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Safe
Landon
King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men.
A place I don’t want to be. But it’s a good opportunity. So I take it, hoping it’ll help me land a scholarship and eventually get my family out of our tiny trailer.
Though I didn’t know he’d be here.
That sickly kid from my past who always tried to mess with me.
Now he’s all grown up and captain of the football team I’m joining.
He wants me to be miserable.
He wants me to leave.
But when I get too close and see everything he holds under the surface, all I want to do is stay.
Grant
What is he doing here?
He’s from a time that no one is supposed to know about. A secret that continues to haunt me under my angry facade.
I try to make him miserable.
I try to make him leave.
He won’t budge, threatening everything I’ve kept hidden away.
But when I accidentally let him in, I find that he makes me feel the one thing I’ve been chasing all these years.
Safe.
Safe is an MM bully romance that contains the following sports, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, and high angst. Please check the CW to see if this book is for you.
King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men.
A place I don’t want to be. But it’s a good opportunity. So I take it, hoping it’ll help me land a scholarship and eventually get my family out of our tiny trailer.
Though I didn’t know he’d be here.
That sickly kid from my past who always tried to mess with me.
Now he’s all grown up and captain of the football team I’m joining.
He wants me to be miserable.
He wants me to leave.
But when I get too close and see everything he holds under the surface, all I want to do is stay.
Grant
What is he doing here?
He’s from a time that no one is supposed to know about. A secret that continues to haunt me under my angry facade.
I try to make him miserable.
I try to make him leave.
He won’t budge, threatening everything I’ve kept hidden away.
But when I accidentally let him in, I find that he makes me feel the one thing I’ve been chasing all these years.
Safe.
Safe is an MM bully romance that contains the following sports, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, and high angst. Please check the CW to see if this book is for you.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2025
485 people are currently reading
2293 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews
August 26, 2025
6 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I WENT IN EXPECTING NOTHING. I GOT EVERYTHING !!!!!!…
You make me feel safe. Safe. Safe. Safe. Safe.
This is (maybe)the longest review I’ve ever written, and likely ever will write. Not because I have to, but because this book deserves it. I spent hours pouring my thoughts into this, and honestly, it’s worth every single second.
Going into this book, my only intention was curiosity. I’d seen countless reviews and all the love and HATE it received, and I had to know why. I expected to hate it myself. I walked in with zero hope and no expectations, fully prepared to be the biggest critic. But something inside me told me I needed to read it, and by the end, I couldn’t believe how completely, utterly glad I was that I picked it up. HOH.
From Chapter 1, we meet Landon and Grant at just ten years old AND there’s something between them—an electric, messy tension that’s impossible to fully understand, but it immediately pulls you in. Landon’s mother brings him to Grant’s uncle’s mansion so she can work as a maid, leaving Landon in charge of Grend, an orphan boy who lost his parents at a very young age who seemed to be rude, quick to anger, and utterly unpredictable. Their interactions are complicated, frustrating, and yet utterly fascinating—you can’t look away.
Early on, Grant frames Landon’s mother as a thief. Even though it’s obvious from the start that he made it up, the audacity and cunning behind it are shocking. Landon’s anger and his fierce defense of his mother only make the situation more intense. And even though Grant is rude, difficult, and weird, I could immediately sense that there’s something very veryyyy special about him—a character who will stand out in his complicated way as the story unfolds.SO that mystery, and that strange allure of Grant make the book impossible to put down—you can’t help but want to see how this tangled relationship will develop.
EIGHT years have passed, and yet Landon’s life feels almost the same...But we see how Landon carries himself like someone who has always been responsible. From a young age, he shoulders burdens, protects his family, and approaches life with a sense of duty that so many others lack. When I encounter characters like this, I notice immediately—because I am tired of shallow, idiotic, and careless characters whose actions betray their age, whose supposed maturity is nothing but a number on a page, and whose choices are frustratingly self-centered. London is different. His devotion, his reliability, his willingness to take responsibility—even amidst cruelty—commands attention and respect. He is not perfect, yeah, but he is grounded, and somehow, for me, profoundly compelling.
AND then, Grant appears....
AND from the very first moment they meet, the venom is there. Grant's words strike sharp and fast, dripping with malice and intent, and the tension is immediate hehehehehe, electric and damn suffocating. Landon meets it not with equal ferocity, but with quiet, deliberate restraint, each measured response a testament to his patience and inner strength. He came for a purpose and couldn’t let his chance slip away, for anything else. I COULD NEVER DO WHAT HE DOES. Grant’s cruelty, his obsession with making Landon suffer, is relentless in breaking him piece by piece, and if I were in his place, I would have shattered long ago. And yet, beneath the cruelty, the story slowly reveals Grant's fractured humanity—the trauma, the pain, the brokenness that shapes him ✨️[.....I can’t be empathetic right now—I’m trying to survive......]✨️ Understanding this does not excuse his actions, but it makes forgiveness not just possible, but inevitable. I tried to hate him. I reaaaaaallllly really did. Every cutting word screamed for it. But Landon’s heart, his ability to see beyond the venom to the shattered soul beneath, forces us to recognize the complexity of human nature, the intertwined threads of love, pain, and cruelty ✨️[......Because you settle me. Because you feed a deep part of me that I thought had been killed off. I don’t understand it, but you do. And I need it. I need that feeling.....]✨️Grant is the character I livvvvvve for in my bully romances—the CRUELER, the BETTER. And frankly, I don’t care that everyone hates him for being mean. Isn't that the point???? He isn’t meant to be charming, sweet, or likable to anyone but Landon. As I said the meaner he is, the better the story—and for me, that is more than enough. Maybe that makes me crazy, but this is my perspective, and it’s not anyone else’s concern.
What I love most about the writing is the way the author could take someone like Grant— someone so deeply cruel, manipulative, and seemingly irredeemable — and slowly strip away the armor until you’re face-to-face with the brokenness underneath that boy. She doesn’t excuse his actions INSTEAD she lets you see the pain, the trauma, the reasons behind them. And somehow, without you even realizing it, she makes forgiveness not just possible but also inevitable. His actions were wrong.YES.but by the time his truth unfolded, I found myself thinking: IF LANDON CAN FORGIVE HIM, SO CAN I.
After falling for Grant, I found myself loving every heartbeat of this book. Most stories start to fade for me as the chapters close, but this one refused to let go. I was completely caught in its grip, needing to know what would happen next — who would take action, who would face the weight of it, who would rise, and who would fall. Every single character felt alive, important, and essential, their choices shaping the story in ways that kept my heart racing.
There was a fucking pulse to the writing, a raw energy that made me feel like I was living inside the pages. The build-up was steady but relentless, the tension electric, and the chemistry between the main characters WAS THE FIRE THAT burned with a force that was impossible to look away from. Their bond was complicated.YES. Imperfect.YES.and achingly human — shocking, yes, but the kind of shock that wakes you up and makes you feel something deep in your chest. It was kinda messy. And intense in a way that made me forget the world around me, and when I finally looked up from the pages, I felt like I had just lived a whole other life with these characters. AND I MISSED THAT FEELING SOOOO MUCH.
MAYBE I FELT THAT STRONG CONNECTION TO GRANT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND HOW RARE AND TERRIFYING TRUE VULNERABILITY IS. IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES EASILY. YOU HAVE TO PEEL AWAY EVERY LAYER OF PROTECTION, EVERY WALL YOU’VE BUILT, AND STAND THERE HOPING SOMEONE WILL SEE YOU AND CHOOSE TO KEEP YOU SAFE. WE ALL HAVE THAT SAME NEED INSIDE US, EVEN IF WE PRETEND WE DON’T ..... THAT YEARNING TO FIND A PLACE, OR A PERSON, WHERE WE CAN FINALLY SET OUR BURDENS DOWN. SOMETIMES IT’S IN THE BIG THINGS ...THE LIFE-CHANGING MOMENTS, THE STORMS YOU WEATHER TOGETHER .... AND SOMETIMES IT’S IN THE SMALLEST GESTURES THAT WHISPER, I’VE GOT YOU. THAT WAS GRANT’S WHOLE LIFE, LIVING WITH THAT QUIET ACHING FOR SAFETY, AND FOR HIM, THAT SAFETY HAD A NAME. IT WAS: Landon Moore.
Nothing about Grant and Landon’s relationship ever felt forced or cheap. Every moment between them crackled with tension and chemistry. Watching Landon assert himself, taking control with confidence and care, while Grant, well Grant for the first time in his life, allowed himself to be vulnerable, to surrender, to cry, and to feel safe amidst the anger that had always defined him, was unforgettable ✨️[.......And I need it. I need him. He shuts my brain off. Keeps my demons at bay. Keeps everyone at bay. When he takes control of me, I feel good… for once........]✨️. Landon’s kindness, his fierce passion, and his ability to truly care for others made his character impossible not to love. What struck me most was how their connection ran deeper than any surface-level attraction or conflict.✨️[“I’m serious. Your tears are like diamonds. They reflect all the light. You make everything brighter in my life. Even in your sadness.”........]✨️. I don’t believe they ever truly hated each other; their love had always been present, quietly simmering beneath anger, fear, and secrets. The story allowed us to witness that love unfold, proving in the most satisfying way that these two, despite everything, were always meant for each other.AAAAAAAAAAAAA.
The smut was scorching, but it was more than just heat —Ahhhhh it was filthy, passionate, and deeply layered with emotions. Grant's unhesitant submission, Landon’s unrelenting, dirty dominance, the sheer intensity of their connection — it made me shamelessly cry from both the beauty and the depth of feeling I didn’t even know I had. Grant’s pain made every moment ache with realism, and yet their raw, filthy passion was completely believable. I'm DYING for their relationship .... and the fact that it wasn’t just about lust; it was about vulnerability, trust, and the kind of intimacy that leaves you breathless long after the scene ends.
✨️[......“It hurts like hell to know that you went through this. And all alone. But now you don’t have to.”..........]✨️
The rest of the characters were just as remarkable and memorable as Grend and Landon.... Declan was so relatable, perfectly representing the reader .. reacting, questioning, and feeling exactly as we would. Even though there are two different couples in the story, the author knows exactly how to make both equally interesting without ever losing our investment in our main couple. Every other character is vivid, compelling, and unforgettable, I’M DESPERATEEEEEEE
to read the other books just to spend more time with them.👉👈🙏🙏🙇🏻♀️🙇🏻♀️.
The final chapters delved deeply into Grant's perspective, revealing his trauma, his fear, his silence, and the weight of a lifetime of pain. It was unforgettable and profoundly moving. Watching him struggle to accept London’s love, to push him away, and to try to make things right in the only ways he knew how was heartbreakingly realistic, painfully human, and yet beautiful. The ending never felt rushed — it was fully earned. Monster's destruction hit with perfect impact, and Landon’s love for Grant was overwhelming, unwavering, and utterly selfless. And I'm so fucking proud of my baby Grant for trying till the last minute to fix what he thought he ruined.
》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
💔[ ....“Thank you,” he whispers quietly. “Your soul doesn’t need this,” he repeats. “But mine does.”......] 💔
》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
In the end, nothing could ever make me hate Grant. I loved him from the very moment he appeared. ✨️SAFE✨️ has secured a permanent, safe place in my heart. Yes, I may sound dramatic, and perhaps my words make everything feel flawless, but I can’t hide how deeply I feel. I saw this book for exactly what it is, and to me, it was nothing short of perfect.
This story was powerful, unforgettable, and intensely moving. I don’t want to forget it anytime soon, and yet, I know it will never truly leave my mind — it has left a mark that will stay with me foreverrrrr.
I WENT IN EXPECTING NOTHING. I GOT EVERYTHING !!!!!!…
You make me feel safe. Safe. Safe. Safe. Safe.
This is (maybe)the longest review I’ve ever written, and likely ever will write. Not because I have to, but because this book deserves it. I spent hours pouring my thoughts into this, and honestly, it’s worth every single second.
Going into this book, my only intention was curiosity. I’d seen countless reviews and all the love and HATE it received, and I had to know why. I expected to hate it myself. I walked in with zero hope and no expectations, fully prepared to be the biggest critic. But something inside me told me I needed to read it, and by the end, I couldn’t believe how completely, utterly glad I was that I picked it up. HOH.
From Chapter 1, we meet Landon and Grant at just ten years old AND there’s something between them—an electric, messy tension that’s impossible to fully understand, but it immediately pulls you in. Landon’s mother brings him to Grant’s uncle’s mansion so she can work as a maid, leaving Landon in charge of Grend, an orphan boy who lost his parents at a very young age who seemed to be rude, quick to anger, and utterly unpredictable. Their interactions are complicated, frustrating, and yet utterly fascinating—you can’t look away.
Early on, Grant frames Landon’s mother as a thief. Even though it’s obvious from the start that he made it up, the audacity and cunning behind it are shocking. Landon’s anger and his fierce defense of his mother only make the situation more intense. And even though Grant is rude, difficult, and weird, I could immediately sense that there’s something very veryyyy special about him—a character who will stand out in his complicated way as the story unfolds.SO that mystery, and that strange allure of Grant make the book impossible to put down—you can’t help but want to see how this tangled relationship will develop.
EIGHT years have passed, and yet Landon’s life feels almost the same...But we see how Landon carries himself like someone who has always been responsible. From a young age, he shoulders burdens, protects his family, and approaches life with a sense of duty that so many others lack. When I encounter characters like this, I notice immediately—because I am tired of shallow, idiotic, and careless characters whose actions betray their age, whose supposed maturity is nothing but a number on a page, and whose choices are frustratingly self-centered. London is different. His devotion, his reliability, his willingness to take responsibility—even amidst cruelty—commands attention and respect. He is not perfect, yeah, but he is grounded, and somehow, for me, profoundly compelling.
AND then, Grant appears....
AND from the very first moment they meet, the venom is there. Grant's words strike sharp and fast, dripping with malice and intent, and the tension is immediate hehehehehe, electric and damn suffocating. Landon meets it not with equal ferocity, but with quiet, deliberate restraint, each measured response a testament to his patience and inner strength. He came for a purpose and couldn’t let his chance slip away, for anything else. I COULD NEVER DO WHAT HE DOES. Grant’s cruelty, his obsession with making Landon suffer, is relentless in breaking him piece by piece, and if I were in his place, I would have shattered long ago. And yet, beneath the cruelty, the story slowly reveals Grant's fractured humanity—the trauma, the pain, the brokenness that shapes him ✨️[.....I can’t be empathetic right now—I’m trying to survive......]✨️ Understanding this does not excuse his actions, but it makes forgiveness not just possible, but inevitable. I tried to hate him. I reaaaaaallllly really did. Every cutting word screamed for it. But Landon’s heart, his ability to see beyond the venom to the shattered soul beneath, forces us to recognize the complexity of human nature, the intertwined threads of love, pain, and cruelty ✨️[......Because you settle me. Because you feed a deep part of me that I thought had been killed off. I don’t understand it, but you do. And I need it. I need that feeling.....]✨️Grant is the character I livvvvvve for in my bully romances—the CRUELER, the BETTER. And frankly, I don’t care that everyone hates him for being mean. Isn't that the point???? He isn’t meant to be charming, sweet, or likable to anyone but Landon. As I said the meaner he is, the better the story—and for me, that is more than enough. Maybe that makes me crazy, but this is my perspective, and it’s not anyone else’s concern.
What I love most about the writing is the way the author could take someone like Grant— someone so deeply cruel, manipulative, and seemingly irredeemable — and slowly strip away the armor until you’re face-to-face with the brokenness underneath that boy. She doesn’t excuse his actions INSTEAD she lets you see the pain, the trauma, the reasons behind them. And somehow, without you even realizing it, she makes forgiveness not just possible but also inevitable. His actions were wrong.YES.but by the time his truth unfolded, I found myself thinking: IF LANDON CAN FORGIVE HIM, SO CAN I.
After falling for Grant, I found myself loving every heartbeat of this book. Most stories start to fade for me as the chapters close, but this one refused to let go. I was completely caught in its grip, needing to know what would happen next — who would take action, who would face the weight of it, who would rise, and who would fall. Every single character felt alive, important, and essential, their choices shaping the story in ways that kept my heart racing.
There was a fucking pulse to the writing, a raw energy that made me feel like I was living inside the pages. The build-up was steady but relentless, the tension electric, and the chemistry between the main characters WAS THE FIRE THAT burned with a force that was impossible to look away from. Their bond was complicated.YES. Imperfect.YES.and achingly human — shocking, yes, but the kind of shock that wakes you up and makes you feel something deep in your chest. It was kinda messy. And intense in a way that made me forget the world around me, and when I finally looked up from the pages, I felt like I had just lived a whole other life with these characters. AND I MISSED THAT FEELING SOOOO MUCH.
MAYBE I FELT THAT STRONG CONNECTION TO GRANT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND HOW RARE AND TERRIFYING TRUE VULNERABILITY IS. IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES EASILY. YOU HAVE TO PEEL AWAY EVERY LAYER OF PROTECTION, EVERY WALL YOU’VE BUILT, AND STAND THERE HOPING SOMEONE WILL SEE YOU AND CHOOSE TO KEEP YOU SAFE. WE ALL HAVE THAT SAME NEED INSIDE US, EVEN IF WE PRETEND WE DON’T ..... THAT YEARNING TO FIND A PLACE, OR A PERSON, WHERE WE CAN FINALLY SET OUR BURDENS DOWN. SOMETIMES IT’S IN THE BIG THINGS ...THE LIFE-CHANGING MOMENTS, THE STORMS YOU WEATHER TOGETHER .... AND SOMETIMES IT’S IN THE SMALLEST GESTURES THAT WHISPER, I’VE GOT YOU. THAT WAS GRANT’S WHOLE LIFE, LIVING WITH THAT QUIET ACHING FOR SAFETY, AND FOR HIM, THAT SAFETY HAD A NAME. IT WAS: Landon Moore.
Nothing about Grant and Landon’s relationship ever felt forced or cheap. Every moment between them crackled with tension and chemistry. Watching Landon assert himself, taking control with confidence and care, while Grant, well Grant for the first time in his life, allowed himself to be vulnerable, to surrender, to cry, and to feel safe amidst the anger that had always defined him, was unforgettable ✨️[.......And I need it. I need him. He shuts my brain off. Keeps my demons at bay. Keeps everyone at bay. When he takes control of me, I feel good… for once........]✨️. Landon’s kindness, his fierce passion, and his ability to truly care for others made his character impossible not to love. What struck me most was how their connection ran deeper than any surface-level attraction or conflict.✨️[“I’m serious. Your tears are like diamonds. They reflect all the light. You make everything brighter in my life. Even in your sadness.”........]✨️. I don’t believe they ever truly hated each other; their love had always been present, quietly simmering beneath anger, fear, and secrets. The story allowed us to witness that love unfold, proving in the most satisfying way that these two, despite everything, were always meant for each other.AAAAAAAAAAAAA.
The smut was scorching, but it was more than just heat —Ahhhhh it was filthy, passionate, and deeply layered with emotions. Grant's unhesitant submission, Landon’s unrelenting, dirty dominance, the sheer intensity of their connection — it made me shamelessly cry from both the beauty and the depth of feeling I didn’t even know I had. Grant’s pain made every moment ache with realism, and yet their raw, filthy passion was completely believable. I'm DYING for their relationship .... and the fact that it wasn’t just about lust; it was about vulnerability, trust, and the kind of intimacy that leaves you breathless long after the scene ends.
✨️[......“It hurts like hell to know that you went through this. And all alone. But now you don’t have to.”..........]✨️
The rest of the characters were just as remarkable and memorable as Grend and Landon.... Declan was so relatable, perfectly representing the reader .. reacting, questioning, and feeling exactly as we would. Even though there are two different couples in the story, the author knows exactly how to make both equally interesting without ever losing our investment in our main couple. Every other character is vivid, compelling, and unforgettable, I’M DESPERATEEEEEEE
to read the other books just to spend more time with them.👉👈🙏🙏🙇🏻♀️🙇🏻♀️.
The final chapters delved deeply into Grant's perspective, revealing his trauma, his fear, his silence, and the weight of a lifetime of pain. It was unforgettable and profoundly moving. Watching him struggle to accept London’s love, to push him away, and to try to make things right in the only ways he knew how was heartbreakingly realistic, painfully human, and yet beautiful. The ending never felt rushed — it was fully earned. Monster's destruction hit with perfect impact, and Landon’s love for Grant was overwhelming, unwavering, and utterly selfless. And I'm so fucking proud of my baby Grant for trying till the last minute to fix what he thought he ruined.
》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
💔[ ....“Thank you,” he whispers quietly. “Your soul doesn’t need this,” he repeats. “But mine does.”......] 💔
》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
In the end, nothing could ever make me hate Grant. I loved him from the very moment he appeared. ✨️SAFE✨️ has secured a permanent, safe place in my heart. Yes, I may sound dramatic, and perhaps my words make everything feel flawless, but I can’t hide how deeply I feel. I saw this book for exactly what it is, and to me, it was nothing short of perfect.
This story was powerful, unforgettable, and intensely moving. I don’t want to forget it anytime soon, and yet, I know it will never truly leave my mind — it has left a mark that will stay with me foreverrrrr.
December 26, 2025
FROM BULLYING TO 'I LOVE YOU' IN 1 CONVERSATION OR LESS, OR YOUR MONEY BACK FOLKS!
(You will be getting your money back, I assure you...)
Also, cum SHOULD NEVER "drop onto the floor with an audible plop"
Drink some water, you dehyrdated lil fuck.
To be fair to the book, when the smut was smutting:
And then.... you remember they're in school:
Then they start fucking like porn stars after mentioning they both inexperienced:
When the plot/peak of the story finally shows itself:
This was a bully romance executed badly imo.
BECAUSE IS THE CHEMISTRY IN THE ROOM WITH US?
There are so many plot points that aren't explained, as a reader, I guess your job is to just fill in the blanks and fucking guess?
Yuck, fuck off.
The "I hate u/I love u" transition comes out of no where.
I read this for book club and we all came to the same feeling when the I love you came out: WHERE DID THIS EVEN COME FROM?
They had like 1 on page convo that wasn't bullying or fucking before I love you.
And their first character development into liking eachother WAS TOLD TO YOU 🙄🙄🙄
"We celebrated by having a marathon session of blowing eachother most of the weekend. In between make out and talking, which was new. And I didn't mind it. At all. He told me his favourite foods. Movies. When he started playing football"
WOW, AM I SUPPOSED TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE BARE MINIMUM CONVERSATION?? 🙄🙄🙄
Wooooooooooow, give us nothingggggggggggg yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssss.
AND I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE BEING SHOWN NOTHING AND JUST TOLD US ABOUT THESE GREAT CONVOS INSTEAD......... 🙄🙄🙄
Once the 'baby' got dropped too, holy fuck, it was like the seal was broken and the dam gates burst, and the heavens opened, because holy fuck. It was in sentences twice at a time. IS THIS NECESSARY??
The pet names be cringe af when you remember these two are 17/18 years old.
I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. The smut was hot enough, I enjoyed the dynamic because I didn't expect it, but when I would start remembering the plot outside of the sexual moments, I remembered how much these characters are mid and unimaginative, and the plot was fucking stupid.
Was a pleasure as always my bookclub girlies 💖💖💖💖
(You will be getting your money back, I assure you...)
Also, cum SHOULD NEVER "drop onto the floor with an audible plop"
Drink some water, you dehyrdated lil fuck.
To be fair to the book, when the smut was smutting:
And then.... you remember they're in school:
Then they start fucking like porn stars after mentioning they both inexperienced:
When the plot/peak of the story finally shows itself:
This was a bully romance executed badly imo.
BECAUSE IS THE CHEMISTRY IN THE ROOM WITH US?
There are so many plot points that aren't explained, as a reader, I guess your job is to just fill in the blanks and fucking guess?
Yuck, fuck off.
The "I hate u/I love u" transition comes out of no where.
I read this for book club and we all came to the same feeling when the I love you came out: WHERE DID THIS EVEN COME FROM?
They had like 1 on page convo that wasn't bullying or fucking before I love you.
And their first character development into liking eachother WAS TOLD TO YOU 🙄🙄🙄
"We celebrated by having a marathon session of blowing eachother most of the weekend. In between make out and talking, which was new. And I didn't mind it. At all. He told me his favourite foods. Movies. When he started playing football"
WOW, AM I SUPPOSED TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE BARE MINIMUM CONVERSATION?? 🙄🙄🙄
Wooooooooooow, give us nothingggggggggggg yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssss.
AND I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE BEING SHOWN NOTHING AND JUST TOLD US ABOUT THESE GREAT CONVOS INSTEAD......... 🙄🙄🙄
Once the 'baby' got dropped too, holy fuck, it was like the seal was broken and the dam gates burst, and the heavens opened, because holy fuck. It was in sentences twice at a time. IS THIS NECESSARY??
The pet names be cringe af when you remember these two are 17/18 years old.
I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. The smut was hot enough, I enjoyed the dynamic because I didn't expect it, but when I would start remembering the plot outside of the sexual moments, I remembered how much these characters are mid and unimaginative, and the plot was fucking stupid.
Was a pleasure as always my bookclub girlies 💖💖💖💖
July 25, 2025
I’m a bit disappointed, ngl.🫤 The connection between them didn’t feel earned and the chemistry really was not there. Too much insta lust. Too much telling and not enough showing. This is a bully romance so ofc I didn’t expect there to be any of the typical romance stuff ever but there should still be that buzz you feel between the characters, some good banter, a delicious push and pull… but yeah idk it all felt lacking to me. Too much missing for me! And I love a good bully romance I really do. Just not this one.🫣
September 25, 2025
⋆˚࿔ Review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
2⭐️
I will never understand bully romances. Out of all the people in the world, you pick that miserable twat? Just because misery loves company doesn’t mean you need to sign up for it too.
Grant—ugh. My hatred for him runs deep. Every page with him felt like punishment. He’s insufferable, cruel, and honestly just frustrating beyond belief. Landon isn’t much better. Why would you ever want him after everything he did? Did you get amnesia? Because the way he treated you, and you still fell for him? Disgusting. I can’t wrap my head around it.
The coach was the only “good” one in this mess, and the younger sister at least added a touch of cuteness. But beyond that? Chaos. Toxicity. And pain.
In the end, they honestly deserve each other. I hope they stay miserable together.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
This could either end up amazing or leave me scarred…hopefully the first one. Reading it with my love Andra 💗
2⭐️
I will never understand bully romances. Out of all the people in the world, you pick that miserable twat? Just because misery loves company doesn’t mean you need to sign up for it too.
Grant—ugh. My hatred for him runs deep. Every page with him felt like punishment. He’s insufferable, cruel, and honestly just frustrating beyond belief. Landon isn’t much better. Why would you ever want him after everything he did? Did you get amnesia? Because the way he treated you, and you still fell for him? Disgusting. I can’t wrap my head around it.
The coach was the only “good” one in this mess, and the younger sister at least added a touch of cuteness. But beyond that? Chaos. Toxicity. And pain.
In the end, they honestly deserve each other. I hope they stay miserable together.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
This could either end up amazing or leave me scarred…hopefully the first one. Reading it with my love Andra 💗
August 24, 2025
2.5 - Ugh this pained me. No development from bully to romance. It went from “your mums a whore” to “I love you baby” with nothing in between except some sweaty arse eating.
It felt like I’d already read this book, but a better version. The bullying, the childhood trauma - I don’t expect authors to create something new and amazing every time but I do hope for something that makes it feel original to me. And in this one we really only got the weird demon horse and I still don’t understand that entirely. What 10yr old is into rocking horses? Maybe if he had a Nintendo Switch hidden in there..
I think this books downfall was it tried to be mysterious but it just resulted in things not making sense. There is too much left to the reader to try to figure out from vague suggestions and I felt there was generally a lot of inconsistencies throughout the whole book. Things that were said in the beginning that were contradicted later or seemingly forgotten about.
This was trundling along as a 3 for me until that ending - wtf. Nope. Sorry my suspension of disbelief cannot possibly stretch that far.
And the set up for a future book between the little brother and Simmons?? No, no please don’t. That kid is 13 and Simmons is the father figure. I’m curious for Javi and Declan’s story but I don’t trust the author to deliver what I’m looking for.
As always a super fun book club experience generating a lot of discussion 💞
It felt like I’d already read this book, but a better version. The bullying, the childhood trauma - I don’t expect authors to create something new and amazing every time but I do hope for something that makes it feel original to me. And in this one we really only got the weird demon horse and I still don’t understand that entirely. What 10yr old is into rocking horses? Maybe if he had a Nintendo Switch hidden in there..
I think this books downfall was it tried to be mysterious but it just resulted in things not making sense. There is too much left to the reader to try to figure out from vague suggestions and I felt there was generally a lot of inconsistencies throughout the whole book. Things that were said in the beginning that were contradicted later or seemingly forgotten about.
This was trundling along as a 3 for me until that ending - wtf. Nope. Sorry my suspension of disbelief cannot possibly stretch that far.
And the set up for a future book between the little brother and Simmons?? No, no please don’t. That kid is 13 and Simmons is the father figure. I’m curious for Javi and Declan’s story but I don’t trust the author to deliver what I’m looking for.
As always a super fun book club experience generating a lot of discussion 💞
August 25, 2025
Sigh, this book was bad, Y'all.
I don't even know where to start. Like at the beginning, I thought, well, this is not terrible. I mean, it has 0 originality in the sense that you can feel you have already read this book a thousand times before. So I thought, maybe I would give it 3 stars, but I just couldn't.
The storyline is basic AF. 2 MCs, one poor, one rich, are thrown together in a sort of forced-proximity situation because reasons. Grant, the rich dude, decides to bully poor guy Landon, even though he apparently is instrumental for his football team, all his friends decide to go along and bully him because his mom is a whore, allegedly, even if later it turns out it's sort of true (?).
To move the plot along and although the school has dorm rooms, it is mentioned that almost no one actually stays there. Of course, Landon just HAS to share a room with his bully, cue, the smut begins. NGL, the smutty parts were the best parts of the book; you just have to suspend reality and forget these are 18-year-olds who supposedly hadn't had much previous experience and are suddenly acting like gay sex gods.
As if the plot wasn't weak and boring, there is a third-act breakup that makes absolutely no sense. Why is Grant doing this? How was Landon, or anyone else, going to find out anything? Who knows. Fuck logic, at this moment, what this book needed was for Landon to have a 360 personality change and suddenly become a mastermind criminal able to fool the police and insurance without absolutely any repercussions. LOL right!
Also, for reasons that make no sense, Landon's 20-something ex-football coach/father figure has partial custody of Landon's siblings, because, of course, what 20-something wouldn't want that? I believe this will be necessary for the plot of either book 2 or 3, since it's heavily implied that Landon's 13-year-old brother (18 in the epilogue) has the hots for the coach 🤮.
I don't even know where to start. Like at the beginning, I thought, well, this is not terrible. I mean, it has 0 originality in the sense that you can feel you have already read this book a thousand times before. So I thought, maybe I would give it 3 stars, but I just couldn't.
The storyline is basic AF. 2 MCs, one poor, one rich, are thrown together in a sort of forced-proximity situation because reasons. Grant, the rich dude, decides to bully poor guy Landon, even though he apparently is instrumental for his football team, all his friends decide to go along and bully him because his mom is a whore, allegedly, even if later it turns out it's sort of true (?).
To move the plot along and although the school has dorm rooms, it is mentioned that almost no one actually stays there. Of course, Landon just HAS to share a room with his bully, cue, the smut begins. NGL, the smutty parts were the best parts of the book; you just have to suspend reality and forget these are 18-year-olds who supposedly hadn't had much previous experience and are suddenly acting like gay sex gods.
As if the plot wasn't weak and boring, there is a third-act breakup that makes absolutely no sense. Why is Grant doing this? How was Landon, or anyone else, going to find out anything? Who knows. Fuck logic, at this moment, what this book needed was for Landon to have a 360 personality change and suddenly become a mastermind criminal able to fool the police and insurance without absolutely any repercussions. LOL right!
Also, for reasons that make no sense, Landon's 20-something ex-football coach/father figure has partial custody of Landon's siblings, because, of course, what 20-something wouldn't want that? I believe this will be necessary for the plot of either book 2 or 3, since it's heavily implied that Landon's 13-year-old brother (18 in the epilogue) has the hots for the coach 🤮.
August 21, 2025
6 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook
FERALLLLLL FOR THEM.
this is how a bully romance should be done. finally the entire plot isn’t revolved around the bully fighting internalized homophobia and their attraction for the other mmc. loved the plot of this and the natural progression of their relationship.
landon was such a sweetie and i adored him from the beginning. and grant is just the saddest broken boy and i promise if you give him a chance you will come to absolutely adore him.
dear god the spice in this was insane and i highlighted way too much of it. lan’s dirty mouth and “pet” and “baby” and just EVERYTHING worked so freaking well. ugh. THEMMM.
also i am down on my knees begging for a declan/javi book. PLEASE. PLEASEEEEEEE. declan is everything and i just cannot live without knowing their story. also a simmons/danny one would be cool too maybe, i’m still kinda unsure about the ages and dynamics there but i am for sure curious.
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook
FERALLLLLL FOR THEM.
this is how a bully romance should be done. finally the entire plot isn’t revolved around the bully fighting internalized homophobia and their attraction for the other mmc. loved the plot of this and the natural progression of their relationship.
landon was such a sweetie and i adored him from the beginning. and grant is just the saddest broken boy and i promise if you give him a chance you will come to absolutely adore him.
dear god the spice in this was insane and i highlighted way too much of it. lan’s dirty mouth and “pet” and “baby” and just EVERYTHING worked so freaking well. ugh. THEMMM.
also i am down on my knees begging for a declan/javi book. PLEASE. PLEASEEEEEEE. declan is everything and i just cannot live without knowing their story. also a simmons/danny one would be cool too maybe, i’m still kinda unsure about the ages and dynamics there but i am for sure curious.
July 13, 2025
Safe is an entertaining bully romance between football teammates Landon and Grant. I am a big fan of bully romances, and I enjoyed Landon and Grant's journey from enemies to reluctant teammates and to finally admitting their shared attraction and feelings toward each other.
Landon has a tough backstory and feels the weight of his family's struggles on his shoulders, whereas Grant appears to have all the resources and access possible at this private school, but he is hiding a major secret that has forced him to lash out at anyone who gets too close.
Overall, I enjoyed the journey these two went on in this story. Landon has a huge heart and can instantly tell Grant is struggling with something major, while Landon is his resident punching bag. I admired Landon's determination and strength to not bow down to Grant's antics and give him a taste of his own medicine. Those were some of my favorite scenes.
Together, these two are clearly made for one another; they shared an intimate connection since childhood and care deeply for each other. I loved their story and cannot wait to see what this author writes next.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
Landon has a tough backstory and feels the weight of his family's struggles on his shoulders, whereas Grant appears to have all the resources and access possible at this private school, but he is hiding a major secret that has forced him to lash out at anyone who gets too close.
Overall, I enjoyed the journey these two went on in this story. Landon has a huge heart and can instantly tell Grant is struggling with something major, while Landon is his resident punching bag. I admired Landon's determination and strength to not bow down to Grant's antics and give him a taste of his own medicine. Those were some of my favorite scenes.
Together, these two are clearly made for one another; they shared an intimate connection since childhood and care deeply for each other. I loved their story and cannot wait to see what this author writes next.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
July 13, 2025
Safe is book one in the King’s Heart series. This MM bully romance is about Landon and Grant.
Landon and Grant first meet when they are ten years old. Grant was living with his uncle and Landon’s mom brought him along a couple times when she cleaned their home. Things didn’t end well and Landon hoped he would never have to see Grant again. Now at eighteen, Landon is starting his senior year on a football scholarship at King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men. He quickly learns Grant is the captain and quarterback of the football team. Grant remembers Landon, and we see right from the start the Grant will stop at nothing to drive Landon out.
Landon was the best. He was so supportive of his family. He took care of his younger brother and sister, and worked to help pay for rent and to make ends meet. Landon was the nicest guy and it broke my heart to see how he was being treated. He didn’t understand why Grant hated him. And even when Grant kept insulting him and trying to make his life miserable, Landon could see his sadness and cared about him.
Grant was just so broken. He was so incredibly mean, going out of his way to get Landon to leave. As time goes on, we learn why Grant is acting the way he does, trying to keep a secret and doing what he thinks he needs to survive. It broke my heart learning what he went through, and I am so thankful he felt safe with Landon.
When Landon and Grant give into their attraction to each other and start hooking up, I was not expecting their dynamic. Grant ended up only being submissive with Landon, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The filthy mouth on Landon was so incredibly hot and I ate it up.
Oh my gosh. I was so invested in this story and couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen and how it would all play out. I definitely enjoyed the twist and turns. Landon’s love for Grant was everything and I loved how Grant knew he would be safe with him. I have to say that I feel like the side characters can make or break a book, and they definitely made this one. From Declan to Javi to Simmons, I throughly enjoyed them and can’t wait to get their stories. Safe was such a perfect bully romance. I am obsessed with this book and I can’t wait for more from this series.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
Landon and Grant first meet when they are ten years old. Grant was living with his uncle and Landon’s mom brought him along a couple times when she cleaned their home. Things didn’t end well and Landon hoped he would never have to see Grant again. Now at eighteen, Landon is starting his senior year on a football scholarship at King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men. He quickly learns Grant is the captain and quarterback of the football team. Grant remembers Landon, and we see right from the start the Grant will stop at nothing to drive Landon out.
Landon was the best. He was so supportive of his family. He took care of his younger brother and sister, and worked to help pay for rent and to make ends meet. Landon was the nicest guy and it broke my heart to see how he was being treated. He didn’t understand why Grant hated him. And even when Grant kept insulting him and trying to make his life miserable, Landon could see his sadness and cared about him.
Grant was just so broken. He was so incredibly mean, going out of his way to get Landon to leave. As time goes on, we learn why Grant is acting the way he does, trying to keep a secret and doing what he thinks he needs to survive. It broke my heart learning what he went through, and I am so thankful he felt safe with Landon.
When Landon and Grant give into their attraction to each other and start hooking up, I was not expecting their dynamic. Grant ended up only being submissive with Landon, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The filthy mouth on Landon was so incredibly hot and I ate it up.
Oh my gosh. I was so invested in this story and couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen and how it would all play out. I definitely enjoyed the twist and turns. Landon’s love for Grant was everything and I loved how Grant knew he would be safe with him. I have to say that I feel like the side characters can make or break a book, and they definitely made this one. From Declan to Javi to Simmons, I throughly enjoyed them and can’t wait to get their stories. Safe was such a perfect bully romance. I am obsessed with this book and I can’t wait for more from this series.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
July 27, 2025
i liked a bully romance and the crowd is… confused????
normally, i don’t fuck with bully romances, i only like the ones where bullying basically doesn’t happen.
you might be wondering why i liked this one.
fuck if i know, im wondering the same thing.
it’s a rather juvenile, slightly cringe, definitely over the top and somewhat wattpadish romance, i genuinely don’t understand why i liked it. must be the fever.
that’s all
normally, i don’t fuck with bully romances, i only like the ones where bullying basically doesn’t happen.
you might be wondering why i liked this one.
fuck if i know, im wondering the same thing.
it’s a rather juvenile, slightly cringe, definitely over the top and somewhat wattpadish romance, i genuinely don’t understand why i liked it. must be the fever.
that’s all
August 23, 2025
3.5*** stars
I have mixed feelings. It should’ve hit better for me than it actually did.
But is he really?
I was honestly hoping for a different kind of secret Grant was hiding. This one I’ve def read before and it was all kind of predictable even if it still was a secret by 80%. And then it was kept really vague. In the end we were not told what exactly happened (a game of guessing, I guess).
There was other stuff that didn’t quite make sense but I probably could’ve just rolled with it when at least the romance would’ve worked for me. But Grant was insufferable with Landon until he just changed his mind about his behavior, did a total 180, got super needy for Landon’s safety and suddenly they are in loooove.
I don’t know.
Declan was my saving grace. Loved him so much and can’t wait for him and Javi to tell me what’s going on between them.
*************
Kings Heart Series
Book 1 - Safe - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - tbd
You make me feel safe. Safe. Safe. Safe. Safe.
I have mixed feelings. It should’ve hit better for me than it actually did.
He’s so close to knowing the truth. And no one can know. I’ll make sure of that.
But is he really?
I was honestly hoping for a different kind of secret Grant was hiding. This one I’ve def read before and it was all kind of predictable even if it still was a secret by 80%. And then it was kept really vague. In the end we were not told what exactly happened (a game of guessing, I guess).
There was other stuff that didn’t quite make sense but I probably could’ve just rolled with it when at least the romance would’ve worked for me. But Grant was insufferable with Landon until he just changed his mind about his behavior, did a total 180, got super needy for Landon’s safety and suddenly they are in loooove.
Having any part of him inside of me is remarkable. A spiritual experience. He’s my religion. My messiah.
I don’t know.
Declan was my saving grace. Loved him so much and can’t wait for him and Javi to tell me what’s going on between them.
*************
Kings Heart Series
Book 1 - Safe - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - tbd
July 25, 2025
YUPPPPP i was scared i wasn’t going to like this but my god. trope was amazing. spice was crazy. and the tension???? BEYOND INSANE🤩🤩 read it in one sitting and cried. this is the type of dark romance i enjoy. i will be reading anything this author writes from now on.
September 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this book.It made me smile,it made me shocked😮,it made me feel sad,but also giggle 😭😭
I loved the writing and liked the story and the characters, especially Landon,Declan and the kids.
I think Grant was too harsh with Landon after everything that happened between them,but it’s understandable.But I also loved how he was down bad for Lan, and that he was himself and vulnerable and happy only when Landon was around 😚😚.
And Landon??He never gave up on Grant, even if, perhaps,he deserved it.I also liked how he wanted to help his family at all costs and worked hard and got where he wanted 😊😊😊.
I loved reading this book because it helped me escape from the world,and I also loved that I could rant to my friend Nerlie about it💕💕💕💕
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Pre-read ❥
———————————————
Reading this book with my lovely Nerlie😚😚💕💕
I hope we both love it🤞
I loved the writing and liked the story and the characters, especially Landon,Declan and the kids.
I think Grant was too harsh with Landon after everything that happened between them,but it’s understandable.But I also loved how he was down bad for Lan, and that he was himself and vulnerable and happy only when Landon was around 😚😚.
And Landon??He never gave up on Grant, even if, perhaps,he deserved it.I also liked how he wanted to help his family at all costs and worked hard and got where he wanted 😊😊😊.
I loved reading this book because it helped me escape from the world,and I also loved that I could rant to my friend Nerlie about it💕💕💕💕
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Pre-read ❥
———————————————
Reading this book with my lovely Nerlie😚😚💕💕
I hope we both love it🤞
September 19, 2025
"He heals me. That sounds so ridiculous. It’s just sex. I’ve had plenty of sex. But ours is different. It lifts me somewhere else. Away from the world that’s done nothing but hurt me."
I really enjoy bully romances and am always on the lookout for that one book that delivers exactly what it promises. Having read only a few so far that have what I'm looking for, I can confidently say this is one of the better ones out there.
I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and the ideas in this book, I never would have guessed it was the work of a completely new author.
🟢 Bully romance
🟣 MMCs know each other since childhood - football teammates - roommates - lovers
🔵 High school, both 18
🟡 Straight/gay
🟣 GFY
🟢 Hurt/comfort
🔴 Childhood trauma, molestation, eating disorder, intense loneliness, abandonment, death of parents, toxic coping mechanisms; not going into much details, but dramatic enough
🌶️ Sex scenes are descriptive and pretty good; first times; sexy, hot, sensual; kissing, rimming, oral, penetrative; straight/t --> t/b
I'm giving the full tea, so don't read my reviews if you don't want to get it.
The story begins with Landon, a boy living in a trailer with his mom and two younger siblings. During a visit to his mom’s workplace, he meets Grant, a sickly but troublesome kid who plots against him and then traps Landon in a hidden room, which sparks Landon’s retaliation and ultimately leads to his mother losing her job at Grant’s wealthy uncle’s house.
Years later, in his senior year of high school, Landon is transferred to King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men, a school full of mostly wealthy kids where he feels like the odd one out. It doesn’t help that his football team captain Grant is doing everything he can to push Landon out.
"His eyes break from mine to track its path, then he sticks out his hot, wet tongue and leisurely drags it up my cheek, licking the tear away. My skin sears from the contact, and a gasp escapes my choked throat. “Cry more, pet,” he croons. “I love the taste of your tears.”"
Grant was merciless toward Landon, both as a kid and later as his teammate. He was brutal, and just when it seemed like they might finally get along, he managed to create another disaster for Landon, always keeping him at a distance.
Landon is completely straight, yet he finds himself increasingly attracted to Grant, despite all the crap Grant puts him through. Their encounters and interactions are intense and hot, their chemistry off the charts and on top of it all, there’s a strong emotional connection between them, they move together and get each other like they’re perfectly in sync.
And Grant fights it every step of the way.
The plot is well-developed and keeps you hooked until the very end, with just the right amount of angst. You won’t know what’s really wrong with Grant until the final chapters, though you’ll start to get the idea fairly early on.
What I didn’t see coming was the coping mechanism Grant had developed to protect himself, but I figured out the rest soon enough. Grant had been sexually molested by his uncle after his parents died and he took Grant in, and the room where Grant trapped Landon as a kid was the very same room where it had happened.
Given how serious the topic was, I really wanted the author to talk about it a little bit more. Grant was deeply broken and needed substantial help, so I wished for more conversations about his trauma and a deeper dive into his struggles. That said, the emotional support Landon provided was fantastic, and I loved seeing their connection grow through it.
“Don’t,” he breathes.
“Don’t what?”
“Lie.”
“I’d never lie to you. You’re beautiful. Always.” Leaning up, I take his face in my hands and kiss him. Pouring what I feel into him. Trying to heal all the scorched parts of him. Unearthing whatever hides under it all."
You really can’t hate Grant, he’s an amazing character, and his story deserved to be told in more detail, at least for me. A lot was covered, but considering the life he’s had, I wanted more. More dialogues, more explaining, more of Grant just letting go. It did happen, but the author didn't give it as much attention, some things were just told in passing, which I didn't like. Especially when their relationship started developing and they started spending more time together and we just skipped all that with a sentence or two.
Just like in the previous book Just A Little Bit, my only complaint is that while the author does a fantastic job developing both the characters and the main plot, the story does pulls you in tremendously, but the ending starts to limp. The conclusion comes quickly, not a lot is resolved in detail and the epilogue jumps far into the future, leaving out a lot.
There is a conclusion, but it’s brief and not entirely satisfying. It entirely skips college. For what it's worth, I didn't feel like I was reading about high school seniors at all, so this could've been happening in college, it'd be much better.
I feel like the story could have used about 30 more pages near the end and into the epilogue to give it the closure it deserved.
So maybe for the next book in this series I’d love to see more about the main couple’s ending; where they live, their everyday lives, and the big steps in their relationship that the reader could experience, rather than it just being told in passing.
The book does have a happy ending, but it’s not fully satisfying for me. I feel like so much more could be explored for Grant and Landon, they could have talked more, shared more intimate moments besides sex and let us really live their journey with them in those final stages.
Obviously Javi and Declan are coming next, but my mind is more focused on Danny, Landon's younger brother, and Simmons, the young coach who took Landon's younger siblings in when they needed it. I want that age gap romance so badly to happen between those two. Hopefully the author will give us a few books in this series and keep all the characters connected.
I really enjoy bully romances and am always on the lookout for that one book that delivers exactly what it promises. Having read only a few so far that have what I'm looking for, I can confidently say this is one of the better ones out there.
I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and the ideas in this book, I never would have guessed it was the work of a completely new author.
🟢 Bully romance
🟣 MMCs know each other since childhood - football teammates - roommates - lovers
🔵 High school, both 18
🟡 Straight/gay
🟣 GFY
🟢 Hurt/comfort
🔴 Childhood trauma, molestation, eating disorder, intense loneliness, abandonment, death of parents, toxic coping mechanisms; not going into much details, but dramatic enough
🌶️ Sex scenes are descriptive and pretty good; first times; sexy, hot, sensual; kissing, rimming, oral, penetrative; straight/t --> t/b
I'm giving the full tea, so don't read my reviews if you don't want to get it.
The story begins with Landon, a boy living in a trailer with his mom and two younger siblings. During a visit to his mom’s workplace, he meets Grant, a sickly but troublesome kid who plots against him and then traps Landon in a hidden room, which sparks Landon’s retaliation and ultimately leads to his mother losing her job at Grant’s wealthy uncle’s house.
Years later, in his senior year of high school, Landon is transferred to King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men, a school full of mostly wealthy kids where he feels like the odd one out. It doesn’t help that his football team captain Grant is doing everything he can to push Landon out.
"His eyes break from mine to track its path, then he sticks out his hot, wet tongue and leisurely drags it up my cheek, licking the tear away. My skin sears from the contact, and a gasp escapes my choked throat. “Cry more, pet,” he croons. “I love the taste of your tears.”"
Grant was merciless toward Landon, both as a kid and later as his teammate. He was brutal, and just when it seemed like they might finally get along, he managed to create another disaster for Landon, always keeping him at a distance.
Landon is completely straight, yet he finds himself increasingly attracted to Grant, despite all the crap Grant puts him through. Their encounters and interactions are intense and hot, their chemistry off the charts and on top of it all, there’s a strong emotional connection between them, they move together and get each other like they’re perfectly in sync.
And Grant fights it every step of the way.
The plot is well-developed and keeps you hooked until the very end, with just the right amount of angst. You won’t know what’s really wrong with Grant until the final chapters, though you’ll start to get the idea fairly early on.
What I didn’t see coming was the coping mechanism Grant had developed to protect himself, but I figured out the rest soon enough. Grant had been sexually molested by his uncle after his parents died and he took Grant in, and the room where Grant trapped Landon as a kid was the very same room where it had happened.
Given how serious the topic was, I really wanted the author to talk about it a little bit more. Grant was deeply broken and needed substantial help, so I wished for more conversations about his trauma and a deeper dive into his struggles. That said, the emotional support Landon provided was fantastic, and I loved seeing their connection grow through it.
“Don’t,” he breathes.
“Don’t what?”
“Lie.”
“I’d never lie to you. You’re beautiful. Always.” Leaning up, I take his face in my hands and kiss him. Pouring what I feel into him. Trying to heal all the scorched parts of him. Unearthing whatever hides under it all."
You really can’t hate Grant, he’s an amazing character, and his story deserved to be told in more detail, at least for me. A lot was covered, but considering the life he’s had, I wanted more. More dialogues, more explaining, more of Grant just letting go. It did happen, but the author didn't give it as much attention, some things were just told in passing, which I didn't like. Especially when their relationship started developing and they started spending more time together and we just skipped all that with a sentence or two.
Just like in the previous book Just A Little Bit, my only complaint is that while the author does a fantastic job developing both the characters and the main plot, the story does pulls you in tremendously, but the ending starts to limp. The conclusion comes quickly, not a lot is resolved in detail and the epilogue jumps far into the future, leaving out a lot.
There is a conclusion, but it’s brief and not entirely satisfying. It entirely skips college. For what it's worth, I didn't feel like I was reading about high school seniors at all, so this could've been happening in college, it'd be much better.
I feel like the story could have used about 30 more pages near the end and into the epilogue to give it the closure it deserved.
So maybe for the next book in this series I’d love to see more about the main couple’s ending; where they live, their everyday lives, and the big steps in their relationship that the reader could experience, rather than it just being told in passing.
The book does have a happy ending, but it’s not fully satisfying for me. I feel like so much more could be explored for Grant and Landon, they could have talked more, shared more intimate moments besides sex and let us really live their journey with them in those final stages.
Obviously Javi and Declan are coming next, but my mind is more focused on Danny, Landon's younger brother, and Simmons, the young coach who took Landon's younger siblings in when they needed it. I want that age gap romance so badly to happen between those two. Hopefully the author will give us a few books in this series and keep all the characters connected.
July 27, 2025
”I’m not sure how I let it happen, but I live and breathe Grant Caldwell. It’s irrevocable. Intense. He cuts through anything else in my mind. A violent and swift wound left behind that will never be healed. It’ll stay open and bleeding for him.”
I absolutely adored this book!
Safe by L. Waltree isn’t “just” a dark, bully romance, it’s a complex story of abuse, regret, love, revenge and working through your past, to finally reach the hard-won, happily ever after you deserve. I absolutely love stories about broken MMCs who somehow manage to find redemption.
This is Grant and Landon’s story and I couldn’t have adored either of these boys any harder.
What To Expect:
❤️🔥MM bully romance
❤️🔥Dark themes
❤️🔥Enemies to lovers
❤️🔥Hurt/comfort
❤️🔥Abusive behaviours
❤️🔥Steamy
❤️🔥Violence
❤️🔥”Only for you”
❤️🔥HEA
All the stars!
I absolutely adored this book!
Safe by L. Waltree isn’t “just” a dark, bully romance, it’s a complex story of abuse, regret, love, revenge and working through your past, to finally reach the hard-won, happily ever after you deserve. I absolutely love stories about broken MMCs who somehow manage to find redemption.
This is Grant and Landon’s story and I couldn’t have adored either of these boys any harder.
What To Expect:
❤️🔥MM bully romance
❤️🔥Dark themes
❤️🔥Enemies to lovers
❤️🔥Hurt/comfort
❤️🔥Abusive behaviours
❤️🔥Steamy
❤️🔥Violence
❤️🔥”Only for you”
❤️🔥HEA
All the stars!
August 12, 2025
3.5⭐️
“I just want you to know that I love you. All the parts of you. The broken ones.The asshole ones. The cocky ones. The happy ones that you save for just me. We can’t be broken. Not by this. Not by anything.”
I think I’m becoming way too stingy with my ratings. But that’s because books like this one don’t quite reach 4 or 5 stars. That's why I’ve been handing out more 2 stars and 3 stars than anything else lately.
Landon didn’t necessarily do anything. But I don’t care. He will be a casualty of my persona.
Anyway, this book, was it good? Yeah, it was. The characters were interesting, the side characters too (loved Lan siblings and Declan). This was a bully romance and it was so refreshing to read about a mmc who didn’t crumble under his bullies. Landon stood on business from the very first chapter, and I loved that for him. Points to you, babe.
Just like eight years ago, I’m left wondering what this asshole has to be sad about.
Grant on the other hand was a massive asshole. The kind that’s just begging to be taken down a peg and it was so satisfying everytime they called him out on his shit. Not just Landon, but his best friend did it too, and even his ex fuck buddy had something to say to him, that’s how badly he treated Lan.
“I said I was sorry.”
“Who gives a fuck? Sorry doesn’t mean shit when you keep doing the same thing over and over again.”
When he got Landon’s mother fired, I thought he did it to protect them from his uncle, but then I realized he did it to protect himself. Everything he did in this book was to protect himself from his uncle, from the memories and from everything that reminded him of his past.
“Fuck, Grant. You’ve got shit? You’ve got fucking issues? Well, guess what? So do I. We all fucking do. It doesn’t mean you get to shit on everyone to make yourself feel better.”
I don’t know if it was because Lan was the top, but despite being bullied by Grant, Lan was the one who actually had the power in their relationship, and I’m glad it turned out that way because thanks to that, Grant learned to treat him better, to respect him. He became emotionally dependent on Landon and was possessive of him. Lan was way more protective of him.
I will unpack later how fucked I am for wanting to protect my bully.
NOW, let’s talk about Grant shitty uncle, who was one of the reasons Grant was such an ass to Lan. I have to say, I already suspected he might have done something to him, but what I didn’t see coming was that man ending. I didn’t think Landon was capable of killing him...I didn’t think LANDON was capable of KILLING anyone period.
“He deserves this, Lan.”
“I know he does, but you don’t. If you kill him, it’s just one more trauma to add onto your soul. You’re tired, baby. Let go.”
In fact, when he asked Grant for the gun, I jokingly thought: “Grab it if you’re going to kill him yourself.” And when he actually did it, I was like WTF?! Because I really wasn’t expecting it, especially from him.
“Your soul doesn’t need this.
But mine does.”
You know those characters who aren’t actively killing people, but you KNOW and are fully aware that they’re capable of doing it and not losing sleep over it just based on the way they think? Yeah, Landon Moore was NOT one of those. At most, he’d fight back at someone for being an ass to him but murder was NEVER on the menu. That man also cleaned up all the evidence like a pro and I'm supposed to belive this was his first time doing it? Sorry, but that felt way out of character.
“Don’t be done with me. Being with you is one of the few times I’m not miserable.”
I guess his protective instinct toward Grant made him lose his shit, and seeing Grant’s reaction to his uncle was the trigger. I gotta clap for that i guess? He rid the world of a piece of shit.
“Tell me what you need.”
“I need you, okay?”
And to the people who left comments on this review asking me if it was a good or bad shock, it was a “confused and didn’t see it coming” one. I still don’t know how to reply to comments on reviews, i'm sorry😭
“I just want you to know that I love you. All the parts of you. The broken ones.The asshole ones. The cocky ones. The happy ones that you save for just me. We can’t be broken. Not by this. Not by anything.”
I think I’m becoming way too stingy with my ratings. But that’s because books like this one don’t quite reach 4 or 5 stars. That's why I’ve been handing out more 2 stars and 3 stars than anything else lately.
Landon didn’t necessarily do anything. But I don’t care. He will be a casualty of my persona.
Anyway, this book, was it good? Yeah, it was. The characters were interesting, the side characters too (loved Lan siblings and Declan). This was a bully romance and it was so refreshing to read about a mmc who didn’t crumble under his bullies. Landon stood on business from the very first chapter, and I loved that for him. Points to you, babe.
Just like eight years ago, I’m left wondering what this asshole has to be sad about.
Grant on the other hand was a massive asshole. The kind that’s just begging to be taken down a peg and it was so satisfying everytime they called him out on his shit. Not just Landon, but his best friend did it too, and even his ex fuck buddy had something to say to him, that’s how badly he treated Lan.
“I said I was sorry.”
“Who gives a fuck? Sorry doesn’t mean shit when you keep doing the same thing over and over again.”
When he got Landon’s mother fired, I thought he did it to protect them from his uncle, but then I realized he did it to protect himself. Everything he did in this book was to protect himself from his uncle, from the memories and from everything that reminded him of his past.
“Fuck, Grant. You’ve got shit? You’ve got fucking issues? Well, guess what? So do I. We all fucking do. It doesn’t mean you get to shit on everyone to make yourself feel better.”
I don’t know if it was because Lan was the top, but despite being bullied by Grant, Lan was the one who actually had the power in their relationship, and I’m glad it turned out that way because thanks to that, Grant learned to treat him better, to respect him. He became emotionally dependent on Landon and was possessive of him. Lan was way more protective of him.
I will unpack later how fucked I am for wanting to protect my bully.
NOW, let’s talk about Grant shitty uncle, who was one of the reasons Grant was such an ass to Lan. I have to say, I already suspected he might have done something to him, but what I didn’t see coming was that man ending. I didn’t think Landon was capable of killing him...I didn’t think LANDON was capable of KILLING anyone period.
“He deserves this, Lan.”
“I know he does, but you don’t. If you kill him, it’s just one more trauma to add onto your soul. You’re tired, baby. Let go.”
In fact, when he asked Grant for the gun, I jokingly thought: “Grab it if you’re going to kill him yourself.” And when he actually did it, I was like WTF?! Because I really wasn’t expecting it, especially from him.
“Your soul doesn’t need this.
But mine does.”
You know those characters who aren’t actively killing people, but you KNOW and are fully aware that they’re capable of doing it and not losing sleep over it just based on the way they think? Yeah, Landon Moore was NOT one of those. At most, he’d fight back at someone for being an ass to him but murder was NEVER on the menu. That man also cleaned up all the evidence like a pro and I'm supposed to belive this was his first time doing it? Sorry, but that felt way out of character.
“Don’t be done with me. Being with you is one of the few times I’m not miserable.”
I guess his protective instinct toward Grant made him lose his shit, and seeing Grant’s reaction to his uncle was the trigger. I gotta clap for that i guess? He rid the world of a piece of shit.
“Tell me what you need.”
“I need you, okay?”
And to the people who left comments on this review asking me if it was a good or bad shock, it was a “confused and didn’t see it coming” one. I still don’t know how to reply to comments on reviews, i'm sorry😭
dnf
October 15, 2025dnf @ 70%
i really dislike mcs who are too soft, especially in BULLY romances. grant has been a dick for a good chunk of the book and he does this one thing that seems to push landon over the edge, just to give a measly apology and be forgiven bc he’s showing some vulnerability. and now landon is the one stepping up and wanting to protect grant from whatever is going on in his life back at home. personally, idgaf what’s going on at home and neither should landon, especially since he hasn’t gotten a proper apology for everything grant has done to him. it feels like it was casually glossed over and now they’re acting like a couple. we could’ve had peak groveling, but some authors get it and others don’t .
i really dislike mcs who are too soft, especially in BULLY romances. grant has been a dick for a good chunk of the book and he does this one thing that seems to push landon over the edge, just to give a measly apology and be forgiven bc he’s showing some vulnerability. and now landon is the one stepping up and wanting to protect grant from whatever is going on in his life back at home. personally, idgaf what’s going on at home and neither should landon, especially since he hasn’t gotten a proper apology for everything grant has done to him. it feels like it was casually glossed over and now they’re acting like a couple. we could’ve had peak groveling, but some authors get it and others don’t .
August 24, 2025
I did enjoy this mostly but some parts just went to far out of the realm of believability for me.
July 23, 2025
I slept on this all night and then went to work and now I'm ready to assign this 3⭐ because honestly no strong feelings emerged. I feel like it's another book that could have been amazing but didn't quite make it.
I needed more from their relationship progressing, I needed to see more sweet and tender moments. I never understood how Grant felt safe with Landon unless it was just a vibe but still, seeing as this is a book I needed more "showing".
The friends in this book are top notch tbh. Even Grant's football cronies realized Grant was being a dick after awhile and settled down. Declan, the femboy Landon meets at school, turns out to be a funny supportive friend. And I'm 99.9% sure he & football Javi are next book (which would be awesome btw.
Sex. Sex was hot ngl. I enjoyed their dirty talk and their actions. Unfortunately it was odd how sex was used as like Grant's security blanket...I guess it was supposed to be his "comfort" but idk, the comfort sex felt rushed. We really needed more relationship building.
Grant's trauma was real and it was sad and it finally dawned on me why he had been an asshole to Landon even at age 10. Honestly both boys deserved huge freaking warm hugs for all the shit they both have been through. The ending was a bit wild...
Special mention for Coach Simmons! That man is a saint!
****************Spoilery!!!!!***********
CWs:
19% we get a front row seat to Grant fucking the waterboy (Trevor) in the locker room while Landon secretly watches
40% (after the MCs have their first, albeit aggressive, first "encounter") Grant makes out with waterboy Trevor in the lunch room while Trevor is on his lap - kissing, ass grabbing etc
42% Trevor & Grant continue to make out at football practice (told, but not detailed)
82% Grant purposely makes Landon believe he's cheating on him with Trevor. Landon returns to their dorm room and Trevor is sitting on a bed looking rumpled and Grant is putting his shirt back on. no actual cheating has taken place but if you're not ready for this it may trigger your infidelity ptsd!!!
I sit on his bed and rub my hands through his hair as his breaths even out again, all the while whispering, “You’re safe. You’re safe.” Yeah. Just sex. No feelings. I can do that.So Grant is a 1st class asshole, like he's really great at the bully thing. We get a short back story about the boys from when they were both 10. Nothing in the backstory showed me why, at age 18, Landon might be Grant's "safe space".
I needed more from their relationship progressing, I needed to see more sweet and tender moments. I never understood how Grant felt safe with Landon unless it was just a vibe but still, seeing as this is a book I needed more "showing".
The friends in this book are top notch tbh. Even Grant's football cronies realized Grant was being a dick after awhile and settled down. Declan, the femboy Landon meets at school, turns out to be a funny supportive friend. And I'm 99.9% sure he & football Javi are next book (which would be awesome btw.
Sex. Sex was hot ngl. I enjoyed their dirty talk and their actions. Unfortunately it was odd how sex was used as like Grant's security blanket...I guess it was supposed to be his "comfort" but idk, the comfort sex felt rushed. We really needed more relationship building.
Grant's trauma was real and it was sad and it finally dawned on me why he had been an asshole to Landon even at age 10. Honestly both boys deserved huge freaking warm hugs for all the shit they both have been through. The ending was a bit wild...
Special mention for Coach Simmons! That man is a saint!
****************Spoilery!!!!!***********
CWs:
19% we get a front row seat to Grant fucking the waterboy (Trevor) in the locker room while Landon secretly watches
40% (after the MCs have their first, albeit aggressive, first "encounter") Grant makes out with waterboy Trevor in the lunch room while Trevor is on his lap - kissing, ass grabbing etc
42% Trevor & Grant continue to make out at football practice (told, but not detailed)
82% Grant purposely makes Landon believe he's cheating on him with Trevor. Landon returns to their dorm room and Trevor is sitting on a bed looking rumpled and Grant is putting his shirt back on. no actual cheating has taken place but if you're not ready for this it may trigger your infidelity ptsd!!!
August 5, 2025
I enjoyed this but my opinions on certain things are just…. different. Doesn’t align with the book.
August 7, 2025
Hey so do authors know they don’t need to SPELL OUT the moans like, “fuuuuuuck”? Do they know they don’t have to use the nickname in EVERY single piece of dialogue? Do they know they don’t have to completely butcher and drastically change their characters’ personalities once they get together? If they don’t know, someone should tell them…
Read
July 23, 2025Update: not safe at all. I shouldn’t be surprised. This author definitely isn’t for me. See comments for review on safety.
Note to self: need some safety details on this because the last book I tried to read by this author was not safe at all! Hopefully with the title being “Safe” we can expect some safety lol.
Note to self: need some safety details on this because the last book I tried to read by this author was not safe at all! Hopefully with the title being “Safe” we can expect some safety lol.
July 25, 2025
Golden retriever x Doberman, enemies to lovers romance with a hint of sports.
This book was so good, I think it highlighted how an author can write an MC who seems basically irredeemable and kind of legitimately a horrible person- but somehow makes them into a sympathetic character anyway. I really wanted to hate Grant, but I just couldn't do it. I will definitely be looking for the other books in the series, Lan's BFF Declan's is the one I'm most excited about, but I think his brother Danny's will be good too.
This book was so good, I think it highlighted how an author can write an MC who seems basically irredeemable and kind of legitimately a horrible person- but somehow makes them into a sympathetic character anyway. I really wanted to hate Grant, but I just couldn't do it. I will definitely be looking for the other books in the series, Lan's BFF Declan's is the one I'm most excited about, but I think his brother Danny's will be good too.
August 10, 2025
started strong with the bullying and hate, but softened over night somehow?
how did we go from printing a poster of his mother being incarcerated for prostitution to becoming a whimpering “I need you” mess. my neck hurts from the whiplash.
i feel like this was trying to be ‘Blitz’d’ but not as developed?
sucks cause the premise is good but the chemistry just isn’t there :(
how did we go from printing a poster of his mother being incarcerated for prostitution to becoming a whimpering “I need you” mess. my neck hurts from the whiplash.
i feel like this was trying to be ‘Blitz’d’ but not as developed?
sucks cause the premise is good but the chemistry just isn’t there :(
September 22, 2025
4.25⭐️ 3.5🌶️
📝 REVIEW & THOUGHTS:
A bit OTT at times, but it’s a fully entertaining story. I really liked this one. Loved the characters. Loved how I was pleasantly surprised by the relationship’s dynamic, I wasn’t expecting that! Landon’s got a dirty mouth on him… who would’ve thought… damn 🫠🫠
🏷️ TROPES & TAGS (possible spoilers):
Genre/subgenre: contemporary bully romance
Pairing: MM
POV: 1st person, dual
Angst: medium
Burn: medium
Vibe/mood: hot, darkish
Pet names: pet, baby
HEA: yes
Football teammates
H*te to love (bully)
Rich/poor
High school setting (MCs are 18)
Broken boy bully x sweet good boy
Redemption ARC
Bi-awakening (GFY)
Forced proximity
Hurt/comfort
🌶️ SPICE & K!NKS (possible spoilers):
Strict top/bottom or versatile: top/bottom
Heat: 8 scenes, medium to high heat
Mild D/s dynamic
Dry humping
Mild degradation/praise combo
Oral and hands
R!mming
An*l
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS (possible spoilers):
Dubcon: no
Noncon: no
OM/OW: yes. MC2 f*cks OM before he gets with MC1, and MC1 sees them. Later on MC2 makes MC1 jealous by kissing OM in front of MC1.
OM drama about MC1 finding MC2 cheating with OM (they were already together, but he didn’t really, only made him think he cheated, for reasons).
Bullying
References to past sex*al ab*se of ch*ld and lingering trauma
M*rder (gun v*olence)
Arson
Assa*lt
Arrest of parent
References to past death of parents by accident
References to abandonment issues
Purging (self inflicted)
Mentions of s*x work (mom)
Under*ge drinking
Degradation
Financial struggles
💬 QUOTES (possible spoilers):
* Fyi about 🌶️ levels: I rate spice on a combination of quantity, quality, length, intensity and explicitness of the scenes. K!nks are listed separately and generally do not directly affect the steam level to keep it fair for non k!nky books.
📝 REVIEW & THOUGHTS:
“You’re safe. You’re safe. No one can tell.”
A bit OTT at times, but it’s a fully entertaining story. I really liked this one. Loved the characters. Loved how I was pleasantly surprised by the relationship’s dynamic, I wasn’t expecting that! Landon’s got a dirty mouth on him… who would’ve thought… damn 🫠🫠
🏷️ TROPES & TAGS (possible spoilers):
Genre/subgenre: contemporary bully romance
Pairing: MM
POV: 1st person, dual
Angst: medium
Burn: medium
Vibe/mood: hot, darkish
Pet names: pet, baby
HEA: yes
Football teammates
H*te to love (bully)
Rich/poor
High school setting (MCs are 18)
Broken boy bully x sweet good boy
Redemption ARC
Bi-awakening (GFY)
Forced proximity
Hurt/comfort
🌶️ SPICE & K!NKS (possible spoilers):
Strict top/bottom or versatile: top/bottom
Heat: 8 scenes, medium to high heat
Mild D/s dynamic
Dry humping
Mild degradation/praise combo
Oral and hands
R!mming
An*l
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS (possible spoilers):
Dubcon: no
Noncon: no
OM/OW: yes. MC2 f*cks OM before he gets with MC1, and MC1 sees them. Later on MC2 makes MC1 jealous by kissing OM in front of MC1.
OM drama about MC1 finding MC2 cheating with OM (they were already together, but he didn’t really, only made him think he cheated, for reasons).
Bullying
References to past sex*al ab*se of ch*ld and lingering trauma
M*rder (gun v*olence)
Arson
Assa*lt
Arrest of parent
References to past death of parents by accident
References to abandonment issues
Purging (self inflicted)
Mentions of s*x work (mom)
Under*ge drinking
Degradation
Financial struggles
💬 QUOTES (possible spoilers):
No one can tell. No one sees. You’re safe. You’re Grant Caldwell. You’re safe. You’re safe. No one can tell.
Maybe he doesn’t even remember me. How long did we know each other? It’s been so long. Eight years. We’re probably both completely different people. Those eyes flit over me, and a smile slowly creeps onto his face. “Hello, pet.”
I smile at him. “Careful, Grant. You almost sound jealous.” “Don’t flatter yourself, pet.” I inch my face closer—my voice a quiet whisper. “Maybe it makes you so mad to see someone else playing with your pet.”
“I… I love you. All the parts of you. The broken ones. The asshole ones. The cocky ones. The happy ones that you save for just me.” I feel a smile stretch onto his lips against my skin. “We can’t be broken. Not by this. Not by anything.”
* Fyi about 🌶️ levels: I rate spice on a combination of quantity, quality, length, intensity and explicitness of the scenes. K!nks are listed separately and generally do not directly affect the steam level to keep it fair for non k!nky books.
July 10, 2025
It's been a minute since I read a bully romance! This was the perfect one to read. It had all of the elements that I love about bully romance. Grant was clearly a very broken & projecting his hate onto Landon. These two went on quite a journey to reach their happy ending! Enjoyed all the twists and turns.
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August 11, 2025
Well this was one bully romance that I ate right up! I practically read this in one sitting. You have all the elements of a classic bully story: prep school setting, class differences, forced proximity with an asshole MC that has a tortured past. There is a lot of tension and emotion here that just brings it all together perfectly. The true test for this kind of book is can the author make you love and feel for that asshole MC. And in my opinion yes, yes they did.
Grant and Landon have a chemistry that is just fire, and even though Grant is cruel, Landon is drawn to him in ways that he doesn’t understand. I am a sucker for a cruel and cold MC because it’s so satisfying seeing those walls come down and the resulting character growth and Grants growth in this story is very well done, resulting in a fierce protectiveness from Landon.
These two have just stuck with me. Really enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what happens with some very interesting side characters.
Contemporary MM
Bully Romance
Forced Proximity
Enemies To Lovers
Hurt / Comfort
Possessive MC
Light D/S Vibes
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Grant and Landon have a chemistry that is just fire, and even though Grant is cruel, Landon is drawn to him in ways that he doesn’t understand. I am a sucker for a cruel and cold MC because it’s so satisfying seeing those walls come down and the resulting character growth and Grants growth in this story is very well done, resulting in a fierce protectiveness from Landon.
These two have just stuck with me. Really enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what happens with some very interesting side characters.
Contemporary MM
Bully Romance
Forced Proximity
Enemies To Lovers
Hurt / Comfort
Possessive MC
Light D/S Vibes
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
July 24, 2025
I love the bully trope. The formula is exciting and you know there will be a revelation at some point. The worse the feelings at the start, the better the redemtion/saving at the end. I can tell I like a book when it evokes hard feelings within me. I was pretty angry at the first few chapters (which is exactly how I should be😉)
I liked this book. A lot. Grant was almost unforgivable in his actions, Lan was too forgiving even before he understood why. I really don't want to give anything away because this is a story you want to go blind in to maximize the enjoyment. I will say that it was perhaps 'lighter' than I usually like, or should I say light in it's darkness. I think there was a little over abundance of sex while delaying conversation and serious outcome. But the fact is, I couldn't put it down and now I can't wait for the next book (Declan, are you listening? 😄)
It was my first time reading this author and I'll be looking out for their books again.
I liked this book. A lot. Grant was almost unforgivable in his actions, Lan was too forgiving even before he understood why. I really don't want to give anything away because this is a story you want to go blind in to maximize the enjoyment. I will say that it was perhaps 'lighter' than I usually like, or should I say light in it's darkness. I think there was a little over abundance of sex while delaying conversation and serious outcome. But the fact is, I couldn't put it down and now I can't wait for the next book (Declan, are you listening? 😄)
It was my first time reading this author and I'll be looking out for their books again.
October 10, 2025
putting up posters of his mom being arrested for prostitution to “ur the love of my life” a couple chapters later. girl excuse me???
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