I Don’t Need Your Love

Harrington Bay Academy #2

by Emma Dalton

He yearns for her forgiveness, but ends up getting so much more.


I can’t believe my enemy is a new student at my school.

Ryder Bennett is my brother’s best friend and we’ve been at each other’s throats since forever. I thought attending Harrington Bay Academy would put distance between us, but he shows up one day and shatters my perfect world. If that’s not bad enough, he calls my dance team corny. And then he shows up to try out. The nerve of the guy.

But the worst part? He’s pretty good. No, he’s better than good. He’s phenomenal. He’s exactly what my dance team needs. How am I supposed to function if I have to see him every day?


I’m excited to attend Carly’s school. What she doesn’t understand is that all I want is to make peace between us. I hoped joining her dance team would do that for us, but she refuses to let go of her grudge.

When our dance coach pairs us for a duet, we have to work together to create something beautiful. Slowly, the walls she built around herself start to crumble and she opens her heart to me. What starts as a rivalry quickly morphs into friendship, and then so much more. Forget trying to ask for forgiveness. Now, the only thing I want to ask for is her love.

I Don’t Need Your Love is the second book in the Harrington Bay Academy series. If you like sweet YA romances that make you swoon, laugh, and cry, this book is for you!

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2025

About the author

Hi! I'm Emma and I write sweet YA romance novels that will make you swoon. When I'm not writing, I love to read, play video games, get lost in a good movie, and I eat way too much junk food.
My sweet YA books include The Invisible Girls Club series, The Hotties Next Door series, and Crushing On The New Guy. I also write sweet adult romance books under Emma Lynne, including the Single Girls Club series.
I love hearing from my readers, so please don’t hesitate to email me or follow me on Facebook.

Reviews

[bibliophilebex · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐

[Aurò Zaccagnino · Rating 1 out of 5]

BRO WHY were they dissing on the rich SO MUCH every other page, CAN YALL GET TO THE PLOT 😭😭

[Ellyn Harden]

I loved this series, it was a solid clean YA rom com, u loved the first book a bit better tho bc addies and Caleb’s story OMG CHEFS KISSSSS I absolutely loved it with all my heart ❤️

[Teya Teya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cute book. The fun part was listening to the friend talk about all their love tropes within the story. I'm excited for the next one.

[Linda Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carly’s been holding a grudge against Ryder. His biggest crime was replacing her as her brother’s best friend. Not to mention the Legos.
Ryder works to get a scholarship to Carly’s school. He desperately wants her forgiveness for being mean to and excluding her from he and her brother.
When he joins the dance club she is forming and gets paired with her for a duet, forgiveness turns to friendship and more.

Review:
I love the depth of the characters. Ryder is so tortured over his home life that is affects his outlook on love. Carly’s brother was her best friend until Ryder came along. Her loneliness turns into a bitter grudge.
The story moves along at an enjoyable pace. The relationship doesn’t build too quickly which keeps the anticipation levels high.
The story is complete with the usual boarding school drama and rich kid antics. The tension is delightful and moves the story to its satisfying HEA.
Emma Dalton has outdone herself in this new series. She is a master at YA romance.

[Allie Rimkunas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Help why did I actually finish this book???

I read the 1st one in this series and vowed to not read the next book because the first book was really rough, but here we are.

The thing about this book is that it’s just so so cheesy. And I don’t really like any of the characters. Their personalities aren’t believable, they all just feel like stereotypes. Everything about the plot and the dialogue just doesn’t seem like a real story.

I vow to not read the next book in this series.

I’m sorry for the bad review of this book because I do like that it’s an appropriate book that sounds cute, but maybe it’s meant for like kids? Idk. Just my opinion.

[Alexx Burch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I definitely enjoyed the first book more, but this book was cute too. I adored Carly in Addie’s story and was super excited for her story but honestly she kind of annoyed me until the last 100 pages. She refused to see Ryder as a good/changed person and constantly doubted him when all he wanted was to get closer to her. I felt the book was really drawn out and probably could’ve been 100 pages shorter. There was a lot of access that didn’t need to be there and once I got to the end it was so repetitive with the way the characters I found myself skimming the pages. Over all still a cute book but not my favorite

[Ayat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm gonna be so honest, this book was way too sappy for me. It made me cringe soooo much. They compliment each other too much. I swear like half the book is them staring into each others eyes and going "You're so amazing." "No, you're amazing." "You're amazinger." "Are we arguing again." "Huh, I guess we are." "tee hee". That's it. That's what it is. And then the first half is all "He stepped on my legos when we were 6 so he sucks." Plus, "I was so sad and lonely as a child." It made me kinda mad. Love the first book though. That one wasn't as cringe.

[za_010 · Rating 2 out of 5]

rate: 2 stars

this made me cringe like a million times, it literally set a record for me. Omg, I hate when teenagers start talking about some “I love you” babe, you don’t!!!! please just say “I like you” instead

The beginning was very promising, but the moment they got together, it went downhill. They started kissing every fricking two seconds, and after the first kiss she stopped feeling shy or butterflies or wtv. It felt like they were never enemies

I’m so disappointed, but I FINISHED ITTTT!!!! I’ve never been happier oh my gosh

[whimsical reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clean and cute. I think one curse word. There’s quite a bit of kissing. The end gets a little bit cringe, a.k.a. “my super awesome girlfriend.” I like that there was no break up situation. At about p. 297 I was done with the book, but there was a little bit more. Definitely a high school romance.

Tropes
Enemies to lover tropes (actually there was far too many tropes).
best friends brother.
Forced proximity.

[Alicia x · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed I Don’t Need Your Love by Emma Dalton.
Brothers best friend + enemies to lovers + all that yearning?? You had me instantly. It’s such a cute, easy read with fun tension and chemistry that keeps you hooked.
“I actually secretly like when she’s ticked off at me. I like seeing her fiery personality match her fiery red hair” 🤭 yeah… I get it.

[ToeToe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dare I say, corny and not as well done as the first one. It just didn't hit the same way the first did and annoyed me more then anything. The writing felt juvenile, like maybe if I was still a teen I would feel differently but as an adult it was too much whining.

[josslin✿ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dumbest YA book yet. I know it says ‘sweet’ but it was almost too sweet… so yea no…

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2'5⭐

[Eliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars
Really liked this I wasn’t expecting to like this that much but it’s super cute

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️

[Deborah Osasona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely not my favourite book in the series but I loved it. Emma Dalton this is gold I wish that more people discover this amazing book. Pls don’t listen to bad reviews and read this

[Maya Biring · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!

[Nsaasira Nkolebilungi]

This was very unexpected but amazing. I loved Ryder he was so kind and gained her trust slowly by slowly. Carly was kinda stubborn but i loved her anyway. Their relationship build up is done beautifully. And yes i don't have so many words butttt.....Carly and Ryder Foreverrrr!!<3

[*•.N04Ħ.•* · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. WHY THE AHH WAS HE A DANCER????IM SORRY BUT JUST NO.

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I had written a review for this book, but I guess not, lol

Carly and Ryder had me on a trip! I loved seeing the combination of enemies to lovers and brother's best friend being viewed as forbidden. Sue me, but it's my favorite trope combo! (Specifically, the brother's best friend/forbidden romance combo)

Ryder is such a happy go-lucky kind of guy, but I loved seeing the layers and depth into the character, and how both MCs approach it. It made for such a satisfying ending. I also enjoyed the love and affection being thrown at Carly (that she DESERVED).

I hate spoiling my books in the review, so I won't but I will tell you to go read this book!