What do you think?
The Bridge #1
What Is Love
I can’t remember a time my skin was not blemished with black, purple, and blue.
I don’t know what it’s like to breathe without the weight of fear on my chest.
From a young age, I mastered how to lie and how to hide my pain behind a practiced smile. I was never told, but I’ve always known that I need to cover my punishments beneath pretty, pastel clothes and white pearls.
I must always appear perfect. The perfect student. The perfect girlfriend. The perfect daughter.
Some days, I meet those expectations. Some days, they change to something unachievable, and pain and fear become my whole reality.
I wish I could run away, but with my family’s money and connections, I know they would find me.
My past, present, and future have already been decided without my consent and it seems like death would be my only escape. So I don’t have any choice but to continue on with my perfect façade that grows harder and harder to bear when there’s no end to my misery in sight.
That is, until someone unexpected offers me his hand in a moment I need it—a moment I can’t hold my practiced smile. Despite so much risk of being caught, I take it, and I follow him and his friends into their world of worn black leather, ripped jeans, and dangerous men on motorcycles. A world, as my mother would say, on the wrong side of the bridge.
*** Warning ***
This is a why choose romance.
This story contains triggering content. For more details, please read the Know Before You Read page located in the beginning of the book.
I don’t know what it’s like to breathe without the weight of fear on my chest.
From a young age, I mastered how to lie and how to hide my pain behind a practiced smile. I was never told, but I’ve always known that I need to cover my punishments beneath pretty, pastel clothes and white pearls.
I must always appear perfect. The perfect student. The perfect girlfriend. The perfect daughter.
Some days, I meet those expectations. Some days, they change to something unachievable, and pain and fear become my whole reality.
I wish I could run away, but with my family’s money and connections, I know they would find me.
My past, present, and future have already been decided without my consent and it seems like death would be my only escape. So I don’t have any choice but to continue on with my perfect façade that grows harder and harder to bear when there’s no end to my misery in sight.
That is, until someone unexpected offers me his hand in a moment I need it—a moment I can’t hold my practiced smile. Despite so much risk of being caught, I take it, and I follow him and his friends into their world of worn black leather, ripped jeans, and dangerous men on motorcycles. A world, as my mother would say, on the wrong side of the bridge.
*** Warning ***
This is a why choose romance.
This story contains triggering content. For more details, please read the Know Before You Read page located in the beginning of the book.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2025
About the author
Ashley N. Rostek
13 books3,527 followersAshley N. Rostek is a wife and mother by day and a writer by night. She survives on coffee, loves collecting offensive coffee mugs, and is an unashamed bibliophile.
To Ashley, there isn’t a better pastime than letting your mind escape in a good book. Her favorite genre is romance and has the overflowing bookshelf to prove it. She is a lover of love. Be it a sweet YA or a dark and lusty novel, she must read it!
Ashley’s passion is writing. She picked up the pen at seventeen and hasn’t put it down. Her debut novel is Embrace the Darkness, the first book in the Maura Quinn series.
For updates and sneak peeks on her upcoming projects, follow her on social media. Links below.
https://www.facebook.com/ashleynrostek/
https://www.instagram.com/ashleynrostek/
To Ashley, there isn’t a better pastime than letting your mind escape in a good book. Her favorite genre is romance and has the overflowing bookshelf to prove it. She is a lover of love. Be it a sweet YA or a dark and lusty novel, she must read it!
Ashley’s passion is writing. She picked up the pen at seventeen and hasn’t put it down. Her debut novel is Embrace the Darkness, the first book in the Maura Quinn series.
For updates and sneak peeks on her upcoming projects, follow her on social media. Links below.
https://www.facebook.com/ashleynrostek/
https://www.instagram.com/ashleynrostek/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 552 reviews
December 7, 2025
What rock have I been living under that I didn’t know Ashley Rostek had a new series? From chapter one I was locked in! Give me all the tension, heartache, and angst to emotionally wreck me. I’m ready!
Across her other series and in this book, the author has this incredible talent for crafting moments between the heroine and the heroes that are subtle, intimate, and loaded with meaning. Like one hero making up excuses to save her from her “boyfriend” despite the fallout, or quietly holding her while she cried without pushing for answers. It was technically a slow-burn romance, but honestly, I’d take moments like those over instant spice any day.
One of the big themes here was the classic wealth divide, and I couldn’t help getting Five Brothers flashbacks. You’ve got the posh crowd and the bikers from the other side of the tracks, with the bikers convinced that money magically erased problems. Spoiler alert…that was not the case in this book. The heroine never let her wealth define her; if anything, she treated it like more of a hindrance than a perk.
Despite their differences, she could be completely raw with the heroes. Half because they were nothing like the other posh pricks she knew. Half because she couldn’t hold it in anymore. At home, she stayed polished for her mother. Around her boyfriend, polished so complaints wouldn’t reach her mother. She was like a china doll, always on the verge of breaking. Some of her monologues shattered me. She would just explode 💥 and it was glorious to see.
I really liked the heroes, each brought something unique and none blurred into a single “phantom hero.” I couldn’t help comparing them to the Witsec men: Wyatt gave Keelan vibes, Reid had Knox energy, and Monroe… well, he was all his own. Not that they were copied, but seeing these familiar personality types was oddly comforting.
I guessed the main storyline with “Abraham” early on, though I think it was meant to be obvious. Please tell me if you guessed it too? It also solved the mystery of the motorcycle artwork, although I didn’t connect the dots on that till later.
It’s a single POV !!! Thank you, Jesus 🙌🙏🙌 I may be in the minority, but I don’t need a dual POV. I love the air of mystery that comes from not knowing exactly what the heroes are thinking, only assuming. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy hearing their thoughts too, but there’s something satisfying about their silence 🤫
I think I initially missed that this was a Rostek book, because the title and cover didn’t feel like her usual vibe. What Is Love sounded fluffier than the synopsis suggested, but it actually ties to a deeper artistic meaning, which makes complete sense. The writing, though? Totally her, and I loved it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it !! This storyline was right up my street and handled heavy topics with real care. I knew I was hooked when I kept checking the page count, wishing it would slow down. Be warned: book 2 isn’t out until 2026, which makes that cliffhanger even more painful.
Across her other series and in this book, the author has this incredible talent for crafting moments between the heroine and the heroes that are subtle, intimate, and loaded with meaning. Like one hero making up excuses to save her from her “boyfriend” despite the fallout, or quietly holding her while she cried without pushing for answers. It was technically a slow-burn romance, but honestly, I’d take moments like those over instant spice any day.
One of the big themes here was the classic wealth divide, and I couldn’t help getting Five Brothers flashbacks. You’ve got the posh crowd and the bikers from the other side of the tracks, with the bikers convinced that money magically erased problems. Spoiler alert…that was not the case in this book. The heroine never let her wealth define her; if anything, she treated it like more of a hindrance than a perk.
Despite their differences, she could be completely raw with the heroes. Half because they were nothing like the other posh pricks she knew. Half because she couldn’t hold it in anymore. At home, she stayed polished for her mother. Around her boyfriend, polished so complaints wouldn’t reach her mother. She was like a china doll, always on the verge of breaking. Some of her monologues shattered me. She would just explode 💥 and it was glorious to see.
I really liked the heroes, each brought something unique and none blurred into a single “phantom hero.” I couldn’t help comparing them to the Witsec men: Wyatt gave Keelan vibes, Reid had Knox energy, and Monroe… well, he was all his own. Not that they were copied, but seeing these familiar personality types was oddly comforting.
I guessed the main storyline with “Abraham” early on, though I think it was meant to be obvious. Please tell me if you guessed it too? It also solved the mystery of the motorcycle artwork, although I didn’t connect the dots on that till later.
It’s a single POV !!! Thank you, Jesus 🙌🙏🙌 I may be in the minority, but I don’t need a dual POV. I love the air of mystery that comes from not knowing exactly what the heroes are thinking, only assuming. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy hearing their thoughts too, but there’s something satisfying about their silence 🤫
I think I initially missed that this was a Rostek book, because the title and cover didn’t feel like her usual vibe. What Is Love sounded fluffier than the synopsis suggested, but it actually ties to a deeper artistic meaning, which makes complete sense. The writing, though? Totally her, and I loved it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it !! This storyline was right up my street and handled heavy topics with real care. I knew I was hooked when I kept checking the page count, wishing it would slow down. Be warned: book 2 isn’t out until 2026, which makes that cliffhanger even more painful.
November 13, 2025
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔* WHAT IS LOVE °❀⋆.ೃ࿔* Is the first full length 'Why Choose' romance book within (The Bridge) series by author Ashley N. Rosek. In this you'll meet Lotte, Roe and his two best friends Wyatt & Reid.
Grabbed this release day, this was one I'd been keeping an eye on, that blurb screamed 'READ ME'..So keen to jump in..
Well this was shamelessly inhaled, I am a sucker for bad boys from the wrong side of the tracks (in this case the bridge) and the girls who want to be dirtied by them. These guys were chefs 💋 and I honestly can’t choose a favourite out of them, all of them had good qualities and neither stood above the other..
On the outside looking in you would assume Lottie had the perfect princess story kind of life, privileged, beautiful, wanting for nothing.. But she walks on eggshells, everything has to be of the utmost perfection, not a hair out of place, a wrinkle on clothing, makeup on point, smiles at the ready. It's a wonder her facade didn't crack sooner.
Lottie dreamt of a better life, where she could be herself and not someone else's product.
Roe attends Lottie's school on a scholarship, ' He was ridiculously smart, and stupidly good looking. He was all denim, black leathers and tattoos. ' He's from over the bridge on the wrong side of town and a son of a Haven's Rebels MC member. He's had a crush on her for a while and it's fair to say he's the only one that sees her, like really sees her. He knows something's not quite right but can't put his finger on it. Then throw in Roe's two besties Reid and Wyatt they also see what she's trying to hide from the world.
Around these boys she came alive..The polar opposite of what others see.
This had some emotional gritty parts which could be triggering to some.
Lotte had me tearing up a time or two, everything she had endured, no one in her corner protecting her, other than a housekeeper who could only do so much. Everyone else turned a blind eye or were paid off to keep their mouths shut. More often than not she would have bruises marring her body, lies to cover the truth. Her life was her mother’s to do with as she saw fit. Then add in her mother's boyfriend who tag teamed in doling out brutal punishments made my stomach turn..
A mother that despised her
A mother who controlled her life, from what to eat (literally nothing) to what to wear, how to look, what her future is going to look like.
I wanted to jump inside these pages and bitch slap her mother!! So bad!!
So those angsty stabby feels made me extra livid 🔪 her mother was a piece of shit!!
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔* WHAT IS LOVE °❀⋆.ೃ࿔* Is the first full length 'Why Choose' romance book within (The Bridge) series by author Ashley N. Rosek. In this you'll meet Lotte, Roe and his two best friends Wyatt & Reid.
Grabbed this release day, this was one I'd been keeping an eye on, that blurb screamed 'READ ME'..So keen to jump in..
Well this was shamelessly inhaled, I am a sucker for bad boys from the wrong side of the tracks (in this case the bridge) and the girls who want to be dirtied by them. These guys were chefs 💋 and I honestly can’t choose a favourite out of them, all of them had good qualities and neither stood above the other..
On the outside looking in you would assume Lottie had the perfect princess story kind of life, privileged, beautiful, wanting for nothing.. But she walks on eggshells, everything has to be of the utmost perfection, not a hair out of place, a wrinkle on clothing, makeup on point, smiles at the ready. It's a wonder her facade didn't crack sooner.
Lottie dreamt of a better life, where she could be herself and not someone else's product.
Roe attends Lottie's school on a scholarship, ' He was ridiculously smart, and stupidly good looking. He was all denim, black leathers and tattoos. ' He's from over the bridge on the wrong side of town and a son of a Haven's Rebels MC member. He's had a crush on her for a while and it's fair to say he's the only one that sees her, like really sees her. He knows something's not quite right but can't put his finger on it. Then throw in Roe's two besties Reid and Wyatt they also see what she's trying to hide from the world.
Around these boys she came alive..The polar opposite of what others see.
This had some emotional gritty parts which could be triggering to some.
Lotte had me tearing up a time or two, everything she had endured, no one in her corner protecting her, other than a housekeeper who could only do so much. Everyone else turned a blind eye or were paid off to keep their mouths shut. More often than not she would have bruises marring her body, lies to cover the truth. Her life was her mother’s to do with as she saw fit. Then add in her mother's boyfriend who tag teamed in doling out brutal punishments made my stomach turn..
A mother that despised her
A mother who controlled her life, from what to eat (literally nothing) to what to wear, how to look, what her future is going to look like.
I wanted to jump inside these pages and bitch slap her mother!! So bad!!
So those angsty stabby feels made me extra livid 🔪 her mother was a piece of shit!!
November 3, 2025
Holy.shit.
Is it illegal to ask for the second book before the first one is even released? Because I freakin’ need it!!
I completely devoured this in one sitting! I felt like my eyes couldn’t read fast enough for my liking lmao.
Ashley’s talent in writing traumatized characters is absolutely WILD. I had TEARS in my eyes for Lottie. I cannot wait to read the revenge she eventually (hopefully?) gets!
There’s great depth to the mmc’s! I love a good push and pull with characters not wanting to join the club but like, you know they’re going to 😂
Another great series has started and I’m thankful to have won an arc 🩷🩷
Is it illegal to ask for the second book before the first one is even released? Because I freakin’ need it!!
I completely devoured this in one sitting! I felt like my eyes couldn’t read fast enough for my liking lmao.
Ashley’s talent in writing traumatized characters is absolutely WILD. I had TEARS in my eyes for Lottie. I cannot wait to read the revenge she eventually (hopefully?) gets!
There’s great depth to the mmc’s! I love a good push and pull with characters not wanting to join the club but like, you know they’re going to 😂
Another great series has started and I’m thankful to have won an arc 🩷🩷
June 28, 2026
Unputdownable! Can’t believe I read that in 16 hours!🔥
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️.5
This book was giving all the feels! Complete mood read. Sometimes you just need something thats easy to read and hits all the right boxes. I really liked the plot in this and the hidden secrets. There was also a delicious slow burn in this! 😊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️.5
This book was giving all the feels! Complete mood read. Sometimes you just need something thats easy to read and hits all the right boxes. I really liked the plot in this and the hidden secrets. There was also a delicious slow burn in this! 😊
December 9, 2025
the main plot of this book was just the fmc repeatedly getting the shit beat out of her and having the worst life ever… but nonetheless I was undeniably addicted and shall eagerly await book #2. please give me an adorable father-daughter bond!!! boys were unmemorable but cute, and writing was captivating. really hit that rh-dramatic-realistic-fic mark!
November 2, 2025
Ashley has ruined me again 😭
♾️ 🌟 - full review to come
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
arc review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1.75 🌶️
What is Love— it’s emotional torment when written by Ashley N. Rostek. I have such a deep love for Ashley’s books, and I know how they end (especially the beginning of a series) so really I only have myself to blame for how this cliffhanger absolutely slapped me in the face and has left me in a daze for weeks. The biggest praise to Ashley. I have a deep love for your beautifully broken characters, and these beautiful and wretched journey’s of their story, and i’m honored to have received an advance copy, in which I read the in one sitting, under 24 hours, through the night until the sun rose again.
My heart was breaking for Lottie from word one, and boy that ending has me utterly raging for her, and at that dirty little secret reveal right before the end. Everyone around Lottie are just utter A holes, until Roe comes along to bring Lottie to his side of the bridge.
Roe, Wyatt, and Reid equally hurt my heart 🥺🫀😫 and my babies 😩 they need each other!! The way they don’t treat Lottie as some little broken thing 🫠😵💫 I need book 2 immediately before I actually lose my sanity.
Thanks to Ashley for an advanced readers copy/advanced listeners copy of this read, in exchange for my honest review.
♾️ 🌟 - full review to come
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
arc review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1.75 🌶️
What is Love— it’s emotional torment when written by Ashley N. Rostek. I have such a deep love for Ashley’s books, and I know how they end (especially the beginning of a series) so really I only have myself to blame for how this cliffhanger absolutely slapped me in the face and has left me in a daze for weeks. The biggest praise to Ashley. I have a deep love for your beautifully broken characters, and these beautiful and wretched journey’s of their story, and i’m honored to have received an advance copy, in which I read the in one sitting, under 24 hours, through the night until the sun rose again.
My heart was breaking for Lottie from word one, and boy that ending has me utterly raging for her, and at that dirty little secret reveal right before the end. Everyone around Lottie are just utter A holes, until Roe comes along to bring Lottie to his side of the bridge.
Roe, Wyatt, and Reid equally hurt my heart 🥺🫀😫 and my babies 😩 they need each other!! The way they don’t treat Lottie as some little broken thing 🫠😵💫 I need book 2 immediately before I actually lose my sanity.
Thanks to Ashley for an advanced readers copy/advanced listeners copy of this read, in exchange for my honest review.
November 9, 2025
I won’t give this a terrible review because my complaint is fairly subjective and probably petty.
The basic plot involves a girl who is being horribly abused by her mother. She has just turned 18. She is reasonably intelligent. Her father has been dead a long time, but his lawyer sends her a letter that her father had written to her for her to read when she turns 18. The lawyer includes a note from himself asking her to notify him.
Our FMC decides she feels traumatized and sets that shit aside. Without reading it.
I’m sorry. No. I will apply massive portions of suspension of disbelief to anything other than human behavior. I can’t tolerate a character behaving in a nonsensical way. Sure, you can make some argument that maybe she’s completely insane or something. But why make it a plot point? Have her get the letter later.
All the bullshit I’m reading now is potentially avoidable by reading a fucking letter. So I’m not interested anymore.
This book might have the other things that RHs are dependable about providing: emotional support, healing, smut, etc. That’s not what I’m here for though. I’m here for an interesting story.
It’s fine. We all show up for different things. This is just not my thing.
The basic plot involves a girl who is being horribly abused by her mother. She has just turned 18. She is reasonably intelligent. Her father has been dead a long time, but his lawyer sends her a letter that her father had written to her for her to read when she turns 18. The lawyer includes a note from himself asking her to notify him.
Our FMC decides she feels traumatized and sets that shit aside. Without reading it.
I’m sorry. No. I will apply massive portions of suspension of disbelief to anything other than human behavior. I can’t tolerate a character behaving in a nonsensical way. Sure, you can make some argument that maybe she’s completely insane or something. But why make it a plot point? Have her get the letter later.
All the bullshit I’m reading now is potentially avoidable by reading a fucking letter. So I’m not interested anymore.
This book might have the other things that RHs are dependable about providing: emotional support, healing, smut, etc. That’s not what I’m here for though. I’m here for an interesting story.
It’s fine. We all show up for different things. This is just not my thing.
November 8, 2025
Ashley N. Rostek does it again with the first book in the 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 with 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 🦋
i want to first start by saying that please check your trigger warnings for this book. there are a lot of on page events that happen to the fmc, Lottie (Charlotte) and your mental health matters. esp with this content.
i won’t go too in depth with this review bc i don’t want to give too much away, but let me just say, that if you’re obsessed with the 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑺𝑬𝑪 series, you’ll be just as obsessed with this one. the author has you hooked immediately from the beginning and feeling for Lottie. you don’t wait long to see what is going on in her life and the mask she is constantly wearing. and our girl Lottie is TIRED. so tired her mask starts to slip in front of Roe (Monroe), Wyatt, and Reid. but Lottie has this quiet defiance and she takes every opportunity she can, esp with the guys.
you’ll go through a roller coaster of emotions with this book. the author always does an amazing job of making you feel for her fmcs. would not recommend reading in public if you don’t want to be seen crying in public. you won’t want to put it down once you start.
that cliffhanger tho… i knew something like it was coming but ugh, it still hit me. i want to beg the author to release the next book ASAP bc the wait is going to be brutal. can’t wait to see how Lottie’s story unfolds.
thank you Ashley N. Rostek and Peachy Keen for an e-ARC of 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 🦋
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MFMM, single 1st person POV
18 fmc, 18 mmc, 18 mmc, 19 mmc
high school setting, sons of MC members, abused fmc, slow/medium burn, different side of the bridge (tracks), brutal cliffhanger, first book in series
no virgins, no OW drama, OM drama, no manwhores but one mmc is the flirt of the group
TW: on page abuse by a parent and parents partner, attempted on page sexual assault, death of a parent (past)
i want to first start by saying that please check your trigger warnings for this book. there are a lot of on page events that happen to the fmc, Lottie (Charlotte) and your mental health matters. esp with this content.
i won’t go too in depth with this review bc i don’t want to give too much away, but let me just say, that if you’re obsessed with the 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑺𝑬𝑪 series, you’ll be just as obsessed with this one. the author has you hooked immediately from the beginning and feeling for Lottie. you don’t wait long to see what is going on in her life and the mask she is constantly wearing. and our girl Lottie is TIRED. so tired her mask starts to slip in front of Roe (Monroe), Wyatt, and Reid. but Lottie has this quiet defiance and she takes every opportunity she can, esp with the guys.
you’ll go through a roller coaster of emotions with this book. the author always does an amazing job of making you feel for her fmcs. would not recommend reading in public if you don’t want to be seen crying in public. you won’t want to put it down once you start.
that cliffhanger tho… i knew something like it was coming but ugh, it still hit me. i want to beg the author to release the next book ASAP bc the wait is going to be brutal. can’t wait to see how Lottie’s story unfolds.
thank you Ashley N. Rostek and Peachy Keen for an e-ARC of 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 🦋
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MFMM, single 1st person POV
18 fmc, 18 mmc, 18 mmc, 19 mmc
high school setting, sons of MC members, abused fmc, slow/medium burn, different side of the bridge (tracks), brutal cliffhanger, first book in series
no virgins, no OW drama, OM drama, no manwhores but one mmc is the flirt of the group
TW: on page abuse by a parent and parents partner, attempted on page sexual assault, death of a parent (past)
March 25, 2026
Okay I don’t know what I’m missing here, because the reviews are really high and it just fell so short for me.
And full disclosure here - I rate on quality, but also on enjoyment and vibes. The WITSEC series by this author is a comfort re-read for me (it’s a bit trashy, but in a fun and engaging way) so I was expecting to enjoy this.
But this story was so…flat. The FMC is dull, makes stupid decisions and has an inability to communicate.
The MMCs are completely unmemorable, and the romance didn’t even hit.
And so little is resolved - the end of the book feels like we are basically back where we started, just with more unanswered questions.
Due to how much I enjoyed WITSEC I may give this another attempt when the next in the series comes out. But we will see how motivated I am when the time comes.
And full disclosure here - I rate on quality, but also on enjoyment and vibes. The WITSEC series by this author is a comfort re-read for me (it’s a bit trashy, but in a fun and engaging way) so I was expecting to enjoy this.
But this story was so…flat. The FMC is dull, makes stupid decisions and has an inability to communicate.
The MMCs are completely unmemorable, and the romance didn’t even hit.
And so little is resolved - the end of the book feels like we are basically back where we started, just with more unanswered questions.
Due to how much I enjoyed WITSEC I may give this another attempt when the next in the series comes out. But we will see how motivated I am when the time comes.
November 10, 2025
✨4 stars✨
August 19, 2026
Takes me back to my wattpad era, in a good way of course
November 11, 2025
This was an enjoyable read that I think just needed more development to really work for me. I liked the characters and I liked a lot of the romance scenes, although there was a lot of instaness, but the plot was poorly laid out. The book lacked foreshadowing and I had a hard time understanding the characters, their choices, and their motivations. Maybe when everything is all said and done it will make sense but I want what we got in this book to make sense and those things be built on and expanded in the other books.
Overall: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
April 16, 2026
I absolutely love this author, so I was beyond excited to start her new series—and she did not disappoint. From chapter one, I was completely locked in. There’s something special about the way she writes teenage characters with a level of maturity that makes everything feel real and believable. I was here for all the tension, heartache, and angst… and this story delivered every bit of it.
One of her biggest strengths is how she builds connections between characters. The moments between the heroine and the heroes are subtle, intimate, and full of meaning—never overdone, but always impactful.
I was completely drawn in by Charlotte (Lottie), Roe, Reid, and Wyatt. They’re all very different, each carrying their own flaws and emotional baggage, but that’s what makes them feel so authentic. Their experiences have shaped them into people far older than their years.
The story takes place at a prestigious high school filled with wealth and privilege. From the outside, Lottie’s life looks perfect—beautiful, polished, and effortless. But behind that image, she’s constantly under pressure to be flawless. Every detail of her life is controlled, and she’s always walking on eggshells. It’s honestly surprising her facade held together as long as it did.
Roe, on the other hand, couldn’t be more different. A scholarship student from the wrong side of town, he’s smart, intense, and impossible to ignore. Denim, leather, tattoos—he’s everything Lottie should stay away from. But he’s also the only one who truly sees her. He knows something isn’t right, even if he can’t fully figure it out.
Then there’s Reid and Wyatt—Roe’s best friends—who also start to notice the cracks in Lottie’s perfect image. Wyatt is easygoing and flirtatious, while Reid fights any connection he feels toward her, which only adds to the tension.
Around these boys, Lottie becomes a completely different person. She’s more open, more alive—the total opposite of the version she shows the rest of the world.
The story does have some darker, emotional moments that could be triggering for some readers, but they add a raw, gritty edge that really deepens the story. The romance is a slow burn, paced perfectly so it builds alongside everything else without feeling rushed.
And that ending… absolutely brutal. That cliffhanger completely wrecked me, and I honestly don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the next book.
5 stars
One of her biggest strengths is how she builds connections between characters. The moments between the heroine and the heroes are subtle, intimate, and full of meaning—never overdone, but always impactful.
I was completely drawn in by Charlotte (Lottie), Roe, Reid, and Wyatt. They’re all very different, each carrying their own flaws and emotional baggage, but that’s what makes them feel so authentic. Their experiences have shaped them into people far older than their years.
The story takes place at a prestigious high school filled with wealth and privilege. From the outside, Lottie’s life looks perfect—beautiful, polished, and effortless. But behind that image, she’s constantly under pressure to be flawless. Every detail of her life is controlled, and she’s always walking on eggshells. It’s honestly surprising her facade held together as long as it did.
Roe, on the other hand, couldn’t be more different. A scholarship student from the wrong side of town, he’s smart, intense, and impossible to ignore. Denim, leather, tattoos—he’s everything Lottie should stay away from. But he’s also the only one who truly sees her. He knows something isn’t right, even if he can’t fully figure it out.
Then there’s Reid and Wyatt—Roe’s best friends—who also start to notice the cracks in Lottie’s perfect image. Wyatt is easygoing and flirtatious, while Reid fights any connection he feels toward her, which only adds to the tension.
Around these boys, Lottie becomes a completely different person. She’s more open, more alive—the total opposite of the version she shows the rest of the world.
The story does have some darker, emotional moments that could be triggering for some readers, but they add a raw, gritty edge that really deepens the story. The romance is a slow burn, paced perfectly so it builds alongside everything else without feeling rushed.
And that ending… absolutely brutal. That cliffhanger completely wrecked me, and I honestly don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the next book.
5 stars
October 25, 2025
Three hours. For three hours, I read this book from start to finish. For three hours, I went through every single emotion possible. For three hours, I couldn’t get enough. Now, I’m so sad that it’s over. The cliffhanger just completely wrecked me just like the WITSEC cliffhangers. I want to scream. I want to bawl my eyes out. I want to punch something. This book had me in a chokehold. I don’t think I’ll ever recover. Maybe when the next one comes out, I’ll be okay.
Charlotte has been abused over and over again, ever since she can remember. Taught to hide the pain and the blemishes, she has to be the perfect person. With her life in someone else’s hands, she will never escape the wrath or live as her own. Until one day, someone allows her to be someone else, even if it’s just for the time being. What could go wrong?
Heads up here, I’m trying my best not to spoil anything but just in case it happens, here is your warning.
My heart broke for Charlotte. She is so beaten down and broken. The fake smile she has to plaster, kills me. She is so beautiful and she deserves the world. Her character over the pages, came alive and it was absolutely beautiful to just see her when she was away from everything. I just loved her so much.
Beautiful, sweet, and loving Roe… you have my heart. Roe deserves the world and everything else. I loved his attentiveness and his awareness. Wyatt had me cackling and also swooning. His way with words had me nonstop smiling. He is the life of the party but also has such a sweet side to him. Grumpy Reid had me ready to yell at him, but I sensed he knew more and sure enough, I was right. I’ll get back to him when book two is here.
I have been waiting for this book ever since Ashley announced it! I loved WITSEC with every fiber in my body and I just knew What Is Love would have me just as obsessed. This story is so good and is honestly one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever read. I cannot wait for book two but in the meantime, I’ll be reading Maura Quinn!
Charlotte has been abused over and over again, ever since she can remember. Taught to hide the pain and the blemishes, she has to be the perfect person. With her life in someone else’s hands, she will never escape the wrath or live as her own. Until one day, someone allows her to be someone else, even if it’s just for the time being. What could go wrong?
Heads up here, I’m trying my best not to spoil anything but just in case it happens, here is your warning.
My heart broke for Charlotte. She is so beaten down and broken. The fake smile she has to plaster, kills me. She is so beautiful and she deserves the world. Her character over the pages, came alive and it was absolutely beautiful to just see her when she was away from everything. I just loved her so much.
Beautiful, sweet, and loving Roe… you have my heart. Roe deserves the world and everything else. I loved his attentiveness and his awareness. Wyatt had me cackling and also swooning. His way with words had me nonstop smiling. He is the life of the party but also has such a sweet side to him. Grumpy Reid had me ready to yell at him, but I sensed he knew more and sure enough, I was right. I’ll get back to him when book two is here.
I have been waiting for this book ever since Ashley announced it! I loved WITSEC with every fiber in my body and I just knew What Is Love would have me just as obsessed. This story is so good and is honestly one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever read. I cannot wait for book two but in the meantime, I’ll be reading Maura Quinn!
January 24, 2026
This book is amazing. Seriously, everything this author writes has been a book I cannot put down.
Welcome to Summerhaven. No train tracks here. Instead we are divided on the north, with the powerful and rich; Over the bridge to the south, are your every day folk or more notorious, Haven's Rebels MC. Do not fret, this is not a biker romance, although they definitely play a very important role!
With broken wings, we meet Charlotte Kendry; aka Lotti. Wanting desperately to fly away but caught in the web of her mothers evil doings. Shot down at every turn, Lotti finds herself in a situation she cant seem to break away from and afraid to use any backbone she may have left, until she meets the guys.
Roe, Reid and Wyatt are all from the other side of the bridge. Tattoos and hair that runs wild - so different than what Lottie is used to. She develops a friendship of sorts that slowly make her want more in life. She doesn't want to be broken anymore. She wants strength, fight and the ability to do what she wants.
This angsty, passionate slow burn is built on trust but it is also built on lies. Lies to keep each other safe?-Only time will tell. Will Lottie finally be able to break her chains that hold her down. While secrets unfold and truths are finally revealed, Lottie finds herself unable to see her future and she hasn't figured out if that means, its changing to something great without pain or if it means she'll be six feet under before graduation.
I personally loved this book. Again, I couldn't put it down. Even the slow-burn was full of passion the entire time. Lottie was so disconnected from her reality because it was easier, so when something good came her way, she wasn't sure how to take it. This poor girls heartbreaking story is not for the weak. It may even be triggerable to some. But this author, has the best way with words that you cant help rooting for our FMC. The book ends on a cliffhanger, you totally see coming, but leaves you wondering what will happen next. I cant wait to find out.
"Love is like a penis. I know what it is, I know what they look like, but I don't know what it's like to have one."
*Overall 5/5
*Heat? 3/5
*Slow burn but lots of passion
*Check for triggers
*Ends on cliffhanger
Welcome to Summerhaven. No train tracks here. Instead we are divided on the north, with the powerful and rich; Over the bridge to the south, are your every day folk or more notorious, Haven's Rebels MC. Do not fret, this is not a biker romance, although they definitely play a very important role!
With broken wings, we meet Charlotte Kendry; aka Lotti. Wanting desperately to fly away but caught in the web of her mothers evil doings. Shot down at every turn, Lotti finds herself in a situation she cant seem to break away from and afraid to use any backbone she may have left, until she meets the guys.
Roe, Reid and Wyatt are all from the other side of the bridge. Tattoos and hair that runs wild - so different than what Lottie is used to. She develops a friendship of sorts that slowly make her want more in life. She doesn't want to be broken anymore. She wants strength, fight and the ability to do what she wants.
This angsty, passionate slow burn is built on trust but it is also built on lies. Lies to keep each other safe?-Only time will tell. Will Lottie finally be able to break her chains that hold her down. While secrets unfold and truths are finally revealed, Lottie finds herself unable to see her future and she hasn't figured out if that means, its changing to something great without pain or if it means she'll be six feet under before graduation.
I personally loved this book. Again, I couldn't put it down. Even the slow-burn was full of passion the entire time. Lottie was so disconnected from her reality because it was easier, so when something good came her way, she wasn't sure how to take it. This poor girls heartbreaking story is not for the weak. It may even be triggerable to some. But this author, has the best way with words that you cant help rooting for our FMC. The book ends on a cliffhanger, you totally see coming, but leaves you wondering what will happen next. I cant wait to find out.
"Love is like a penis. I know what it is, I know what they look like, but I don't know what it's like to have one."
*Overall 5/5
*Heat? 3/5
*Slow burn but lots of passion
*Check for triggers
*Ends on cliffhanger
November 12, 2025
HELLO?!?
my heart hurts but this exactly what i NEEDED and expected from ashley’s writing 😭
ugh lottie, my heart. my soul 😭 i loved her so much it hurt to see her internal dialogue but also MISS GIRL IS SO FUNNY 😭 her first word vomit to the guys had me laughing in the way it wasn’t even funny at all — she just needed to be HEARD by someone
roe, wyatt, and reid 🥺🫀 they’re all so different and i love them all for their uniqueness. ROE HAD ME FROM THE START 😭 wyatt’s quirkiness … ugh i love him. and reid SEEING and understanding parts of her she hasn’t showed UGHHHH
excuse me while i sob just thinking about these characters!!!
so many times i wanted to shake them all to open their eyes and realize signs, or shake lottie to stop being stubborn but knowing what she’s been through and understanding why her brain thinks the way it does … AHHHHHHH
i can’t wait for book 2, i need to read about these characters asap and know more about my girl lottie 🥲 also would be nice to see some characters be avenged
my heart hurts but this exactly what i NEEDED and expected from ashley’s writing 😭
ugh lottie, my heart. my soul 😭 i loved her so much it hurt to see her internal dialogue but also MISS GIRL IS SO FUNNY 😭 her first word vomit to the guys had me laughing in the way it wasn’t even funny at all — she just needed to be HEARD by someone
roe, wyatt, and reid 🥺🫀 they’re all so different and i love them all for their uniqueness. ROE HAD ME FROM THE START 😭 wyatt’s quirkiness … ugh i love him. and reid SEEING and understanding parts of her she hasn’t showed UGHHHH
excuse me while i sob just thinking about these characters!!!
so many times i wanted to shake them all to open their eyes and realize signs, or shake lottie to stop being stubborn but knowing what she’s been through and understanding why her brain thinks the way it does … AHHHHHHH
i can’t wait for book 2, i need to read about these characters asap and know more about my girl lottie 🥲 also would be nice to see some characters be avenged
Read
October 26, 2025This book absolutely broke me — in the best and worst ways. I couldn’t put it down, but at the same time, I never wanted it to end. Ashley N. Rostek has this way of pulling you into her characters’ emotions so deeply that you feel every single thing they go through — and with Charlotte, it was raw, heartbreaking, and real.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. There’s a quiet strength in Charlotte that just hits you, and as her story unfolds, I found myself literally screaming for someone to step in, to fix things, to make it right. The way Rostek writes pain, love, and survival is gut-wrenching but beautiful. You can tell she understands trauma and healing on a deep level, and she doesn’t shy away from showing every messy, honest part of it.
And that cliffhanger? Brutal. Completely soul-crushing. I swear I would time-travel into the future if it meant I could have book two in my hands right now.
This isn’t just a story — it’s an experience. One that stays with you long after you close the book. If you love emotional, heavy, character-driven stories that tear you apart and somehow still leave you hopeful, What Is Love is exactly that kind of book.
I am forever grateful to have received an ARC for this book 🥹
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. There’s a quiet strength in Charlotte that just hits you, and as her story unfolds, I found myself literally screaming for someone to step in, to fix things, to make it right. The way Rostek writes pain, love, and survival is gut-wrenching but beautiful. You can tell she understands trauma and healing on a deep level, and she doesn’t shy away from showing every messy, honest part of it.
And that cliffhanger? Brutal. Completely soul-crushing. I swear I would time-travel into the future if it meant I could have book two in my hands right now.
This isn’t just a story — it’s an experience. One that stays with you long after you close the book. If you love emotional, heavy, character-driven stories that tear you apart and somehow still leave you hopeful, What Is Love is exactly that kind of book.
I am forever grateful to have received an ARC for this book 🥹
November 10, 2025
Every time I read a book by this author I think dang girl who hurt you? spoilers.
This author does a great job of making you feel the desolate harsh feelings of a character who has been abused. Obviously her other series I liked was a serial killer/stalker and this one is her family but still brutal to read at times. I ended up giving this one a 3 because though I could feel the characters hurt and pain we got little else in this one.
She lies, pulls away, constantly is running away from anyone who may help. I can understand that to an extent it's just not my favorite type of character to have the only pov. I longed for another pov just to get us out of her repetition.
This is a good start though, and I want to see what happens next!
This author does a great job of making you feel the desolate harsh feelings of a character who has been abused. Obviously her other series I liked was a serial killer/stalker and this one is her family but still brutal to read at times. I ended up giving this one a 3 because though I could feel the characters hurt and pain we got little else in this one.
She lies, pulls away, constantly is running away from anyone who may help. I can understand that to an extent it's just not my favorite type of character to have the only pov. I longed for another pov just to get us out of her repetition.
This is a good start though, and I want to see what happens next!
October 27, 2025
5⭐️ to know me is to know one of my favorite series of all times is the WITSEC series and I must say.. Ashley Rostek has DID IT AGAIN! Ugh, i ate up every heartbreaking moment of this book. Lottie deserves so much more than the hand she was dealt.. like the PAINNN i genuinely felt for her is CRAZY. But, I loveeee all of the mmcs for her! They’re all so different and tied into a MC?! I was sat for every second! When I started this book i quite literally didn’t want to put it down… and when roe said “what if i don’t want to be poweful… what if i wanna be an assistant” MY MOUTH DROPPED! LMAOALANSHSJS (IYKYK) and don’t even get me started on that ending!!! ASS CHEEKS CLENCHED!!!!
April 19, 2026
Totally unrealistic…
First off, if this girl has been starved since her father died when she was six, she would be underdeveloped and very likely weakened. Her doctor does want her to gain weight but her mother wants her to lose five more pounds. And in that case, she would be very easily bruised and have numerous broken bones. And apparently that’s the situation!
Her mother is very abusive, and the mother’s boyfriend apparently likes to beat her too. Why is no one talking about this?
I find this ridiculous and unrealistic. Just my opinion. Sorry.
First off, if this girl has been starved since her father died when she was six, she would be underdeveloped and very likely weakened. Her doctor does want her to gain weight but her mother wants her to lose five more pounds. And in that case, she would be very easily bruised and have numerous broken bones. And apparently that’s the situation!
Her mother is very abusive, and the mother’s boyfriend apparently likes to beat her too. Why is no one talking about this?
I find this ridiculous and unrealistic. Just my opinion. Sorry.
November 11, 2025
If you enjoy a heaping of trauma with your romance, then pick up any book by Ashley Rostek (and thank me later 😘). Her newest book is no exception!
While this new book has some similar tropes to her other works, it stands on its own with different vibes. The FMC has a truckload of trauma and is a pro at compartmentalization. The sass that escapes her when she lets her guard down or when she’s playing a part is too notch and is one of many reasons for why I adore her.
The MMCs are an interesting bunch. Each has their own relationship with the FMC and they change and grow at different paces. There is some spice but it’s definitely a slowish burn, which works for the story.
Please check the TW because this book has many that are on-page and detailed (but not too graphic imo). This does end on a cliffhanger, but it’s a duet so we only have to wait for one more book to get relief from the heartbreak! Grab your snacks and an emotional support beverage before diving in - you’ll need them!
While this new book has some similar tropes to her other works, it stands on its own with different vibes. The FMC has a truckload of trauma and is a pro at compartmentalization. The sass that escapes her when she lets her guard down or when she’s playing a part is too notch and is one of many reasons for why I adore her.
The MMCs are an interesting bunch. Each has their own relationship with the FMC and they change and grow at different paces. There is some spice but it’s definitely a slowish burn, which works for the story.
Please check the TW because this book has many that are on-page and detailed (but not too graphic imo). This does end on a cliffhanger, but it’s a duet so we only have to wait for one more book to get relief from the heartbreak! Grab your snacks and an emotional support beverage before diving in - you’ll need them!
November 6, 2025
I need book 2!!
I can't wait for the next book!!!
This book was so heartbreaking, but I also loved that Lottie is taking back her life, slowly, but getting there. From the outside, Lottie has everything anyone would ever want and need. She's a rich kid who grew up on the "right side" of the bridge. She hides behind a mask and fears for her life on a daily basis. There is ab use in this one (not from any of the mmc's) and a prickish "boyfriend."
I love that Lottie let's go sometimes, but I hate that she panics over those times. I love Roe, Wyatt and Reid! They are definitely overprotective and when everything hits the fan and things are revealed, they're there for her.
One reveal, I guessed pretty early, but I was still shocking when she found out. The end, omg the end... I'm going to need the next book because 😭😭
I can't wait for the next book!!!
This book was so heartbreaking, but I also loved that Lottie is taking back her life, slowly, but getting there. From the outside, Lottie has everything anyone would ever want and need. She's a rich kid who grew up on the "right side" of the bridge. She hides behind a mask and fears for her life on a daily basis. There is ab use in this one (not from any of the mmc's) and a prickish "boyfriend."
I love that Lottie let's go sometimes, but I hate that she panics over those times. I love Roe, Wyatt and Reid! They are definitely overprotective and when everything hits the fan and things are revealed, they're there for her.
One reveal, I guessed pretty early, but I was still shocking when she found out. The end, omg the end... I'm going to need the next book because 😭😭
September 20, 2026
Yo that lawyer thing pissed me of ngl. I get her trauma and reservations but talking to the lawyer didn't seem that hard compared to everything else, I just didn't understand it. It seemed more like a plot point than what a character would do in that situation idk
But my god was it good beside that
But my god was it good beside that
January 2, 2026
I like this give me 20 more
May 24, 2026
Worth the hype. Read it.
Trigger warning: This story contains content that might be troubling to some readers
Trigger warning: This story contains content that might be troubling to some readers
September 12, 2026
omg this book was amazing what
September 4, 2026
someone knows the safety??
April 20, 2026
˙⋆✮Rating✮⋆˙
5/5 Stars
💭 Thoughts-
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I want the next book immediately, like give it to me now
・┆✦ʚ¨´then you won´t get to be alone,´ I pointed out. He smired. ´I don´t think I´ll mind being alone with you.¨ɞ✦ ┆・
5/5 Stars
💭 Thoughts-
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I want the next book immediately, like give it to me now
・┆✦ʚ¨´then you won´t get to be alone,´ I pointed out. He smired. ´I don´t think I´ll mind being alone with you.¨ɞ✦ ┆・
November 22, 2025
Solid start to the series but my God the whiplash of her emotions 😆. I gave her grace because she's in high school and she's going through a lot. We'll see how things progress.
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