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Loving Grayson
When her mother died, dancer Millie Lovell, was convinced life couldn't get any worse.
Pity life had to prove her wrong.
Now she is forced to leave her sunny Florida home to move to dreary England where she will live with the estranged family she has no interest in being around after her father committed the ultimate betrayal all those years ago.
Now, not only does she have to deal with her father and brother but also her brother's best friend, Grayson, who made her childhood a misery.
After a rocky start, Millie is determined to make the best of her new situation and tries to play nice for her deceased mum’s sake, as she knows she wouldn't want her to suffer more than she has to. When her one true love, dance is taken away she will need to use all her willpower to survive not only England but also the tension simmering between her and Grayson.
When the tension boils over will Millie push her off-limits childhood tormentor away or pull him closer than ever before?
Pity life had to prove her wrong.
Now she is forced to leave her sunny Florida home to move to dreary England where she will live with the estranged family she has no interest in being around after her father committed the ultimate betrayal all those years ago.
Now, not only does she have to deal with her father and brother but also her brother's best friend, Grayson, who made her childhood a misery.
After a rocky start, Millie is determined to make the best of her new situation and tries to play nice for her deceased mum’s sake, as she knows she wouldn't want her to suffer more than she has to. When her one true love, dance is taken away she will need to use all her willpower to survive not only England but also the tension simmering between her and Grayson.
When the tension boils over will Millie push her off-limits childhood tormentor away or pull him closer than ever before?
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 31, 2025
This one was a slower burn than I typically read, and I’m not used to disliking the female main character as much as I did at the beginning, BUT, she redeems herself by the end in multiple ways.
Terrible circumstances brought them together, forced Millie to leave her home and move back in with her estranged father and brother. Grief does incredibly messed-up things to the heart and soul, most people don’t react well and Millie is no exception.
The characters are complex, their stories unique but they find some common ground during the course of the book. I’m glad by the end of the story, there is closure and healing for multiple characters.
4/5 stars
1/5 chilli peppers
Terrible circumstances brought them together, forced Millie to leave her home and move back in with her estranged father and brother. Grief does incredibly messed-up things to the heart and soul, most people don’t react well and Millie is no exception.
The characters are complex, their stories unique but they find some common ground during the course of the book. I’m glad by the end of the story, there is closure and healing for multiple characters.
4/5 stars
1/5 chilli peppers
September 7, 2025
ARC review. Thank you Emerie Spark for the chance to read and review.
Grayson, Millie, Theo, Hayley and Charlotte, take a bow. A story to tug on the heart strings. Tension filled and difficult subjects touched upon beautifully.
Big shout out to Madame Lavender, she’s possibly my favourite chart after drawing the couple closer together.
Final 10% of the book feels rushed to complete, but still lovely to read.
Grayson, Millie, Theo, Hayley and Charlotte, take a bow. A story to tug on the heart strings. Tension filled and difficult subjects touched upon beautifully.
Big shout out to Madame Lavender, she’s possibly my favourite chart after drawing the couple closer together.
Final 10% of the book feels rushed to complete, but still lovely to read.
September 11, 2025
*POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT*
Trigger Warnings:
- Death of a Parent
- PTSD
- Childhood Cancer
- Death of a sibling (12yrs)
- Grief
- Explicit sexual scenes (one near end of the book) (Spice is pretty tame to me. 🌶/ 5)
Characters:
Millie (FMC)
Grayson (MMC)
Theo (Millies Brother & Graysons BFF)
Hayley (Milkies BFF)
Sutton (Millie & Theos father)
Charlotte (Graysons sister)
Sierra (Friend of Millie)
This book was fun and emotional to read. I lost a parent almost 4 years ago (my dad), so I fully understand how Millie feels after losing her mom. however, the level of rudeness she exudes really had me disliking her at first, but she redeems herself. She really seemed dead set on just being awful to everyone. Grief is so hard to manage mentally, emotionally and physically but its never an excuse to be hurtful to people.
Millie judged Sutton, Theo and Grayson on the past selves. Theo and Grayson were just young boys when she last saw them. It was unfair to them. I totally understand why she treated Sutton like that though. My mom cheated on my sad when I was a teen and I kept her at arms length for a long time.
Grayson judged Millie as an uptight princess right away which, despite her rudeness, was way too quick. And obviously not accurate.
The angsty slow development was great. the animosity turned into an almost trauma bond which became genuine friendship and then it blossomed from there. It felt authentic. HOWEVER, I feel like "I love you" was for sure thrown out too quickly after only the 2nd kiss. The ending felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it.
The last couple chapters did break my heart though. So, this one made me chuckle, cry and had me irritated (not a bad thing.) I enjoy books that ignite my emotions. I am glad the author reached out and offered to send me a copy, but it was definitely worth the few bucks it cost me to buy myself.
Trigger Warnings:
- Death of a Parent
- PTSD
- Childhood Cancer
- Death of a sibling (12yrs)
- Grief
- Explicit sexual scenes (one near end of the book) (Spice is pretty tame to me. 🌶/ 5)
Characters:
Millie (FMC)
Grayson (MMC)
Theo (Millies Brother & Graysons BFF)
Hayley (Milkies BFF)
Sutton (Millie & Theos father)
Charlotte (Graysons sister)
Sierra (Friend of Millie)
This book was fun and emotional to read. I lost a parent almost 4 years ago (my dad), so I fully understand how Millie feels after losing her mom. however, the level of rudeness she exudes really had me disliking her at first, but she redeems herself. She really seemed dead set on just being awful to everyone. Grief is so hard to manage mentally, emotionally and physically but its never an excuse to be hurtful to people.
Millie judged Sutton, Theo and Grayson on the past selves. Theo and Grayson were just young boys when she last saw them. It was unfair to them. I totally understand why she treated Sutton like that though. My mom cheated on my sad when I was a teen and I kept her at arms length for a long time.
Grayson judged Millie as an uptight princess right away which, despite her rudeness, was way too quick. And obviously not accurate.
The angsty slow development was great. the animosity turned into an almost trauma bond which became genuine friendship and then it blossomed from there. It felt authentic. HOWEVER, I feel like "I love you" was for sure thrown out too quickly after only the 2nd kiss. The ending felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it.
The last couple chapters did break my heart though. So, this one made me chuckle, cry and had me irritated (not a bad thing.) I enjoy books that ignite my emotions. I am glad the author reached out and offered to send me a copy, but it was definitely worth the few bucks it cost me to buy myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2025
🖊️Author Lauren Holland, after having read a review that I wrote for another author's book, approached me and asked if I would like to read and review her book. I was thrilled to do so! I appreciate the gesture as well as her patience, as my 📚TBR is miles long!
👫The characters are interesting and dynamic! I enjoyed following along with their development within the storyline.
💃🏼FMC Millie, having recently lost her beloved mother in a car accident, is forced to move from her home in America to live with her estranged father (Sutton) and brother (Theo). Theo's mate, 🕺MMC Grayson, also lives in their large home. Hayley, Sierra, and Charlotte are supporting characters.
💌Tropes include: estranged family, forced proximity, brother's best friend, found family, and childhood playground bully/enemies to lovers.
❤️🔥There was a steady vibe in the storyline, with a slow burn love interest. I personally would have enjoyed a bit more angst in the romance build between the love interests, but I was left feeling overall satisfied in the end.
🫦In totality, I really ate this book up! It was a bit predictable, but it was very enjoyable!
🖊️Please keep writing, Ms. Lauren Holland! I'd continue to read your work if I were made aware of it! Thank you so much for reaching out to me!
👫The characters are interesting and dynamic! I enjoyed following along with their development within the storyline.
💃🏼FMC Millie, having recently lost her beloved mother in a car accident, is forced to move from her home in America to live with her estranged father (Sutton) and brother (Theo). Theo's mate, 🕺MMC Grayson, also lives in their large home. Hayley, Sierra, and Charlotte are supporting characters.
💌Tropes include: estranged family, forced proximity, brother's best friend, found family, and childhood playground bully/enemies to lovers.
❤️🔥There was a steady vibe in the storyline, with a slow burn love interest. I personally would have enjoyed a bit more angst in the romance build between the love interests, but I was left feeling overall satisfied in the end.
🫦In totality, I really ate this book up! It was a bit predictable, but it was very enjoyable!
🖊️Please keep writing, Ms. Lauren Holland! I'd continue to read your work if I were made aware of it! Thank you so much for reaching out to me!
September 3, 2025
Loving Grayson is a standalone novel and my first time reading Lauren Holland.
Characters:
Camilla “Millie”
Grayson
Millie seemed to have a raw deal. She experienced loss twice. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be a character trait or her age or a combination of both that attribute to her trouble accepting to her losses. She needed individual and everyone needed family therapy.
I would have liked to have understood better the family split and the immediate aftermath. I would have also liked to have seen a better resolution with Millie’s dad.
The relationship with Grayson was the only relationship had some depth but there is never really a good discussion about their childhood. He was kind and understanding, and had a lot of his own problems. Millie and Grayson end up really complimenting each other, even if they have to do unconventional things to get there. The jump to full on intimacy when it happened was a little odd though.
What to Expect:
Dual POV
Enemies to Lovers
Semi forbidden (brother’s best friend)
Forced proximity
Slow burn
HFN ending
Spice:
🌶️🌶️/5
Thank you Lauren Holland for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!
Characters:
Camilla “Millie”
Grayson
Millie seemed to have a raw deal. She experienced loss twice. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be a character trait or her age or a combination of both that attribute to her trouble accepting to her losses. She needed individual and everyone needed family therapy.
I would have liked to have understood better the family split and the immediate aftermath. I would have also liked to have seen a better resolution with Millie’s dad.
The relationship with Grayson was the only relationship had some depth but there is never really a good discussion about their childhood. He was kind and understanding, and had a lot of his own problems. Millie and Grayson end up really complimenting each other, even if they have to do unconventional things to get there. The jump to full on intimacy when it happened was a little odd though.
What to Expect:
Dual POV
Enemies to Lovers
Semi forbidden (brother’s best friend)
Forced proximity
Slow burn
HFN ending
Spice:
🌶️🌶️/5
Thank you Lauren Holland for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!
August 28, 2025
First off, I wanted to thank the author and emerie sparks pr for the ARC opportunity. Now onto my thoughts.
This is my first ever book that I have read by Lauren Holland and it was honestly pretty good. The premise of this book alone caught my interest as the main female character ended up losing her mom and had to live with her estranged
family.
The tension and family troubles in this book made the story relatable and I felt that it would be good for any reader to try it out. I feel like the enemies to lovers trope was done really well with this book between Millie and Grayson. You could really see how the two were fighting amongst each other yet had the undeniable attraction to each other at the same time. The writing style was really smooth and easy to follow and was a quick read for me to dive into.
This is my first ever book that I have read by Lauren Holland and it was honestly pretty good. The premise of this book alone caught my interest as the main female character ended up losing her mom and had to live with her estranged
family.
The tension and family troubles in this book made the story relatable and I felt that it would be good for any reader to try it out. I feel like the enemies to lovers trope was done really well with this book between Millie and Grayson. You could really see how the two were fighting amongst each other yet had the undeniable attraction to each other at the same time. The writing style was really smooth and easy to follow and was a quick read for me to dive into.
August 28, 2025
Loving Greyson - Lauren Holland
This author really knows how to write very complex and intriguing characters. The main characters, Millie and Grayson, were really engaging and I liked learned about them and their growth. Especially with Millie, and the idea of hurting people hurt people. I would to see what else this author writes. Especially with these characters and this universe.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy
Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable
Genre/Tropes ✨ Brothers best friend, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, complex family dynamics, contemporary romance
This author really knows how to write very complex and intriguing characters. The main characters, Millie and Grayson, were really engaging and I liked learned about them and their growth. Especially with Millie, and the idea of hurting people hurt people. I would to see what else this author writes. Especially with these characters and this universe.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy
Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable
Genre/Tropes ✨ Brothers best friend, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, complex family dynamics, contemporary romance
September 6, 2025
Thank you to Lauren Holland and Emerie Spark PR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
This was my first book by Lauren Holland and I am happy to say I enjoyed it! If you enjoy themes like brother's best friend, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers, I would say you will enjoy this book. Millie is a character that knows hurt and loss, and it shapes the way she lives her life. Grayson ends up being just what she needs to help her grow and develop. I felt like they really complimented each other. This story is a pretty slow burn, but eventually we do get a little bit of spice. Overall, I would recommend this book for comtemporary romance readers!
This was my first book by Lauren Holland and I am happy to say I enjoyed it! If you enjoy themes like brother's best friend, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers, I would say you will enjoy this book. Millie is a character that knows hurt and loss, and it shapes the way she lives her life. Grayson ends up being just what she needs to help her grow and develop. I felt like they really complimented each other. This story is a pretty slow burn, but eventually we do get a little bit of spice. Overall, I would recommend this book for comtemporary romance readers!
September 11, 2025
Millie has just lost her mother in a tragic accident. She now has to leave behind the life she knows in America, to go back and live with her estranged father in London. Millie is a prickly, hurt girl who does not want to be with the family that caused her mother so much pain. She gets to her new house and her brother Theo's best friend, Grayson, lives in the house also. He had bullied her when they were children and she wants nothing to do with him.
This is an enemies, to friends, to lovers story! The slow burn, the banter!! Oh God it was so good. I was screaming at them to stop fighting and just kiss already!
It does have a bit of tear jerker moments. BUT I LOVED THIS BOOK!
This is an enemies, to friends, to lovers story! The slow burn, the banter!! Oh God it was so good. I was screaming at them to stop fighting and just kiss already!
It does have a bit of tear jerker moments. BUT I LOVED THIS BOOK!
September 20, 2025
Not my normal cup of tea, but it's the genre I usually pick as a palette cleanser between my darker books. Glad I got this one!!
This was a slow burn that makes you laugh and cry. Holland has awesome character and setting development, it was very easy to fall right in and read the whole thing without realizing it. I normally don't care for trigger warnings but as this is more modern and realistic, I will warn there are hard topics, like grief and death discussed. Would/ will recommend to a friend and will be continuing following this Author. I can't really say why I took away the star without a spoiler, so sorry.
This was a slow burn that makes you laugh and cry. Holland has awesome character and setting development, it was very easy to fall right in and read the whole thing without realizing it. I normally don't care for trigger warnings but as this is more modern and realistic, I will warn there are hard topics, like grief and death discussed. Would/ will recommend to a friend and will be continuing following this Author. I can't really say why I took away the star without a spoiler, so sorry.
August 31, 2025
This book was so good ! I couldn’t put it down . This was brothers best friend. This also had great connections and bonds between people in this book which I really loved . It had heartbreak and growth . Somewhat of enemies to lovers, I wouldn’t say enemies but they didn’t like each other at first . I wanted more of their story but it had a good ending, I was happy with it . I enjoyed this book so much and cannot wait to read more from this author!
September 1, 2025
Loving Grayson
⭐5
🌶️3.5
Tropes
💜 Brothers best friend
💜 enemies to lovers
💜 forbidden romance
💜 complex family dynamics
💜 contemporary romance
Thankyou for the opportunity to read this book I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last page of the book.
This is my first ever book that I have read by Lauren Holland and it was really good.
The tension and family troubles in this book . The writing style was really good and easy to grasp.
⭐5
🌶️3.5
Tropes
💜 Brothers best friend
💜 enemies to lovers
💜 forbidden romance
💜 complex family dynamics
💜 contemporary romance
Thankyou for the opportunity to read this book I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last page of the book.
This is my first ever book that I have read by Lauren Holland and it was really good.
The tension and family troubles in this book . The writing style was really good and easy to grasp.
August 27, 2025
Lauren Holland delivers a story full of raw emotion, heartbreak, and healing. Millie’s journey from loss and resentment to love and self-discovery is beautifully written. The chemistry between Millie and Grayson leaps off the page—it’s slow-burn, fiery, and addictive. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in one sitting! Perfect for fans of angsty romance with plenty of heart.
August 27, 2025
This book had me hooked from page one. The grief, the family tension, and the complicated relationship between Millie and Grayson are all so real and relatable. Holland balances humor, tenderness, and angst in the best way. The emotional depth of Millie’s character paired with Grayson’s growth made this an unforgettable love story.
August 27, 2025
The enemies-to-lovers trope is done SO well here. Grayson was the perfect mix of frustrating and swoon-worthy, and Millie’s strength despite her pain made me root for her every step of the way. By the time the tension between them finally boiled over, I was screaming at the pages! This is a romance that lingers long after the last chapter.
August 27, 2025
The way Lauren Holland weaves family dynamics, betrayal, and passion into one seamless story is incredible. I loved how Millie’s love for dance paralleled her emotional journey—it made her feel so real. The tension and banter between Millie and Grayson were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend to anyone who loves emotional, character-driven romance!
August 27, 2025
This book was everything I wanted—angst, passion, heartbreak, and ultimately, love that feels earned. The setting in England added a moody charm, and the push-pull between Millie and Grayson was addictive. By the end, I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters. Holland has officially become an auto-buy author for me!
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October 1, 2025eventually made the hard choice of DNFing 59% into the book. I guess it just wasn't for me. The writing style and all. The personality of the FMC was the first thing that made it difficult for me to get into the book, but I kept pushing, because the plot looked promising. caught myself skimming instead of reading more times than normal, and I just had to DNF.
Thank you, Lauren, for the ARC.
Thank you, Lauren, for the ARC.
August 31, 2025
What an amazing book!! These two people were railroaded by life! But they were able to come together to heal. Get this book!!!
September 7, 2025
I very much enjoyed this, aside from it being completely different from my usual reads I found myself binge reading at any available moment!
September 9, 2025
This was a good book but I definitely feel like it was very rushed. There were such big jump in events with no answers.
September 22, 2025
I enjoyed this story of two young people who have had their lives shattered. They can't stand each other at first. Since this is a romance, you know they are going to come around to falling in love. It's a page turner to see the trust and relationship grow. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy young adults finding themselves. Grief is a big part of this book and includes parental loss.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews