece of art! Please read this book, you won’t regret it. ❤️🩷🥰🥹
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the banter and the instant connection between Reese and Dane. I’m a sucker for the guy falling first. & there was no doubt that Dane wanted Reese. The character development was also top tier. Reese wasn’t letting her past and trauma define who she was. Dane helped her realize how strong she was, while she helped Dane realize that he wasn’t the bad person everyone made him out to be. I loved reading about Reese coming out of her shell. & Dane deserves to be loved the way Reese does. Their story was simply beautiful. I also liked the PTSD representation!
I want to thank NetGalley and Elvie Everly for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book!!
This book was so freaking good! Dane and Reese are absolutely adorable. Banter was on point in this book. I enjoyed reading their journey and seeing them grow. Characters were very relatable and felt realistic.
This has easily been one of my favorite reads so far this year! The chemistry between Dane and Reese was to die for, and I will forever recommend this to anyone who loves street racing romances because this was truly one of the greatest! Looking forward to release day when I can snag a physical copy for my shelves!
I loved this book!! I’m a sucker for a bad boy with a good heart! Also throw in the fact that he gives her multiple nicknames… swoon!!! The banter between Reese and Dane kept me wanting more! I didn’t want to put this book down! Also who doesn’t love a guy that empowers his girl?!? Always being there for her when she needed him and boosting her up!! And no third act breakup is always a plus!! This was such a fun, flirty and spicy read!!
ARC Opportunity! Thank you Elvie and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
5 stars! I loved all of it. I was sucked in from page one. I loved the fast and furious vibes and all the car talk. Reese was so sweet and empathetic. She over came her past trauma with grace and perseverance. Dane’s was a perfect balance of smart and foul mouthed and I loved him. The growth of his character was just *chefs kiss. He and Reese complemented each other so well and grew together as a couple and worked through so much. I just loved it. Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to NetGalley and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to arc read this debut! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. :)
This was cute! It felt super nostalgic for me for my own college years (minus the drama/violence fortunately). This also really reminded me of books I loved as a younger reader but in more of a new adult setting.
I really enjoyed the sweet relationship between the two MC’s but I did struggle every now and then with the pacing and the presentation of the conflict. If you enjoy the car scene, a little slow burn romance, a soft MMC, you’ll probably really enjoy this college NA romance!
Overall a fun read. 3.75 rounding up to 4⭐️
✧・゚: *✧・゚:*✧・゚: *✧・゚:*✧・゚: *✧・゚:*✧・゚:*✧・゚:*: ゚・
Impulsively picked this up on NetGalley bc it had me feeling slightly nostalgic for my college years. Thank you to NetGalley and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to arc read this debut!
I absolutely loved this book - writing style was fantastic and the perfect amount of spice. A great, cosy easy read that I read in one sitting because I couldn't stop! The character development of Dane was great and Reese was such a cute lead. I hope Elvie has more books coming as they will be added to my TBR stat!
Tropes: -he falls first -dual POV -"who did this to you?" -he spoils her -banter -so many nicknames -they save each other -bad boy x good girl
I received this book from NetGalley, and I am excited to shout from the rooftops that you should definitely read it. I can’t believe this is a debut novel; I loved it so much! I was hooked from the very beginning, and I can’t wait to read more from this author. I truly hope she continues to write.
The connection between Reese and Dane is instant, and I absolutely adored the friendship that develops between them. Their banter and easy communication are perfection, and Dane’s nicknames for Reese are delightful. You never know what he’s going to call her next. I have to give a huge shoutout to their ability to communicate as adults. When you think that a third-act breakup is imminent, you get bamboozled in the best way.
Reese has a traumatic past, but Dane does everything in his power to help her find the confidence she deserves. He makes her feel safe and loved, no matter what. I loved how he is such a fighter yet has the gentlest touch with her. She never felt threatened by him. He helps her come out of her shell and see herself the way he sees her.
Dane has also faced a lot in his life. He has been involved with a rough crowd, leading to some less-than-ideal situations. However, he gives that all up to be with Reese. He discovers what truly makes him happy and pursues it wholeheartedly. He spoils her just the way she deserves. He is simply the sweetest.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I initially signed up for it because the cover is gorgeous, and I had no idea what the story was about when I started reading. I’m so glad I judged this book by its cover, as it definitely lived up to my expectations. I’m still in shock that this is a debut novel, as I had no idea going into it. This book is available on KU, and I hope you will give it a shot. I loved it so much!
Quotes: “Sometimes, the littlest thing can mean everything.”
“You see the good in me. You’ve always seen the good in me, even when no one else did.”
In Elvie Everly's debut title, The Crash Course, we follow Dane and Reese through thrilling car races, work through past trauma and experience falling in love. Dane is a broody trust fund kid with a chip on his shoulder. He's gotten himself involved with some sketchy people and seeks the thrill of racing the cars he fixes up. Reese is a good girl who left the trailer park for college as soon as she could. She was involved in an incident that left her with a huge scar on her neck that she keeps covered as much as possible. Her older sister, Lili, is the perfect sorority girl who just wants to keep her little sister safe. Reese saves Dane's life by stopping a beating in the alley behind her work. Now Dane owes her one. Reese asks Dane to give her some dating advice about a frat boy (Caleb) she has had a crush on for a while. He agrees to help and figures this will clear his conscience of owing someone. But when Dane discovers what's really going on with Caleb and Reese, will he be able to walk away?
This book was a fun read and had a lot of moments that surprised me. I did not see the ending coming and really enjoyed how the book ended. I enjoyed getting to know each character and what made them who they are. I felt each story line was believable and I appreciated the accurate depictions of trauma. I would say the story line felt like it moved a little slow in the beginning and towards the middle. The pacing was a little off for me. I got hooked right away and then lost a little interest before things revved up again around 60% in. Overall, I liked this book and would recommend it.
In Elvie Everly's debut title, The Crash Course, we follow Dane and Reese through thrilling car races, work through past trauma and experience falling in love. Dane is a broody trust fund kid with a chip on his shoulder. He's gotten himself involved with some sketchy people and seeks the thrill of racing the cars he fixes up. Reese is a good girl who left the trailer park for college as soon as she could. She was involved in an incident that left her with a huge scar on her neck that she keeps covered as much as possible. Her older sister, Lili, is the perfect sorority girl who just wants to keep her little sister safe. Reese saves Dane's life by stopping a beating in the alley behind her work. Now Dane owes her one. Reese asks Dane to give her some dating advice about a frat boy (Caleb) she has had a crush on for a while. He agrees to help and figures this will clear his conscience of owing someone. But when Dane discovers what's really going on with Caleb and Reese, will he be able to walk away?
This book was a fun read and had a lot of moments that surprised me. I did not see the ending coming and really enjoyed how the book ended. I enjoyed getting to know each character and what made them who they are. I felt each story line was believable and I appreciated the accurate depictions of trauma. I would say the story line felt like it moved a little slow in the beginning and towards the middle. The pacing was a little off for me. I got hooked right away and then lost a little interest before things revved up again around 60% in. Overall, I liked this book and would recommend it.
Okay, so I honestly didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. I was just looking for something light, not too dramatic and this book totally delivered that.
The writing was so smooth and engaging which I found myself getting completely pulled into the story without even realizing it. It felt fresh and even though the plot itself isn’t anything super crazy it hit me in all the right spots especially since I was craving a story without all the unnecessary drama.
What I absolutely adored about this book were the main characters. Both of them were so real and refreshingly honest. No playing games or miscommunication for the sake of it… thank goodness!! They respected each other and just vibed in a way that made their relationship feel so natural and cute. It was like watching two people genuinely see each other for who they are… flaws and all.
Also it was adorable how the way the hero practically worshipped the ground she walked on? I’m not even exaggerating when I say it made me swoon. It wasn’t over the top or unrealistic… just this soft, caring admiration that felt so pure and refreshing. The way he looked at her, how he cared about her well being... it was like the opposite of all the toxic relationships you often see in books and I loved every second of it.
If you’re looking for a story that’s less about drama and more about genuine connections you need to pick up this book up… I ended up loving it way more than I expected.
Even though this the debut novel from this author I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next! Will be on the look out for the next!
🤍bad boy x good girl 🤍who did this to you? 🤍slow burn 🤍he gives her dating advice
💋Dramatic Thoughts💋
Happy Release Day!! 🤩 @elvieeverly
Holy moly!! You would honestly never know that this was Elvie Everly’s debut novel because it was that good!
Slow burn isn’t usually my jam (because I’m DYING for the couple to get together) but I really enjoyed it in this book and the progression of how the characters got together! Additionally, there was no third act break up so that’s always a win for me🎉
And I mean have you seen the colors of this beautiful book cover!? COME ON 😍
💥Character Spotlight💥
I was a Dane fan from the moment I met him! I honestly adored how he never wanted Reese to hide herself from him. Dane helped Reese through her trauma and he was exactly the person she needed to get her out of her shell!
💬Favorite Quotes💬
“And?” I repeat nonchalantly. “What happened next?” she prompts. “He asked for my hand in marriage,” I deadpan, “and he’s now waiting for a dowry of ten sheep and two goats.”
“Too good for you, too good for you, too good for you. The words flicker over her head like a broken stoplight. Not that I need the damn reminder. Everything about her practically screams she can do better than the likes of me.”
“You’ve always seen the good in me, even when no one else did.“
I received an eARC through @netgalley in exchange for my honest review!