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Hawthorne University #2
The Ex Boyfriend Game (French Edition): Hawthorne University - Vol. 2
Toucher le fond ou toucher le gros lot... Je ne suis pas la jolie pom-pom girl. Ni la reine de la sociabilité. Ni même riche. En revanche, je connais très bien Eric Hansen, capitaine de l'équipe de hockey. Le mec parfait qui coche toutes les cases si ce n'est qu'il mérite parfaitement son surnom de Roi des ruptures. Il m'a brisé le cœur et depuis, nous nous accordons parfaitement dans la volonté de jouer à ce jeu, celui de faire semblant de ne pas nous connaître et de ne plus rien être l'un pour l'autre... Enfin, jusqu'à ce que tout parte en vrille. Je crois qu'on peut dire que ce jour-là, j'ai vraiment touché le fond. Pourquoi a-t-il fallu qu'il vienne me sauver ? Pire, il semble maintenant déterminé à me sortir des problèmes dans lesquels je suis fourrée jusqu'au cou. Je n'ai pas besoin de lui. Je me débrouille très bien toute seule. Et s'il pense que ça le fera regagner mes faveurs et mon lit par la même occasion, il se fourre complètement sa crosse dans l'œil.
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First published July 25, 2022
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About the author
Ilsa Madden-Mills
47 books16.4k followers#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.
A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺
★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways
★ You can stalk her/sign up on the contact page: ilsamaddenmills.com
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★ Instagram @Ilsamaddenmills
New Book News:
Dear Ava is live!
Not My Romeo is live!
I Promise You drops October 12/20
Not My Match drops January 19/21 (pre-order on Amazon)
A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺
★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways
★ You can stalk her/sign up on the contact page: ilsamaddenmills.com
★ Facebook: Author Ilsa Madden-Mills
★ Join her private reader group on FB: Unicorn Girls
★ Instagram @Ilsamaddenmills
New Book News:
Dear Ava is live!
Not My Romeo is live!
I Promise You drops October 12/20
Not My Match drops January 19/21 (pre-order on Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 715 reviews
September 28, 2022
The Stripper and The Miracle!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 😪😠🤐🙂🥰
The heroine: Julia - Julia went to prep school on scholarship and started out at Hawthorne University like many of the other students, with scholarships and grants to pay her way. Though when her mom got sick everything changed. She now works as a stripper at the campus strip club and owes money she doesn’t have to a local loan shark.
The Hero: Eric - Captain of the Hawthorne University Hockey team, Eric is one of the campus elites. He comes from a wealthy background and has always seemed to live a charmed life. Though he has high expectations set on him by his parents, which includes being like his brother Kurt, becoming a lawyer and eventually working at his Dad’s hedge fund.
The Story: Julia and Eric went to prep school together and had a short fling. She was in love and he was a player. She thought he would be different with her than his previous reputation suggested. However, the day after he took her virginity he ghosted her. Three years later and they both walk the other way when they see each other, until one night when she is in trouble and he helps her out.
I really liked Eric in Boyfriend Bargain so I was happy to see this book come out. He was best friends with Z who now plays in the NHL. However, he was quite troubled in this book, he had a lot on his shoulders with wanting to please his father but constantly failing to live up to expectations. After the night he helped Julia, he can’t seem to get her off his mind.
I liked the flow of this book, the humor and the supporting characters were terrific. I hope Eric’s roommates Boone and Reece get their own books in this series since they seem to be great guys. I loved all the storylines in this one, I don’t want to give anything more away than the background info above, so I won’t say anything else about the plot, but I read straight through till morning despite having to get up early for work. The romance was fantastic, the intimate scenes were steamy and the storylines were intriguing. I love new adult sports romance and this was one of the best, it had everything.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 😪😠🤐🙂🥰
The heroine: Julia - Julia went to prep school on scholarship and started out at Hawthorne University like many of the other students, with scholarships and grants to pay her way. Though when her mom got sick everything changed. She now works as a stripper at the campus strip club and owes money she doesn’t have to a local loan shark.
The Hero: Eric - Captain of the Hawthorne University Hockey team, Eric is one of the campus elites. He comes from a wealthy background and has always seemed to live a charmed life. Though he has high expectations set on him by his parents, which includes being like his brother Kurt, becoming a lawyer and eventually working at his Dad’s hedge fund.
The Story: Julia and Eric went to prep school together and had a short fling. She was in love and he was a player. She thought he would be different with her than his previous reputation suggested. However, the day after he took her virginity he ghosted her. Three years later and they both walk the other way when they see each other, until one night when she is in trouble and he helps her out.
I really liked Eric in Boyfriend Bargain so I was happy to see this book come out. He was best friends with Z who now plays in the NHL. However, he was quite troubled in this book, he had a lot on his shoulders with wanting to please his father but constantly failing to live up to expectations. After the night he helped Julia, he can’t seem to get her off his mind.
I liked the flow of this book, the humor and the supporting characters were terrific. I hope Eric’s roommates Boone and Reece get their own books in this series since they seem to be great guys. I loved all the storylines in this one, I don’t want to give anything more away than the background info above, so I won’t say anything else about the plot, but I read straight through till morning despite having to get up early for work. The romance was fantastic, the intimate scenes were steamy and the storylines were intriguing. I love new adult sports romance and this was one of the best, it had everything.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
August 1, 2022
why are books being marketed as enemies to lovers when the enemies part lasts for about 4 chapters.🙄
anyways this was so bland and boring.
anyways this was so bland and boring.
July 28, 2022
2.5 stars. This had the potential to be a great angsty second chance story, but it ended up being bland.
Eric and Julia had a brief relationship when they were in high school. She was the new scholarship girl, he was the popular golden boy with a reputation for never being with the same girl twice. She heard about his rep, but he made it seem like he was very into her and they had a real relationship…until he took her virginity and then ghosted her. She then saw him with another girl a week later.
Fast forwards a few years later, they’re now at the same college. He’s the big man on campus, captain of the hockey team, and she’s stripping to make ends meet, since her mom has become a drug addict who's in debt to shady people. They’ve been ignoring each other for years, until one day he randomly rescues her from a bad situation, which sparks their relationship again.
The problem with this book is that it kept skipping over all the angsty or emotional scenes, and just telling us that they happened in retrospect. For example, at the beginning, it started with they were in high school. But, it skipped past the part where he ghosted her and she later saw him with another girl! We just get a scene when things were good between them, before the story jumps ahead to years later. It just TELLS us what happened in retrospect. We don’t see it in-scene. Then, later in college when they slowly resume their relationship, the first time they get coffee together, we’re also just TOLD this happened in retrospect, we don’t see it in-scene. That had so much potential for tension - the two of them trying to have a mature regular interaction, after their fraught history! But it was hard to even feel their chemistry, since scenes like that weren't shown on the page.
So, the result is a story that has no flavor. It SHOULD have been angsty goodness, but it kept skipping over all of the parts that would have given it that! And it’s not like it even skipped over the meaty parts for anything good. The entire first 30% of the book is pretty boring, with a lot of pointless scenes. It's calling itself "enemies to lovers" but it doesn't even have enough flavor to be that. She dislikes him for his past actions, but he's just completely indifferent to her, until suddenly he's interested.
He also never groveled for how he treated her in the past. I don’t mind that, it’s not the only way for the hero to fix a wrong. He does apologize sincerely, and he does a lot of actions to make her life better (like saving her from bad situations THREE times in a row) and show that he cares. But that also felt too convenient. If this story didn’t want to have a grovel, that’s fine! But him rescuing her by pure coincidence multiple times in a row wasn't totally satisfying to have in place of a grovel, since he wasn’t actively trying to do it. He just kind of stumbled into it.
This story had good bones….but it faltered in the execution, because the author made the baffling choice to gloss over all of the juicy parts.
Eric and Julia had a brief relationship when they were in high school. She was the new scholarship girl, he was the popular golden boy with a reputation for never being with the same girl twice. She heard about his rep, but he made it seem like he was very into her and they had a real relationship…until he took her virginity and then ghosted her. She then saw him with another girl a week later.
Fast forwards a few years later, they’re now at the same college. He’s the big man on campus, captain of the hockey team, and she’s stripping to make ends meet, since her mom has become a drug addict who's in debt to shady people. They’ve been ignoring each other for years, until one day he randomly rescues her from a bad situation, which sparks their relationship again.
The problem with this book is that it kept skipping over all the angsty or emotional scenes, and just telling us that they happened in retrospect. For example, at the beginning, it started with they were in high school. But, it skipped past the part where he ghosted her and she later saw him with another girl! We just get a scene when things were good between them, before the story jumps ahead to years later. It just TELLS us what happened in retrospect. We don’t see it in-scene. Then, later in college when they slowly resume their relationship, the first time they get coffee together, we’re also just TOLD this happened in retrospect, we don’t see it in-scene. That had so much potential for tension - the two of them trying to have a mature regular interaction, after their fraught history! But it was hard to even feel their chemistry, since scenes like that weren't shown on the page.
So, the result is a story that has no flavor. It SHOULD have been angsty goodness, but it kept skipping over all of the parts that would have given it that! And it’s not like it even skipped over the meaty parts for anything good. The entire first 30% of the book is pretty boring, with a lot of pointless scenes. It's calling itself "enemies to lovers" but it doesn't even have enough flavor to be that. She dislikes him for his past actions, but he's just completely indifferent to her, until suddenly he's interested.
He also never groveled for how he treated her in the past. I don’t mind that, it’s not the only way for the hero to fix a wrong. He does apologize sincerely, and he does a lot of actions to make her life better (like saving her from bad situations THREE times in a row) and show that he cares. But that also felt too convenient. If this story didn’t want to have a grovel, that’s fine! But him rescuing her by pure coincidence multiple times in a row wasn't totally satisfying to have in place of a grovel, since he wasn’t actively trying to do it. He just kind of stumbled into it.
This story had good bones….but it faltered in the execution, because the author made the baffling choice to gloss over all of the juicy parts.
August 5, 2022
Now that I waited two years for this book and finally read it— I can confirm it was well worth the wait. Man these two made me soft; a hockey player, a stripper, so many expectations for both. And man, was I just a whole ball of feelings reading this book. It’s so hard to find a good hockey romance series and here we are. I can’t wait for this to continue, there’s so many characters I want books on. Ugh, to read this again.
I need book 2. Give me book 2. This has been the first promising sports romance series since the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy.
I need book 2. Give me book 2. This has been the first promising sports romance series since the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy.
July 25, 2022
4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR)
Julia Lauren attends Hawthorne University in Sparrow Lake, Minnesota where she mostly keeps to herself. She considers herself a nobody, and feels most students barely notice her. Her social life isn’t really a priority. She’s too busy struggling to survive and stay afloat. Whatever she does, it’s never enough, and lately she’s at the end of her rope. That is until one night when a face from her past comes to her rescue like her own personal knight in shining armor. She has tried to steer clear of Eric Hansen and do her best to avoid him on campus. He broke her heart three years ago and never looked back. She felt betrayed, and has held a grudge. He was always the wealthiest kid at prep school. Popular jock, rich, and gorgeous. He’s still has it all, but now is also a college hockey star. As the winger and captain on the Hawthorne team, everybody knows and loves him. They are from different circles, but have history. Now that their worlds have collided again a spark she thought was gone is reignited. Will she be able to resist the golden boy of Hawthorne, or will he finally convince her he’s boyfriend material?
Boyfriend Material by Ilsa Madden-Mills is the second book in the Hawthorne University series. It’s a sexy, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, college, sports romance about heartbreak, love and second chances. It’s a fabulous story full of humor, angst, emotion and sizzling chemistry. I adore this series and hope we get more from this world! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3z3rbRe
(ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR)
Julia Lauren attends Hawthorne University in Sparrow Lake, Minnesota where she mostly keeps to herself. She considers herself a nobody, and feels most students barely notice her. Her social life isn’t really a priority. She’s too busy struggling to survive and stay afloat. Whatever she does, it’s never enough, and lately she’s at the end of her rope. That is until one night when a face from her past comes to her rescue like her own personal knight in shining armor. She has tried to steer clear of Eric Hansen and do her best to avoid him on campus. He broke her heart three years ago and never looked back. She felt betrayed, and has held a grudge. He was always the wealthiest kid at prep school. Popular jock, rich, and gorgeous. He’s still has it all, but now is also a college hockey star. As the winger and captain on the Hawthorne team, everybody knows and loves him. They are from different circles, but have history. Now that their worlds have collided again a spark she thought was gone is reignited. Will she be able to resist the golden boy of Hawthorne, or will he finally convince her he’s boyfriend material?
Boyfriend Material by Ilsa Madden-Mills is the second book in the Hawthorne University series. It’s a sexy, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, college, sports romance about heartbreak, love and second chances. It’s a fabulous story full of humor, angst, emotion and sizzling chemistry. I adore this series and hope we get more from this world! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3z3rbRe
July 31, 2022
5 Eric and Julia Stars
I'm not perfect,
Never will be.
But I care about you.
I fucking love you.
I really enjoyed Boyfriend Material which is a College hockey romance that reads well as a standalone in the Hawthorne University Series.
Ilsa Madden-Mills has become one of my favourite authors, I love her style of writing and the characters and worlds she creates always hook me in.
Eric is an interesting Hero - there is an element of second chance romance because he and Julia were briefly together in High School and he broke her heart. His behaviour was not great and I was glad that he had grown up and reflected on it but damn if he didn't mess up again.
On one hand Eric is incredibly loyal , driven and actually really kind but then he would do something and I wanted to shout at him to do what his heart told him , not to be influenced so heavily by his family. He is passionate and it is a delicious slow burn between him and Julia.
Julia is my kind of heroine and I had such a soft spot for her. She is so loyal and you see how she was a naive , love struck teenager in the prologue and then you are shown in the first chapter how much her life has changed and what a difficult situation she is in. If Eric is the privileged, born with a silver spoon in his mouth , lusted after hot guy then Julia is the social pariah who takes hit after hit from life and just can't catch a break. She works as a stripper whilst attending College and there are some pretty heavy reasons why she is in that situation.
I wanted to delve into the pages of my kindle and bitch slap the nasty girls who try to shame her and the vile men who think they can do as they please with her. I confess to squealing in joy when Eric swoops in to help at the start.
The story is interesting , well paced and there is really solid character development and the grovel at the end was good enough for me. It made me cry so that's a winner in my opinion. Great secondary characters and best of all, I was thinking about the book when I was off doing other things (like work). I couldn't wait to get back to my Kindle and read more about Eric and Julia.
HEA? Yes (Gorgeous!!!)
Cheating? Not between Julia and Eric.
Be aware
I initially borrowed this on KU but I loved it so much I bought it!
I'm not perfect,
Never will be.
But I care about you.
I fucking love you.
I really enjoyed Boyfriend Material which is a College hockey romance that reads well as a standalone in the Hawthorne University Series.
Ilsa Madden-Mills has become one of my favourite authors, I love her style of writing and the characters and worlds she creates always hook me in.
Eric is an interesting Hero - there is an element of second chance romance because he and Julia were briefly together in High School and he broke her heart. His behaviour was not great and I was glad that he had grown up and reflected on it but damn if he didn't mess up again.
On one hand Eric is incredibly loyal , driven and actually really kind but then he would do something and I wanted to shout at him to do what his heart told him , not to be influenced so heavily by his family. He is passionate and it is a delicious slow burn between him and Julia.
Julia is my kind of heroine and I had such a soft spot for her. She is so loyal and you see how she was a naive , love struck teenager in the prologue and then you are shown in the first chapter how much her life has changed and what a difficult situation she is in. If Eric is the privileged, born with a silver spoon in his mouth , lusted after hot guy then Julia is the social pariah who takes hit after hit from life and just can't catch a break. She works as a stripper whilst attending College and there are some pretty heavy reasons why she is in that situation.
I wanted to delve into the pages of my kindle and bitch slap the nasty girls who try to shame her and the vile men who think they can do as they please with her. I confess to squealing in joy when Eric swoops in to help at the start.
The story is interesting , well paced and there is really solid character development and the grovel at the end was good enough for me. It made me cry so that's a winner in my opinion. Great secondary characters and best of all, I was thinking about the book when I was off doing other things (like work). I couldn't wait to get back to my Kindle and read more about Eric and Julia.
HEA? Yes (Gorgeous!!!)
Cheating? Not between Julia and Eric.
Be aware
I initially borrowed this on KU but I loved it so much I bought it!
December 31, 2024
July 7, 2022-UPDATE- Now has release date!!! July 25, 2022 release and has a BLURB, TOO!!!
November 19, 2020-Release Date Pending
Jun 01, 2019
He is part of the Winning Hockey Team...
He calls everyone Babe...
Thinks it's hysterical to sing Dick in a Box...
Has no problem hooking up with Randoms...
Oh, and he eats cereal with his bare hands...
She is a Woman who is Discovering herself...
She is Tough, Willing to Work for what she Needs...
And if she gets that Certain Itch...
She will go out and Scratch it...
These two Pretend they don't know each other...
But We Know Better...
The only Question We have is He Her...
Boyfriend Material (Hawthorne University, #2)
Boyfriend Bargain (Hawthorne University, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Boyfriend Material (Hawthorne University, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
November 19, 2020-Release Date Pending
Jun 01, 2019
He is part of the Winning Hockey Team...
He calls everyone Babe...
Thinks it's hysterical to sing Dick in a Box...
Has no problem hooking up with Randoms...
Oh, and he eats cereal with his bare hands...
She is a Woman who is Discovering herself...
She is Tough, Willing to Work for what she Needs...
And if she gets that Certain Itch...
She will go out and Scratch it...
These two Pretend they don't know each other...
But We Know Better...
The only Question We have is He Her...
Boyfriend Material (Hawthorne University, #2)
Boyfriend Bargain (Hawthorne University, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Boyfriend Material (Hawthorne University, #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
July 26, 2022
Maybe the butterfly inside of me has already emerged and a storm has broken her wings.
Eric and Julia’s story has been a long time coming, and that wait? Worth it. Boyfriend Material is a slow burn, second chance, college sports romance, where these two characters truly rebuild a friendship before they head into the hot and heavy territory. Julia is stripping to make ends meet and struggling to remember who she wanted to be with life constantly knocking her back down. Eric seemingly has it all, but he’s losing himself bit by bit under the weight of obligation and guilt.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that these two are absolutely meant for each other. There are many things that get in their way, even themselves, but this is romance so no worries, we know where we’re headed. The journey there is sweet, emotional, a bit heavy, and a little bit steamy as well. I like that even though Julia and Eric grow while exploring their relationship, they also grow on their own as well. Of course there’s a cast of side characters that help move the story along. Some are terrible and some I already want more of!
Ok, I’m getting into possible spoiler territory, so I’ll just end with if you love emotional slow burn second chances, set in college, then you will enjoy Boyfriend Material!
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRkjRCqJ/?k=1
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
Eric and Julia’s story has been a long time coming, and that wait? Worth it. Boyfriend Material is a slow burn, second chance, college sports romance, where these two characters truly rebuild a friendship before they head into the hot and heavy territory. Julia is stripping to make ends meet and struggling to remember who she wanted to be with life constantly knocking her back down. Eric seemingly has it all, but he’s losing himself bit by bit under the weight of obligation and guilt.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that these two are absolutely meant for each other. There are many things that get in their way, even themselves, but this is romance so no worries, we know where we’re headed. The journey there is sweet, emotional, a bit heavy, and a little bit steamy as well. I like that even though Julia and Eric grow while exploring their relationship, they also grow on their own as well. Of course there’s a cast of side characters that help move the story along. Some are terrible and some I already want more of!
Ok, I’m getting into possible spoiler territory, so I’ll just end with if you love emotional slow burn second chances, set in college, then you will enjoy Boyfriend Material!
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRkjRCqJ/?k=1
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
August 7, 2022
3.5 stars
This was cute, but I think I had hoped for something...more. The pacing was slightly off and the angst just wasn't what I was hoping for. I love a second chance romance, and while this one hit the spot, it also didn't enrapture me like other books by Ilsa have.
Find me on:
This was cute, but I think I had hoped for something...more. The pacing was slightly off and the angst just wasn't what I was hoping for. I love a second chance romance, and while this one hit the spot, it also didn't enrapture me like other books by Ilsa have.
Find me on:
July 25, 2022
Julia + Eric
They were a thing in highschool - for a little while, but then he never looked at her again.
And now after three years at the same college - Eric as the hockey star and Julia with her job as a stripper... they finally are back in each other's lives again.
Both have lots of family troubles and Julia doesn't want Eric only being with her because he wants to help. She can help herself... but he's so nice and hot and sweet and hot...
══════════════════
This was an adorable college sports romance - with some very sparky and sexy and adorable moments and some very serious and heartbreaking moments.
It wasn't anything new - I've read dozens of sexy and funny and heartbreaking sports/college romances. BUT - I love those books!! I loved Julia and Eric. He is definitely Boyfriend Material! I hated what they had/have to go through! I want that happy end for them asap - but that's not how books work. LOL!
I loved the friends and roommates. I hated those frat idiots.
I really enjoyed reading this.
I didn't love the cover though. The colors are amazing, but the guy looks like he's a 40 year old tik tok fitness coach/model who took too much bodybuilder-drugs.
BOYFRIEND MATERIAL was an adorable & moving college hockey romance!
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Eric - this one is MINE! And the hockey-house pet is mine too!
💜
💜
July 25, 2022
"Who is she to me? Yeah, that’s a story. She’s someone I used and never looked back."
This was a fast paced story, easy to get into, with an angsty plot. Eric & Julia were worlds apart but their prep-school encounter bought them into each other's orbits. They were a perfectly imperfect pair. Julia had gotten herself into some big trouble and Eric wanted to correct his wrongdoings, so he helped her settle the score. Both of them had their own hardships and I liked watching them navigate their problems together. But the book deals with some aspects that can be triggering, so be careful and read the trigger warnings first. The characters were well developed, interesting and Julia & Eric had a good chemistry but I still felt like something was missing tbh. Also the book didn't have an epilogue, I would've liked to see how things changed when Eric finally moved to Washington and what would Julia do with her aspirations. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book. It was simple and quick with good writing.
I received an ARC from Social Butterfly PR in exchange of an honest review
This was a fast paced story, easy to get into, with an angsty plot. Eric & Julia were worlds apart but their prep-school encounter bought them into each other's orbits. They were a perfectly imperfect pair. Julia had gotten herself into some big trouble and Eric wanted to correct his wrongdoings, so he helped her settle the score. Both of them had their own hardships and I liked watching them navigate their problems together. But the book deals with some aspects that can be triggering, so be careful and read the trigger warnings first. The characters were well developed, interesting and Julia & Eric had a good chemistry but I still felt like something was missing tbh. Also the book didn't have an epilogue, I would've liked to see how things changed when Eric finally moved to Washington and what would Julia do with her aspirations. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book. It was simple and quick with good writing.
I received an ARC from Social Butterfly PR in exchange of an honest review
July 18, 2022
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: second chance romance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
"𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒘𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅, 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒕."
Just wow!! Heart wrenchingly beautiful story that just leaves you with all the warm fuzzies ♥️. Boyfriend Material is the long awaited second book in the Hawthorne University series and boy, was it a doozy! Julia has history with Eric Hansen. Like the made me feel like we had a connection, took my virginity, and left me high and dry kind. Is anyone really surprised? He rich and beautiful and Julia is the artsy scholarship kid at their super expensive private school. But everything is not as it seems in Eric's "perfect" life. Fast forward three years, Julia has become an expert at avoiding Eric at the college they both attend, but Eric is seems determined to change that. He keeps bumping into her and trying to save her from her pile of problems while his own are still mounting. Buried by familial exception, grades tanking, Eric knows he needs to get it together and while Julia is his bright spot, and he keep it together long enough to show that he's Boyfriend Material?
"𝑴𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝑰 𝒂𝒎, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔."
Sweet baby Jesus, guys! If you're expecting a fluffy, funny book, you sure aren't going to be getting it with this one. Boyfriend Material has a super poignant storyline that grabs you from the opening chapter, rips you apart, and then slowly pieces you back together again. Super angsty drama llama in the best of ways. Eric and Julia are both dealing with some heavy issues like familial addiction and mental health issues. I absolutely love Julia. This girl has had life kick repeatedly in the nuts and still manages to smile every day. She stands up for herself and is comfortable about who she is, despite wanting more out of life. Eric is an imperfect and broken hero who is struggling to find his footing. He's sweet and protective and he's over treating everything in his life like it doesn't matter, but still wrestling with the execution - especially with the heavy expectation to follow in his dead brother's shoes when all he wants is to play hockey and be with Julia. You can't help but love him, despite all his flaws. Boyfriend Material is a sweet slow burn, but there's electricity between these two characters that has you rooting for them the entire time.
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
Trope: second chance romance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
"𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒘𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅, 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒕."
Just wow!! Heart wrenchingly beautiful story that just leaves you with all the warm fuzzies ♥️. Boyfriend Material is the long awaited second book in the Hawthorne University series and boy, was it a doozy! Julia has history with Eric Hansen. Like the made me feel like we had a connection, took my virginity, and left me high and dry kind. Is anyone really surprised? He rich and beautiful and Julia is the artsy scholarship kid at their super expensive private school. But everything is not as it seems in Eric's "perfect" life. Fast forward three years, Julia has become an expert at avoiding Eric at the college they both attend, but Eric is seems determined to change that. He keeps bumping into her and trying to save her from her pile of problems while his own are still mounting. Buried by familial exception, grades tanking, Eric knows he needs to get it together and while Julia is his bright spot, and he keep it together long enough to show that he's Boyfriend Material?
"𝑴𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝑰 𝒂𝒎, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔."
Sweet baby Jesus, guys! If you're expecting a fluffy, funny book, you sure aren't going to be getting it with this one. Boyfriend Material has a super poignant storyline that grabs you from the opening chapter, rips you apart, and then slowly pieces you back together again. Super angsty drama llama in the best of ways. Eric and Julia are both dealing with some heavy issues like familial addiction and mental health issues. I absolutely love Julia. This girl has had life kick repeatedly in the nuts and still manages to smile every day. She stands up for herself and is comfortable about who she is, despite wanting more out of life. Eric is an imperfect and broken hero who is struggling to find his footing. He's sweet and protective and he's over treating everything in his life like it doesn't matter, but still wrestling with the execution - especially with the heavy expectation to follow in his dead brother's shoes when all he wants is to play hockey and be with Julia. You can't help but love him, despite all his flaws. Boyfriend Material is a sweet slow burn, but there's electricity between these two characters that has you rooting for them the entire time.
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
July 23, 2022
Boyfriend Material is book #2 of the Hawtorne University series by Ilsa Madden-Mills. It's a standalone new adult romance, told from both points of view with a HEA.
Genre: Young Adult Romance.
Tropes:
➵enemies to lovers
➵tortured hero & heroine
➵second chance
➵sports/hockey
Julia and Eric, now seniors at Hawthorne University aren’t strangers. They met in prep school, went out. Julia fell in love and then Eric pushed her aside.
Back then Julia was ambitious and driven and then her mother got in a difficult situation that snowballed and caused Julia to lose her college scholarship and get a job as a stripper and in debt until Eric rescues her.
For years Eric had been burying his guilt and trying to live up to his father’s expectations and be the son his parents lost. His only solace was hockey and one of his greatest regrets was Julia. But when he gets the chance to help her, he doesn’t hesitate and gladly accepts her friendship.
As the two spend time together hanging out, they become more. But can the hockey player and the stripper workout their seemingly opposite life plans?
I really enjoyed this book’s plotline. It wasn’t overly dramatic like some NA books. The sweet, swoony and sexy was skillfully balanced by the angst and heart stopping moments.
I know I’m being vague, but where would be the fun in telling you what happened to make me gasp and grip my husband’s thigh is shock and anxiety?
Rest assured I enjoyed every minute of this story. I loved Julia’s strength and resilience, adored Eric’s caring heart and vulnerability. I enjoyed all the secondary characters who I hope get their own books and melted with the epilogue.
By the numbers quick review:
★ World building: 💌💌💌💌
★ Character development: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
★ Overall Rating: 4.4
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/3cBTmik
★ I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via Social Butterfly. The excerpts are from that copy.
★ Check out all my book edits over at Instagram
Genre: Young Adult Romance.
Tropes:
➵enemies to lovers
➵tortured hero & heroine
➵second chance
➵sports/hockey
Julia and Eric, now seniors at Hawthorne University aren’t strangers. They met in prep school, went out. Julia fell in love and then Eric pushed her aside.
Back then Julia was ambitious and driven and then her mother got in a difficult situation that snowballed and caused Julia to lose her college scholarship and get a job as a stripper and in debt until Eric rescues her.
For years Eric had been burying his guilt and trying to live up to his father’s expectations and be the son his parents lost. His only solace was hockey and one of his greatest regrets was Julia. But when he gets the chance to help her, he doesn’t hesitate and gladly accepts her friendship.
As the two spend time together hanging out, they become more. But can the hockey player and the stripper workout their seemingly opposite life plans?
I really enjoyed this book’s plotline. It wasn’t overly dramatic like some NA books. The sweet, swoony and sexy was skillfully balanced by the angst and heart stopping moments.
I know I’m being vague, but where would be the fun in telling you what happened to make me gasp and grip my husband’s thigh is shock and anxiety?
Rest assured I enjoyed every minute of this story. I loved Julia’s strength and resilience, adored Eric’s caring heart and vulnerability. I enjoyed all the secondary characters who I hope get their own books and melted with the epilogue.
By the numbers quick review:
★ World building: 💌💌💌💌
★ Character development: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
★ Overall Rating: 4.4
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/3cBTmik
★ I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via Social Butterfly. The excerpts are from that copy.
★ Check out all my book edits over at Instagram
July 26, 2022
This one was fucked up…like dark shit. I was crying at 12am, scream into my pillow at 3am…like trigger warnings!! CHECK THEM please
Yes, there was angst but not that much of the good kind…i was like physically i’ll reading some of this.
I love julia SO MUCH! like my heart 💔 Eric is kinda a fucking asshole and not even a good one (most of the time).
I dont know how to feel about this one because I love Julia and her journey so much…she’s the reason i’d rate this high but the rest is too much.
Tbh i thought eric wasn’t good enough for julia. Go them for their recovery of their trauma but eric was not it for me. i’m kinda a petty bitch and i never forgive people (my red flag) so…✌️🤠
3/5⭐️
Yes, there was angst but not that much of the good kind…i was like physically i’ll reading some of this.
I love julia SO MUCH! like my heart 💔 Eric is kinda a fucking asshole and not even a good one (most of the time).
I dont know how to feel about this one because I love Julia and her journey so much…she’s the reason i’d rate this high but the rest is too much.
Tbh i thought eric wasn’t good enough for julia. Go them for their recovery of their trauma but eric was not it for me. i’m kinda a petty bitch and i never forgive people (my red flag) so…✌️🤠
3/5⭐️
July 31, 2022
Stripper and knight in shining armour
Nice well done but this do not have that plus that usually ilsa adds
Good
Warning for safe readers: abuse attempt
3.5 stars
Nice well done but this do not have that plus that usually ilsa adds
Good
Warning for safe readers: abuse attempt
3.5 stars
July 25, 2022
I am one of the lucky few (I’m only guessing it’s a few because I can’t imagine very many people in the world have not read every word ever published by Ilsa #craycray) that began this series just a few months ago but some of you have been waiting since 2019 (GASP) and you have my deepest condolences for your wait!
I enjoyed everything about this story, even the whole cliché haves and have nots background of Eric and Julia and the reason for that is Ilsa’s style of writing. This woman can take the most written about tropes and make them so entertaining you forget you’ve ever read such a trope :) She’s magic like that! She can have you laughing and crying all in the same chapter. She writes the sexy in her romance with steam as well as intimacy so poignant that you just might feel like your heart is bursting. She did all of that for Julia and Eric along with a fantastic cast of characters I hope we will be seeing future books for!
I never tire of reading an Ilsa story or listening to one as well. They are almost always so full of heart and hope with entertainment abound that they are easy to reread and relisten to over and over again. I should know, I’ve listened and/or read almost all her words over and over again!
Download your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PbjoYQ
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/boyfriendmaterialIMM
I enjoyed everything about this story, even the whole cliché haves and have nots background of Eric and Julia and the reason for that is Ilsa’s style of writing. This woman can take the most written about tropes and make them so entertaining you forget you’ve ever read such a trope :) She’s magic like that! She can have you laughing and crying all in the same chapter. She writes the sexy in her romance with steam as well as intimacy so poignant that you just might feel like your heart is bursting. She did all of that for Julia and Eric along with a fantastic cast of characters I hope we will be seeing future books for!
I never tire of reading an Ilsa story or listening to one as well. They are almost always so full of heart and hope with entertainment abound that they are easy to reread and relisten to over and over again. I should know, I’ve listened and/or read almost all her words over and over again!
Download your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PbjoYQ
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/boyfriendmaterialIMM
July 28, 2022
🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 Blue Butterfly Stars!
Hockey romance is my guilt pleasure, and Ilsa Madden-Mills can definitely do good fulfilling my addiction to them!
I've been waiting since forever to have Eric and Julia's love story, and I'm not disappointed with them!
Since Boyfriend Bargain, Eric was always the life of the party... The carefree hockey player, living his best college days.
Julia on the other hand, was secretive of her personal life and struggling to keep her head above water.
What i didn't expected was for Eric's carefree lifestyle to be just a facade that was hiding his own demons.
But the way he was protective of Julia and his friends, the way he fought for them but not for himself, just broke my heart.
I loved their connection, their chemistry, their friendship and the way that they were there for each other at every turn.
It was good to see Eric finally overcoming his survivor's guilt and taking the wheels of his own future!
That epilogue with Sugar and Z just warmed my heart to no end!
Is it too much to ask for a book for each one of Eric's roommates?
🎧 About the Audiobook Narration 🎧
Narrated by Lee Samuels and Alyssa Avery and it was chef's kiss!
Not a single complaining about the narration!
It was perfect and i love it!
I'll definitely be searching for more of their work!
November 2, 2022
No me gustó como el primer libro y mucho tiene que ver el background de la protagonista.
La historia no fue muy de mi agrado.
Eso si el final y el epílogo hicieron que no terminara con una mala sensación al contrario estuvieron bien bonitos y por eso le daré las 3 estrellas.
La historia no fue muy de mi agrado.
Eso si el final y el epílogo hicieron que no terminara con una mala sensación al contrario estuvieron bien bonitos y por eso le daré las 3 estrellas.
July 24, 2022
Arc, for an honest read.
In book 1 you get a vague idea of Julia. You know she's going through something intense & your drawn to her story, yet you haven't read it yet.
Now you're getting it & you're turning the pages quickly because you need to know what is going on, if she'll be okay, & what's going to happen next.
Eric is a no, yes, no, yes type of guy. He feels bad for how things went down in High School but he was going through something traumatic.
Now they're in college together, both still going through serious things but that attraction is smoldering between them.
I can't say anymore because I don't want to give it away.
BUT Eric & Julia-not all the water in the universe can douse their flames.
Amazing read!
In book 1 you get a vague idea of Julia. You know she's going through something intense & your drawn to her story, yet you haven't read it yet.
Now you're getting it & you're turning the pages quickly because you need to know what is going on, if she'll be okay, & what's going to happen next.
Eric is a no, yes, no, yes type of guy. He feels bad for how things went down in High School but he was going through something traumatic.
Now they're in college together, both still going through serious things but that attraction is smoldering between them.
I can't say anymore because I don't want to give it away.
BUT Eric & Julia-not all the water in the universe can douse their flames.
Amazing read!
July 27, 2022
I’ve been looking forward to Eric and Julia’s story for a long time and it was worth the wait.
This is definitely not your average college romance. These characters are dealing with serious issues and make some terrible mistakes that just hurt my heart. I loved how painful their love was at times, let’s face it, not all romances are hearts and flowers but they still deserve their HEA.
Definitely recommend.
I received an arc of this book
This is definitely not your average college romance. These characters are dealing with serious issues and make some terrible mistakes that just hurt my heart. I loved how painful their love was at times, let’s face it, not all romances are hearts and flowers but they still deserve their HEA.
Definitely recommend.
I received an arc of this book
July 25, 2022
I don't even know where to start with writing this review, I just want to hand everyone the book and say thank me later. But even that feels kind of redundant because obviously you already have it pre-ordered since it's an Ilsa Madden-Mills new release. And to top that it's a Hawthorne hockey book and we get Z and Sugar sprinkled in like confetti.
But really the book was awesome. Eric and Julia were both heartbreaking in their brokenness. And yet they were both so together and strong in fighting for what they wanted. And every time I celebrated them going through another trial there was something else they had to deal with. I honestly went through all the feels.
Then we get the surprise epilogue and I couldn't have loved it more. Like seriously sweet cherry on the cake. It completely tied all the bows on top of the present that it was. It even gave my vengeful side a little happy dance and then threw in a heap more sweet. Perfect.
But really the book was awesome. Eric and Julia were both heartbreaking in their brokenness. And yet they were both so together and strong in fighting for what they wanted. And every time I celebrated them going through another trial there was something else they had to deal with. I honestly went through all the feels.
Then we get the surprise epilogue and I couldn't have loved it more. Like seriously sweet cherry on the cake. It completely tied all the bows on top of the present that it was. It even gave my vengeful side a little happy dance and then threw in a heap more sweet. Perfect.
August 2, 2022
Was this book written by a ghost writer? Seriously, it was a hot mess and nothing like her other books.
I really wanted to love this book, but it was so over the top melodramatic, that I had to stop reading it.
The MMC just so happened to save the FMC from being SA’d twice, mugged once, and stopped a beating from a loanshark. Just because he happened to be walking by each time. Come the fuck on.
Then he white knights even more by paying off her $7k debt no sweat and then helps her when her addict mom is has a stroke.
I love both characters and their troubled backstories would have been all the drama needed, but instead we got a full season of a soap opera crammed into the 200 or so pages that I read.
Oh - and the MMC has long curly red hair but for some inexplicable reason, the author chose this weird looking blonde dude for the cover. It’s like false advertising. Why even have a photographic representation of your main character as the cover if you don’t even chose one that suits the character YOU wrote?
Update with SPOILERS:
i had to hate read more. There now has been:
- Police called on her for a camera someone lent her
- Hazing near death experience
- National hazing scandal and end of the fraternity
- Revenge by the douche ex outting her as a stripper and getting the MMC denied from law school
- A #MeToo moment going to the police and charges filed against her ex and almost rapist
- The same ex files charges against her in reverse for taking a tire iron to his car.
I’m not even done with this stupid book and every single paragraph is “oh yeah, this drama happened and then this drama happened” in the classic low energy tell not show.
I refuse to believe that a former English teacher wrote this pile of shit
I really wanted to love this book, but it was so over the top melodramatic, that I had to stop reading it.
The MMC just so happened to save the FMC from being SA’d twice, mugged once, and stopped a beating from a loanshark. Just because he happened to be walking by each time. Come the fuck on.
Then he white knights even more by paying off her $7k debt no sweat and then helps her when her addict mom is has a stroke.
I love both characters and their troubled backstories would have been all the drama needed, but instead we got a full season of a soap opera crammed into the 200 or so pages that I read.
Oh - and the MMC has long curly red hair but for some inexplicable reason, the author chose this weird looking blonde dude for the cover. It’s like false advertising. Why even have a photographic representation of your main character as the cover if you don’t even chose one that suits the character YOU wrote?
Update with SPOILERS:
i had to hate read more. There now has been:
- Police called on her for a camera someone lent her
- Hazing near death experience
- National hazing scandal and end of the fraternity
- Revenge by the douche ex outting her as a stripper and getting the MMC denied from law school
- A #MeToo moment going to the police and charges filed against her ex and almost rapist
- The same ex files charges against her in reverse for taking a tire iron to his car.
I’m not even done with this stupid book and every single paragraph is “oh yeah, this drama happened and then this drama happened” in the classic low energy tell not show.
I refuse to believe that a former English teacher wrote this pile of shit
August 18, 2024
Eric & Julia
July 24, 2022
Ilsa is the kind of author that manages to produce a unique book every single time.
Although you may have a faint idea of what is going to happen, when you start reading it's all different in some way. Her simple, fluid style is captivating. No frills and fillers here, nope, everything is deep, intense, smack in your face and brutally honest.
Her characters are so relatable, we're able to see ourselves so much in the tiniest details of their personalities. After all, we've all been through what these young conflicted people have to face in their journey.
A good book is all about arising feelings in the reader. This book had me on the edge of my seat, it made me smile, made me cry, a constellation of so many different feelings all packed into a lovable story, which I cannot get enough of. Thumbs up, a stellar book.
Although you may have a faint idea of what is going to happen, when you start reading it's all different in some way. Her simple, fluid style is captivating. No frills and fillers here, nope, everything is deep, intense, smack in your face and brutally honest.
Her characters are so relatable, we're able to see ourselves so much in the tiniest details of their personalities. After all, we've all been through what these young conflicted people have to face in their journey.
A good book is all about arising feelings in the reader. This book had me on the edge of my seat, it made me smile, made me cry, a constellation of so many different feelings all packed into a lovable story, which I cannot get enough of. Thumbs up, a stellar book.
August 2, 2022
Welp, this was darker than expected 🤣
July 25, 2022
3.5-4 'Miracle' Stars!
ARC provided via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
After three years of waiting for Eric and Julia’s love story, Ilsa Madden-Mills comes back to her HU series with an emotional hate-to-love / second-chance romance. And trust me, you are in for a very different perspective of these characters’ lives because this novel is full of angst, heartbreak, healing and a whole lot of chemistry (so very different from what we saw of them in the first book). It’s good to be back in Sparrow Lake!
So, Boyfriend Material is the second installment in Ilsa’s Hawthorne University series and, as I said, it’s the love story between Julia Lauren and Eric Hansen. Both characters are going through tough times, Julia because of her job and lack of freedom because of her status and Eric because he is lost after the death of his brother and lack of love and support from his father. Eric and Julia were together years ago, but their relationship ended suddenly. Maybe it’s time for a second chance now if they are able to peel away the layers keeping them apart?
This is different. We have a history, a backstory that craves to be rewritten, and maybe this is how we do it.
This is not an easy story to read. Both Eric and Julia go through hell because of different aspects in their lives and they reconnect in a very bad moment. Their worlds are polar opposites, but their connection is too strong to ignore. There are many obstacles and difficulties to get to their happy ending but that doesn’t stop them. As I said, their chemistry is intense. And yes, I do have to say it’s not my favorite book from Ilsa (I found it too slow at times) but still, I enjoyed reading Eric and Julia’s romance and then finally getting to read their HEA.
She is what motivates me to face the world.
And no matter what challenges we face, she’s here.
Unconditionally.
Therefore, I am rating Boyfriend Material with 3.5-4 STARS because it was a very good continuation to the first installment. I loved reading the true story behind Julia and Eric and how that affects their past and present. Their relationship evolves slowly but surely and when that explodes.. SPARKS! Their chemistry is so good and I am glad these two got happiness together. As I said, though, it's not my favorite wrttien by Ilsa but still a good and emotional love story to follow the first installment.
ARC provided via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
After three years of waiting for Eric and Julia’s love story, Ilsa Madden-Mills comes back to her HU series with an emotional hate-to-love / second-chance romance. And trust me, you are in for a very different perspective of these characters’ lives because this novel is full of angst, heartbreak, healing and a whole lot of chemistry (so very different from what we saw of them in the first book). It’s good to be back in Sparrow Lake!
So, Boyfriend Material is the second installment in Ilsa’s Hawthorne University series and, as I said, it’s the love story between Julia Lauren and Eric Hansen. Both characters are going through tough times, Julia because of her job and lack of freedom because of her status and Eric because he is lost after the death of his brother and lack of love and support from his father. Eric and Julia were together years ago, but their relationship ended suddenly. Maybe it’s time for a second chance now if they are able to peel away the layers keeping them apart?
This is different. We have a history, a backstory that craves to be rewritten, and maybe this is how we do it.
This is not an easy story to read. Both Eric and Julia go through hell because of different aspects in their lives and they reconnect in a very bad moment. Their worlds are polar opposites, but their connection is too strong to ignore. There are many obstacles and difficulties to get to their happy ending but that doesn’t stop them. As I said, their chemistry is intense. And yes, I do have to say it’s not my favorite book from Ilsa (I found it too slow at times) but still, I enjoyed reading Eric and Julia’s romance and then finally getting to read their HEA.
She is what motivates me to face the world.
And no matter what challenges we face, she’s here.
Unconditionally.
Therefore, I am rating Boyfriend Material with 3.5-4 STARS because it was a very good continuation to the first installment. I loved reading the true story behind Julia and Eric and how that affects their past and present. Their relationship evolves slowly but surely and when that explodes.. SPARKS! Their chemistry is so good and I am glad these two got happiness together. As I said, though, it's not my favorite wrttien by Ilsa but still a good and emotional love story to follow the first installment.
Want to read
June 27, 2019I’m so excited!! This better be about Eric and you know who!
July 18, 2022
I absolutely adore Ilsa Madden-Mills' stories. Her writing brings all the emotions and feels while also delivering my need for alpha males and sassy heroines! Boyfriend Material is the second installment in the fantastic Hawthorne University series. Julia and Eric were great characters This was a sort of second chance for them as they had a turbulent history from their prep school days.
Overall, I liked Boyfriend Material but felt that it was a tad different than most stories by this author. I felt it was heavily focused more on Julia and Eric's personal issues and demons they faced separately with their families and in their own lives vs. the issues they faced as a couple. I also felt like the chemistry was somewhat missing. I didn't feel the usual swoons and butterflies I've come to expect from Madden-Mills. However, I will say that I LOVED the extended cast of characters/friends, namely Reece, and hope we get more books about them in the future! 4 stars! ~Ratula ❤️
Overall, I liked Boyfriend Material but felt that it was a tad different than most stories by this author. I felt it was heavily focused more on Julia and Eric's personal issues and demons they faced separately with their families and in their own lives vs. the issues they faced as a couple. I also felt like the chemistry was somewhat missing. I didn't feel the usual swoons and butterflies I've come to expect from Madden-Mills. However, I will say that I LOVED the extended cast of characters/friends, namely Reece, and hope we get more books about them in the future! 4 stars! ~Ratula ❤️
July 21, 2022
Thank you to Social Butterfly PR and the author for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
So...I read the first book, Boyfriend Bargain, and this book back-to-back. I enjoyed this book and cruised through it, but it is much darker than the first book. Very angsty and emotional. Not too many lighter moments. Eric is a completely different person in this book than in the first one. He was portrayed as a flirt and a jokester in Boyfriend Bargain. In this book, none of that is shown. He has heavy expectations and pressure from his family (specifically his dad) and is trying to live up to his dead brother's reputation.
Julia owes a lot of money (it seems to everyone she knows) as her mom is living in her car and an addict. She has not had an easy life. It seems all the men in her life treat her terribly. In comes Eric as her knight in shining armor.
As I was reading this, I noticed some similarities to the first book. Julia and Eric mention taking a Poetry class in prep school. Z and Sugar did that in Boyfriend Bargain. (I have never taken a Poetry class.) Just thought a different type of class could have been mentioned. Eric and his roommates have a pet ferret that somehow takes a liking to him. With Z, it was a cat. Both Eric and Z have tremendous guilt over something that happened in their past.
There are some seriously heavy moments with the men in this book towards Julia. I think a lot of the angst and drama overtakes the romance between them. Like I said, I enjoyed it, but not as much as Boyfriend Bargain.
So...I read the first book, Boyfriend Bargain, and this book back-to-back. I enjoyed this book and cruised through it, but it is much darker than the first book. Very angsty and emotional. Not too many lighter moments. Eric is a completely different person in this book than in the first one. He was portrayed as a flirt and a jokester in Boyfriend Bargain. In this book, none of that is shown. He has heavy expectations and pressure from his family (specifically his dad) and is trying to live up to his dead brother's reputation.
Julia owes a lot of money (it seems to everyone she knows) as her mom is living in her car and an addict. She has not had an easy life. It seems all the men in her life treat her terribly. In comes Eric as her knight in shining armor.
As I was reading this, I noticed some similarities to the first book. Julia and Eric mention taking a Poetry class in prep school. Z and Sugar did that in Boyfriend Bargain. (I have never taken a Poetry class.) Just thought a different type of class could have been mentioned. Eric and his roommates have a pet ferret that somehow takes a liking to him. With Z, it was a cat. Both Eric and Z have tremendous guilt over something that happened in their past.
There are some seriously heavy moments with the men in this book towards Julia. I think a lot of the angst and drama overtakes the romance between them. Like I said, I enjoyed it, but not as much as Boyfriend Bargain.
July 26, 2022
I'm not too sure about this one. It wasn't bad and it did have me staying up late to read it, but there was something missing. Mainly the romance which felt like it was pushed to the background to make room for a ton of angst. Between Julia's constant troubles and Eric's struggling under his parents pressure there was just too much going on. Some of the drama felt forced and unnecessary, especially if it was something that separated the characters for only a very brief time.
Honestly, there was a little too much back and forth between them for me. On more than one occasion I felt like their relationship was finally moving in the right direction but then out of nowhere Eric was being a dick again and we didn't really get an explanation on why? It made it hard for me to see any connection between them and by the end I didn't find them to be a very believable couple.
Also I have to say the blurb was a little misleading. It made me think Eric would pursue Julia and try to prove that he was worthy, but really it was more like they kept being pushed together by outside things and he was just there at the right moments. I'm all for an angsty read, and even some darkness, but in this story it felt like too much and honestly this wasn't a book I was expecting from Ilsa Madden-Mills. I've read a lot of her books and this one just didn't have that same feeling her other works do.
Honestly, there was a little too much back and forth between them for me. On more than one occasion I felt like their relationship was finally moving in the right direction but then out of nowhere Eric was being a dick again and we didn't really get an explanation on why? It made it hard for me to see any connection between them and by the end I didn't find them to be a very believable couple.
Also I have to say the blurb was a little misleading. It made me think Eric would pursue Julia and try to prove that he was worthy, but really it was more like they kept being pushed together by outside things and he was just there at the right moments. I'm all for an angsty read, and even some darkness, but in this story it felt like too much and honestly this wasn't a book I was expecting from Ilsa Madden-Mills. I've read a lot of her books and this one just didn't have that same feeling her other works do.
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