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North University #1
Falling
Welcome to North University!
Wren Hackerly refuses to quit. Figure skating has always been her life, but after her ex humiliates her on the ice and her career hangs in the balance, she needs a comeback. With her college team's morale - and funding - crumbling, she has to find a way to keep people interested.
Miles Davis is North University's golden boy, famed for his hockey skills and movie-star looks. But after a team tragedy, he's the only one still struggling to bounce back, making it hard to care about the sport that once defined him.
When a bet-turned-date throws them together, they realise they might just be the perfect pair. A fake-dating pact could help Wren rebuild her reputation and Miles find his way back to the ice. But as Miles' kindness thaws Wren's frozen heart, and the line between real and fake begins to blur, will either of them admit to feelings that aren't just for show?
Tropes:
-Reverse grumpy x sunshine
-Found family
-Strangers > friends > lovers
-He falls first
-One bed
Wren Hackerly refuses to quit. Figure skating has always been her life, but after her ex humiliates her on the ice and her career hangs in the balance, she needs a comeback. With her college team's morale - and funding - crumbling, she has to find a way to keep people interested.
Miles Davis is North University's golden boy, famed for his hockey skills and movie-star looks. But after a team tragedy, he's the only one still struggling to bounce back, making it hard to care about the sport that once defined him.
When a bet-turned-date throws them together, they realise they might just be the perfect pair. A fake-dating pact could help Wren rebuild her reputation and Miles find his way back to the ice. But as Miles' kindness thaws Wren's frozen heart, and the line between real and fake begins to blur, will either of them admit to feelings that aren't just for show?
Tropes:
-Reverse grumpy x sunshine
-Found family
-Strangers > friends > lovers
-He falls first
-One bed
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2023
1086 people are currently reading
11960 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 711 reviews
September 24, 2024
[2.1/5] HOT TAKE: Wren [19] is the most bi-polar and confusing character I have ever read. I understand the concept is potentially that love changes you, but my gosh! She is all the personality traits in one and it kills me the entire book. She doesn’t like skating, then she loves it. She claims to have a strict diet, then eats all the junk food & drinks. She is overly dedicated to being an Olympian, then off-handedly mentions that if she doesn’t make it then she doesn’t care. She doesn’t believe in love, but her favorite stories to read [& write] are romance novels. She is moody & introverted, then is confident [borderline cocky] and thrives on the attention. She is unable to be nice or make any friends outside her circle, then befriends a whole new crowd. She is a pushover, but then she is stubborn as an ox. She is closed off/ quiet, then all of a sudden she rambles a million miles a minute. It is like whiplash.
Also, WHAT THE F*&k HAPPENED TO CARTER!? He died, but HOW? It is the most ominous avoidance ever, and I was waiting for some big reveal that never came. It seemed like Miles wishes he could’ve taken his place, but WHAT HAPPENED?! No one talks about it—an accident? A disease? A murder? What is it!?
**Note: It is not that I overly care what/how it happened, it is that NO ONE talks about it and it is avoided in every way possible, so it made me invested by its omission.
Also, there is an odd scene with Miles in the bar when he gets drunk [is hinted at having a semi-alcoholic] and thinks he sees Carter. The whole scene confuses me and he goes to tell a story, but then the POV switches back to Wren and it never comes up again as an issue… Like…What?
Furthermore, I wanted to love it. I did actually laugh out loud throughout the book which is a plus, and Miles [19] is a gem; HOWEVER, the qualms far outweigh the pros.
There were several editing errors, confusing plot lines [the reason for them fake dating falls flat & doesn’t really make sense in my opinion—but I’m here for the trope], and the story is a big lead up to nothing but the championship hockey game [which is not a major plot line until 75% into the book]. The aftermath of the hockey game seems unnecessary and the epilogue is more about the sister [Austin] and Scarlet than it is about the main characters, Wren & Miles.
Overall, I made it to the end.
Also, WHAT THE F*&k HAPPENED TO CARTER!? He died, but HOW? It is the most ominous avoidance ever, and I was waiting for some big reveal that never came. It seemed like Miles wishes he could’ve taken his place, but WHAT HAPPENED?! No one talks about it—an accident? A disease? A murder? What is it!?
**Note: It is not that I overly care what/how it happened, it is that NO ONE talks about it and it is avoided in every way possible, so it made me invested by its omission.
Also, there is an odd scene with Miles in the bar when he gets drunk [is hinted at having a semi-alcoholic] and thinks he sees Carter. The whole scene confuses me and he goes to tell a story, but then the POV switches back to Wren and it never comes up again as an issue… Like…What?
Furthermore, I wanted to love it. I did actually laugh out loud throughout the book which is a plus, and Miles [19] is a gem; HOWEVER, the qualms far outweigh the pros.
There were several editing errors, confusing plot lines [the reason for them fake dating falls flat & doesn’t really make sense in my opinion—but I’m here for the trope], and the story is a big lead up to nothing but the championship hockey game [which is not a major plot line until 75% into the book]. The aftermath of the hockey game seems unnecessary and the epilogue is more about the sister [Austin] and Scarlet than it is about the main characters, Wren & Miles.
Overall, I made it to the end.
December 20, 2024
This could have been 200 pages less and would have been 100% better.
Want to read
September 28, 2024All this time I thought this book gorgeous that I’ve been looking forward to its re-release for a while existed in my tbr-list, but I just now found out that it’s not? Did glitchreads remove it without me knowing about it? 😫
September 18, 2025
This book was cute.
I adored miles. Ugh he’s THE golden retriever mmc. The way he would do the most for a lick of attention from wren was adorableeee.
Wren was a bit frustrating to read but eventually she did grow on me.
I think the problem I had with the book came down to the style of writing. It felt too simple and plain. Lots of telling and less showing. There wasn’t much structure to the book when it came to the romance? The pacing felt off to me.
As much as I enjoyed the sweetness, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them as I would’ve liked.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Sphere for the ARC! ♥︎
I adored miles. Ugh he’s THE golden retriever mmc. The way he would do the most for a lick of attention from wren was adorableeee.
Wren was a bit frustrating to read but eventually she did grow on me.
I think the problem I had with the book came down to the style of writing. It felt too simple and plain. Lots of telling and less showing. There wasn’t much structure to the book when it came to the romance? The pacing felt off to me.
As much as I enjoyed the sweetness, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them as I would’ve liked.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Sphere for the ARC! ♥︎
September 19, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
I LOVE WREN & MILES 😭🫶
"You, just existing, is enough."
thank you so much janisha for the arc and having me on the street team!!
this book was so so cute and i love their dynamics sm! wren's character was so interesting to read about, i liked how she was very well-developed and her feelings are pretty realistic. miles is such an amazing book bf, he made me giggle and kick my feet <33 together, they are so so so cute i'd die for them akdfhkasdj; i've quite literally never used so many highlights on an ebook before, everything that comes out of this man's mouth is a quote worth highlighting. also, the CHAPTER TITLES were my absolute favourite, they were so chaotic and just fits the vibes of the book so well. additionally, i found it interesting to read about the mental health rep in the book as well, i liked that the author didn't shy away from the topic.
i always love romance books on the longer end bc it means they get more time to develop so I had such a great time reading this book, but i felt as if some parts were dragged out a little too long (never to the point where i lost interest) while some plotlines were a little underwhelming. some parts were skimmed through such as what happened to carter and what happened with wren's old skating parter, i'm personally a nosey person so i want to know more...
i don't have much to say bc i can only write so many variations of compliments but i highly recommend this book if you're looking for cutesy golden retriever bf x black cat gf dynamics that'll warm your heart <3
I LOVE WREN & MILES 😭🫶
"You, just existing, is enough."
thank you so much janisha for the arc and having me on the street team!!
this book was so so cute and i love their dynamics sm! wren's character was so interesting to read about, i liked how she was very well-developed and her feelings are pretty realistic. miles is such an amazing book bf, he made me giggle and kick my feet <33 together, they are so so so cute i'd die for them akdfhkasdj; i've quite literally never used so many highlights on an ebook before, everything that comes out of this man's mouth is a quote worth highlighting. also, the CHAPTER TITLES were my absolute favourite, they were so chaotic and just fits the vibes of the book so well. additionally, i found it interesting to read about the mental health rep in the book as well, i liked that the author didn't shy away from the topic.
i always love romance books on the longer end bc it means they get more time to develop so I had such a great time reading this book, but i felt as if some parts were dragged out a little too long (never to the point where i lost interest) while some plotlines were a little underwhelming. some parts were skimmed through such as what happened to carter and what happened with wren's old skating parter, i'm personally a nosey person so i want to know more...
i don't have much to say bc i can only write so many variations of compliments but i highly recommend this book if you're looking for cutesy golden retriever bf x black cat gf dynamics that'll warm your heart <3
October 7, 2024
this should have been a book i adored but it was too long honestly. i felt like id been reading for hours & my kindle % had not moved.
Miles & Wren were great characters but the back & forth just got so repetitive & boring.
Miles & Wren were great characters but the back & forth just got so repetitive & boring.
September 10, 2024
My thanks to Janisha Boswell for sending me an ARC!
What happens when you fake date the charming captain of the hockey team? Wren and Miles having that black cat gf x golden retriever bf relationship was both sweet and wholesome to read about. I will never get tired of my favorite romance tropes. There was something special about the innate chemistry in this book, along with the great character development. This also heavily emphasizes mental health, which I found very important. I love my grumpy girls, and in so many ways Wren’s character was reflective to read (what’s scary was I honestly could relate to her a little too much). On the other hand, I was able to sympathize with Miles just as easily and I also enjoyed his playful, charismatic persona. I appreciate how the characters felt essentially human to me, with their friendship dynamics an added bonus to this already wholesome book. I’m looking forward to the rest of the books, with particular rivals in mind :D
What happens when you fake date the charming captain of the hockey team? Wren and Miles having that black cat gf x golden retriever bf relationship was both sweet and wholesome to read about. I will never get tired of my favorite romance tropes. There was something special about the innate chemistry in this book, along with the great character development. This also heavily emphasizes mental health, which I found very important. I love my grumpy girls, and in so many ways Wren’s character was reflective to read (what’s scary was I honestly could relate to her a little too much). On the other hand, I was able to sympathize with Miles just as easily and I also enjoyed his playful, charismatic persona. I appreciate how the characters felt essentially human to me, with their friendship dynamics an added bonus to this already wholesome book. I’m looking forward to the rest of the books, with particular rivals in mind :D
January 28, 2025
3.75 !! ★ ⛸️
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
tropes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
ೀ fake dating
ೀ university
ೀ hockey player x ice skater
ೀ found family
ೀ anxiety and grief represented
ೀ slow burn
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
‼️ SPOILERS AHEAD ‼️
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
the characters ⁎⁺˳✧༚
𓇼 wren wrenny hackerly: i have to admit, this fmc didn't grow on me. of course, i felt bad for her because no one deserves to be manipulated by the woman you're supposed to love the most. i also appreciated the way her anxiety was displayed throughout the book. however, her communication issues were driving me crazy. i can understand that someone finds it hard to communicate, but shutting people down and confusing them when you ignore them is not nice :/
𓇼 miles milesy davis: MY BABY, MY BABYYYYY. he's my sweet thing (i swear) he's the definition of golden retriever, and i live for that. he fell in love with wren the moment he saw her, and he tried so hard for her to understand that he genuinely did, and it was beyond their fake relationship. i'm a sucker for golden retriever mmcs. i also appreciated the way the author portrayed his grief for his best friend
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
two days ago, i promised myself i would (finally) finish this book on my flight to greece (it's been like 2 months since i started it). and guess what happened! i did it, and i'm so proud of myself!
i started this book a few months ago after i had seen a post of the author on instagram about it that made me fall in love with the plot. it wasn't what i expected, but in a weird way.
the premise was lovely. an ice skater and a hockey player who agree to fake date for mutual benefit. miles would get back in the hockey team after being benched due to his grief, while wren's ice skating team would get more attention. it sounded perfect, until they fall in love with each other, and things start to feel more real than what they had agreed at first.
my problem was that it was so slow-paced, that sometimes i felt disconnected. don't misunderstand me, i love a slow burn, but this one felt to slow. things started to get interesting during the last quarter of the book, and still. they were cute and all that, but i didn’t feel that immersed in the story.
some positive points for me were the representation of mental health issues and grief (which is genuinely appreciated), the inclusion, and the found family! i ended up loving how well wren and miles' friends get along!
i'm giving janisha boswell another chance with her upcoming book, so i'll be back as soon as i can hehe
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
tropes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
ೀ fake dating
ೀ university
ೀ hockey player x ice skater
ೀ found family
ೀ anxiety and grief represented
ೀ slow burn
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
‼️ SPOILERS AHEAD ‼️
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
the characters ⁎⁺˳✧༚
𓇼 wren wrenny hackerly: i have to admit, this fmc didn't grow on me. of course, i felt bad for her because no one deserves to be manipulated by the woman you're supposed to love the most. i also appreciated the way her anxiety was displayed throughout the book. however, her communication issues were driving me crazy. i can understand that someone finds it hard to communicate, but shutting people down and confusing them when you ignore them is not nice :/
𓇼 miles milesy davis: MY BABY, MY BABYYYYY. he's my sweet thing (i swear) he's the definition of golden retriever, and i live for that. he fell in love with wren the moment he saw her, and he tried so hard for her to understand that he genuinely did, and it was beyond their fake relationship. i'm a sucker for golden retriever mmcs. i also appreciated the way the author portrayed his grief for his best friend
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
two days ago, i promised myself i would (finally) finish this book on my flight to greece (it's been like 2 months since i started it). and guess what happened! i did it, and i'm so proud of myself!
i started this book a few months ago after i had seen a post of the author on instagram about it that made me fall in love with the plot. it wasn't what i expected, but in a weird way.
the premise was lovely. an ice skater and a hockey player who agree to fake date for mutual benefit. miles would get back in the hockey team after being benched due to his grief, while wren's ice skating team would get more attention. it sounded perfect, until they fall in love with each other, and things start to feel more real than what they had agreed at first.
my problem was that it was so slow-paced, that sometimes i felt disconnected. don't misunderstand me, i love a slow burn, but this one felt to slow. things started to get interesting during the last quarter of the book, and still. they were cute and all that, but i didn’t feel that immersed in the story.
some positive points for me were the representation of mental health issues and grief (which is genuinely appreciated), the inclusion, and the found family! i ended up loving how well wren and miles' friends get along!
i'm giving janisha boswell another chance with her upcoming book, so i'll be back as soon as i can hehe
October 2, 2024
4.0⭐️
I really liked this book, i'm OBSESSED with sport-romance, i felt like it shouldn't have been sooooo long, although fake dates are one of my favorite tropes and i enjoyed it anyway, Wren, why are you so angry? I got a little nervous, anyway, I LIKED IT AND I LIKED IT A LOT.💋
I really liked this book, i'm OBSESSED with sport-romance, i felt like it shouldn't have been sooooo long, although fake dates are one of my favorite tropes and i enjoyed it anyway, Wren, why are you so angry? I got a little nervous, anyway, I LIKED IT AND I LIKED IT A LOT.💋
October 13, 2024
DNF the fmc is insufferable
August 29, 2024
I absolutely LOVED these two🫶🏻
so thankful to have read this arc and to have FINALLY gotten a five star read this month
these cuties pulled me out of an awful slump, I was laughing, crying, SOBBING, kicking my feet, twirling my hair, ALL OF IT🤪
wren’s relationship with her mother is similar in ways to my relationship with mine, and even though Wren is fictional, it was nice to feel seen by someone🫶🏻 and everything about their budding romance was absolutely PERFECT and so so sweet
and the spice??😮💨🔥🔥
so thankful to have read this arc and to have FINALLY gotten a five star read this month
these cuties pulled me out of an awful slump, I was laughing, crying, SOBBING, kicking my feet, twirling my hair, ALL OF IT🤪
wren’s relationship with her mother is similar in ways to my relationship with mine, and even though Wren is fictional, it was nice to feel seen by someone🫶🏻 and everything about their budding romance was absolutely PERFECT and so so sweet
and the spice??😮💨🔥🔥
September 29, 2024
WHY DID HE ASK HER HOW MANY GUYS SHE HAS SLEPT WITH???????????
this is a solid 2.5 stars, but I'm only 83% of the way through so complete rating can change.
Pros/cons so far:
CONS;
- truly, why, why why WHY, did the MMC ask the FMC how many guys she has slept with out of NOWHERE. This made me almost put the book down because it made him so unlikeable
- WHY does the FMC make the MMC pay for everything when he has to 'dip into his savings' while HER FATHER OWNS A CHAIN OF HOTELS????????
- Why were we not shown the first game back for the MMC--that sounds so important, so why was it not shown?
- The writing is not concise; the timeline does not flow well, and some chapters are missing so much detail while others have too many
- Why isnt the relationship with the FMC and her ex and what happened at the last skating competition expanded on? This could have been a great plot point, but theres literally nothing?
- There are no details about how the MMC's best friend died--which usually wouldn't be an issue, BUT THEY KEEP BRINGING UP HOW SOMETHING ~BAD~ HAPPENED???? SO WHAT HAPPENED????
- The inner monologues repeat A LOT. And not in a way that seems like it's supposed to be the case, it seems more like an editing issue.
- people say the same things over and over again?
- It reads like a book that was written to be ~popular on TikTok~ rather than a book that was written because the author wanted to write a book.
- not enough editing
- the FMC is so immature that I can't get behind the relationship--she just ices out and stonewalls the MMC so often that its sad.
PROS
- I guess I like how much the MMC likes the FMC?
- there are some good bones here, had it been edited and certain plot points expanded on this could have been ~something~
- I am interested in reading the next book as I love an enemies to lovers but I prayyyyy there is more work put into completing the second of the series
- you can tell the author has potential
idk, I hate disliking things and I dont actually dislike this book, I more so dislike the fact that this COULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD, like the potential was there but the execution... not so much.
will update when I complete
Update:
I just want to touch on three things:
1) the fact that the main FMC GOT UP BEFORE HER NAME WAS CALLED AT AN AWARD SHOW BECAUSE SHE HAD SO MUCH FAITH SHED WIN IS NOT ONLY INSANE BUT MAKES HER LOOK SO MEAN??? who does that. Like I would not be proud to date someone like that yet the MMC was ...
2) this is one of the only sports college romances where the character FELT COLLEGE AGE YOUNG and I don't mean that offensively, I mean they were very immature (as many tend to be in college) so I love how authentic that was ??
3) I liked how unique the MMC was, he didn't seem like a carbon copy of other MMCs I've read and even tho he pissed me off to no end, props for creativity.
ALL AND ALL: I truly think with editing and time the author will be very good at what she does. While this book was somewhat of a mess: many debuts tend to be and I think the reason why I even care to write such a long detailed review is because I a) love sports romance novels and so dearly want there to be more amazing ones written and b) think with time the author will become so amazing at writing them given said potential.
All and all I can't wait for the next book, I love an enemies to lovers !!!
this is a solid 2.5 stars, but I'm only 83% of the way through so complete rating can change.
Pros/cons so far:
CONS;
- truly, why, why why WHY, did the MMC ask the FMC how many guys she has slept with out of NOWHERE. This made me almost put the book down because it made him so unlikeable
- WHY does the FMC make the MMC pay for everything when he has to 'dip into his savings' while HER FATHER OWNS A CHAIN OF HOTELS????????
- Why were we not shown the first game back for the MMC--that sounds so important, so why was it not shown?
- The writing is not concise; the timeline does not flow well, and some chapters are missing so much detail while others have too many
- Why isnt the relationship with the FMC and her ex and what happened at the last skating competition expanded on? This could have been a great plot point, but theres literally nothing?
- There are no details about how the MMC's best friend died--which usually wouldn't be an issue, BUT THEY KEEP BRINGING UP HOW SOMETHING ~BAD~ HAPPENED???? SO WHAT HAPPENED????
- The inner monologues repeat A LOT. And not in a way that seems like it's supposed to be the case, it seems more like an editing issue.
- people say the same things over and over again?
- It reads like a book that was written to be ~popular on TikTok~ rather than a book that was written because the author wanted to write a book.
- not enough editing
- the FMC is so immature that I can't get behind the relationship--she just ices out and stonewalls the MMC so often that its sad.
PROS
- I guess I like how much the MMC likes the FMC?
- there are some good bones here, had it been edited and certain plot points expanded on this could have been ~something~
- I am interested in reading the next book as I love an enemies to lovers but I prayyyyy there is more work put into completing the second of the series
- you can tell the author has potential
idk, I hate disliking things and I dont actually dislike this book, I more so dislike the fact that this COULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD, like the potential was there but the execution... not so much.
will update when I complete
Update:
I just want to touch on three things:
1) the fact that the main FMC GOT UP BEFORE HER NAME WAS CALLED AT AN AWARD SHOW BECAUSE SHE HAD SO MUCH FAITH SHED WIN IS NOT ONLY INSANE BUT MAKES HER LOOK SO MEAN??? who does that. Like I would not be proud to date someone like that yet the MMC was ...
2) this is one of the only sports college romances where the character FELT COLLEGE AGE YOUNG and I don't mean that offensively, I mean they were very immature (as many tend to be in college) so I love how authentic that was ??
3) I liked how unique the MMC was, he didn't seem like a carbon copy of other MMCs I've read and even tho he pissed me off to no end, props for creativity.
ALL AND ALL: I truly think with editing and time the author will be very good at what she does. While this book was somewhat of a mess: many debuts tend to be and I think the reason why I even care to write such a long detailed review is because I a) love sports romance novels and so dearly want there to be more amazing ones written and b) think with time the author will become so amazing at writing them given said potential.
All and all I can't wait for the next book, I love an enemies to lovers !!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2024
this one was a no for me dawg
want to start by saying that i was EXCITED to read this book, the blurb, the author's online presence and the micro tropes caught my attention. but the book itself went downhill
I don't really have a problem with long books, as long as they have a reason for being long, and this one simply didn't. basically nothing happened? little was explained and the plots at the beginning were only tirelessly extended until the end, the book itself could simply have about 100 fewer pages and i don't think anything would change, other than it would be less tiring. i was skipping the last pages forcing myself not to drop the book.
some of my points:
WHAT HAPPENED TO CARSON???????????? more than half of the book is about his death and it is never told what the hell happened to this boy
I hated hated hated how they portrayed alcoholism in this book. Because they used it as a plot, it was talked about maybe 2 times and it went away? he wasn't an alcoholic and the author just wanted to use that to make some sort of point and it was TERRIBLE.
i don't mind the taylor swift references but it was too much
the book brought ZERO depth to the characters. I really wanted to like Ken and Scarlett but nothing was developed about them, they were just there? even wren and miles personalities were too bland
the way miles fell in love with wren was a mess, out of nowhere he was in love with her in the same proportion that she out of nowhere started to hate him
some things happen without the slightest context, wren talking about her mommy issues and miles just saying that she was beautiful? the problem in the relationship between wren and her mother itself was very poorly resolved/explained
who exactly is Gigi? a friend? a cousin? She is mentioned as an important person but she appears once in the entire book and then she is only mentioned and they never explain who she actually is
I really wanted to love this one. all the tropes attracted me, the cover is beautiful and the beginning is good, but as the book progresses until becomes both a mess and boring
want to start by saying that i was EXCITED to read this book, the blurb, the author's online presence and the micro tropes caught my attention. but the book itself went downhill
I don't really have a problem with long books, as long as they have a reason for being long, and this one simply didn't. basically nothing happened? little was explained and the plots at the beginning were only tirelessly extended until the end, the book itself could simply have about 100 fewer pages and i don't think anything would change, other than it would be less tiring. i was skipping the last pages forcing myself not to drop the book.
some of my points:
WHAT HAPPENED TO CARSON???????????? more than half of the book is about his death and it is never told what the hell happened to this boy
I hated hated hated how they portrayed alcoholism in this book. Because they used it as a plot, it was talked about maybe 2 times and it went away? he wasn't an alcoholic and the author just wanted to use that to make some sort of point and it was TERRIBLE.
i don't mind the taylor swift references but it was too much
the book brought ZERO depth to the characters. I really wanted to like Ken and Scarlett but nothing was developed about them, they were just there? even wren and miles personalities were too bland
the way miles fell in love with wren was a mess, out of nowhere he was in love with her in the same proportion that she out of nowhere started to hate him
some things happen without the slightest context, wren talking about her mommy issues and miles just saying that she was beautiful? the problem in the relationship between wren and her mother itself was very poorly resolved/explained
who exactly is Gigi? a friend? a cousin? She is mentioned as an important person but she appears once in the entire book and then she is only mentioned and they never explain who she actually is
I really wanted to love this one. all the tropes attracted me, the cover is beautiful and the beginning is good, but as the book progresses until becomes both a mess and boring
August 8, 2024
This was the first book I’ve read by Janisha, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve read so many college hockey romances that I can’t even keep them all straight, but this one stands out.
While I adored the friendships and found family weaved throughout this story, the true highlight was the realism of the struggles the main characters go through. Wren’s anxiety and fears about who she is and her worth outside of her sport hit me really hard. And Miles’ journey to cope with his grief, especially how emotionally vulnerable he was, was moving.
I can’t wait to see what Janisha has in store next for the friends of North University!
While I adored the friendships and found family weaved throughout this story, the true highlight was the realism of the struggles the main characters go through. Wren’s anxiety and fears about who she is and her worth outside of her sport hit me really hard. And Miles’ journey to cope with his grief, especially how emotionally vulnerable he was, was moving.
I can’t wait to see what Janisha has in store next for the friends of North University!
September 20, 2024
(4.5 ⭐️) Amo los libros que me hacen ser estúpidamente feliz y consciente de lo sola que estoy. ¡QUE VIVA EL AMOR!
September 22, 2024
I think I would give this a 3.75/5
I honestly was struggling to pick this book up a lot of the time. It was good don’t get me wrong but it just seemed like I was getting déjà vu from a different book that I’ve read. It seemed really similar, but not at the same time. Wren and miles were adorable, and I really liked their relationship and how we got to see both of them start to get feelings for each other and see those feelings grow. Wrens situation kind of broke my heart with her mother. She’s an incredibly strong girl and I’m glad she finally got the happiness she deserved. Miles also had a sort of similar situation like wren did but I’m glad he was able to overcome it and accept their apologies. As well as miles having to deal with grief was such a good character development story and I really enjoyed reading this book.
I will definitely be reading the next books in this series. This author is one of my auto buy authors.
I honestly was struggling to pick this book up a lot of the time. It was good don’t get me wrong but it just seemed like I was getting déjà vu from a different book that I’ve read. It seemed really similar, but not at the same time. Wren and miles were adorable, and I really liked their relationship and how we got to see both of them start to get feelings for each other and see those feelings grow. Wrens situation kind of broke my heart with her mother. She’s an incredibly strong girl and I’m glad she finally got the happiness she deserved. Miles also had a sort of similar situation like wren did but I’m glad he was able to overcome it and accept their apologies. As well as miles having to deal with grief was such a good character development story and I really enjoyed reading this book.
I will definitely be reading the next books in this series. This author is one of my auto buy authors.
September 10, 2024
ARC REVIEW
Falling is such a cute book and while Wren and Miles were amazing (they had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time) I just loved how REAL this book was. The struggles these two characters go through are shown so well (and so so realistic) and how they battled everything together, Wren and Miles were exactly what each of them needed. I liked how although it was a hockey romance, this one felt brand new and it really stood out to me just because the depth of this book was so amazing. Also the spice…. HOT! And my favorite part…. NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP!!!!
So I highly suggest adding this one to your tbr!!
Tropes:
ᡣ𐭩 fake dating
ᡣ𐭩 figure skater x hockey player
ᡣ𐭩 found family
ᡣ𐭩 he falls first (AND HARD!!!!)
ᡣ𐭩 mental health rep
Falling is such a cute book and while Wren and Miles were amazing (they had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time) I just loved how REAL this book was. The struggles these two characters go through are shown so well (and so so realistic) and how they battled everything together, Wren and Miles were exactly what each of them needed. I liked how although it was a hockey romance, this one felt brand new and it really stood out to me just because the depth of this book was so amazing. Also the spice…. HOT! And my favorite part…. NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP!!!!
So I highly suggest adding this one to your tbr!!
Tropes:
ᡣ𐭩 fake dating
ᡣ𐭩 figure skater x hockey player
ᡣ𐭩 found family
ᡣ𐭩 he falls first (AND HARD!!!!)
ᡣ𐭩 mental health rep
October 1, 2025
It was exhausting to read this book to say the least. It was all over the place. It's as if the author takes us on a journey inside her brain where an actual whirlwind is taking place.
You know all these teen movies where there is always this group of mean girls who treat men like hot commodity? Yeah well, Wren and her circle of best friends are just that. Wren is an obnoxious selfish manipulator. Kennedy comes off of men's misery, buys vibrators to all her female friends and Scarlett is the slut. The one who plows half of the campus.
In one word, Wren, the MFC, is an asshole. The difference between a broody MMC asshole and a plain MFC asshole is that this one is disrespectful, mean and selfish.
The book started well, really well to be honest. She is a very good author, her writing is very engaging and entertaining but the way she writes her MFCs is so bad.
Wren is so hot and cold with Miles that it's not even funny. If it were for Miles, I'd rate this book 5 well deserved stars. But Wren, man oh man, she's a bipolar with a side of schizophrenia.
This is literally her the whole book:
Mom hums, rubbing my knee. "You're a good boyfriend, Miles."
"Am I? I feel like I'm not doing enough. Every time I think we've reached a new point in our relationship, something else happens and I feel like she's pushing me away," I get out. "Every time I try to be there for her, she freaks out and runs away."
She is so mean that she keeps calling him stupid, idiot and a fucking toddler! To the extent that if she is nice, he literally freaks out thinking something is wrong. How sick is that!
I roll my eyes, dropping my hands from his face. "No, you idiot, I just mean it."
"Are you sure you're okay?" He narrows his eyes at me. "Does something have to be wrong for me to be nice to you?"
He shrugs. "No, but it's scary. It's our whole thing. You pretend to hate me; I pretend like I don't care. You bully me; I let you. It's our dynamic. When you're nice to me, I get worried."
"That's stupid," I mutter, and he just grins. I take in a deep breath.
See?! 👆🙄🙄🙄🙄
And the author doesn't know what to do with her inclusive list of CR cliché tropes which she feels the need to put in her book. With a medley of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and non-binary side characters and not to forget the "we never labeled what we are" BS thinking that she can broaden her readers diversity like that. 🙄
Things that shattered the good parts to smithereens are the following:
Her story with her ex was not elaborated. Why did her ex dump her? How did he dump her?
Why and how did his best friend Carter die? Miles was dealing with depression because of his best friend's death, wishing that it could've been him instead of his best friend. But again we don't know how he died? Why he died? And what transpired?
And again with another enigma. Her trip to Barcelona with her best friends which is not to be mentioned, and after which she stopped drinking. The author keeps dangling that carrot in front of our faces yet it is never divulged. What happened in Barcelona?
Who the hell is Gigi and why is she mentioned so much?
Last but not least, she admits she's been with 3 guys. She's been with her ex boyfriend for 4 years, she was barely 16. When the f*ck did she have the time to sleep with two more? How young was she when she did? 🤦♀️because she "claims" she's not the type to sleep around or hookup so b*tch you're telling me before you were 16 you somehow found the time to be in a relationship with two other guys when previously you said you barely had time for your best friends because all you did was train and study?! I don't get it! 🤷♀️
It's a shame because the book deals with depression and anxiety and the author is doing a great job addressing these issues. Instead of a snarky bitchy and obnoxious MFC, the author should have written a more compassionate girl who could've played a bigger and more important role in supporting him and be there for him. Instead the poor guy has been the punching bag of all her jabs, insults and disrespect calling him toddler, stupid, dumb and obnoxious. When in fact he has been one of the best college MMCs I've ever read.
You know all these teen movies where there is always this group of mean girls who treat men like hot commodity? Yeah well, Wren and her circle of best friends are just that. Wren is an obnoxious selfish manipulator. Kennedy comes off of men's misery, buys vibrators to all her female friends and Scarlett is the slut. The one who plows half of the campus.
In one word, Wren, the MFC, is an asshole. The difference between a broody MMC asshole and a plain MFC asshole is that this one is disrespectful, mean and selfish.
The book started well, really well to be honest. She is a very good author, her writing is very engaging and entertaining but the way she writes her MFCs is so bad.
Wren is so hot and cold with Miles that it's not even funny. If it were for Miles, I'd rate this book 5 well deserved stars. But Wren, man oh man, she's a bipolar with a side of schizophrenia.
This is literally her the whole book:
Mom hums, rubbing my knee. "You're a good boyfriend, Miles."
"Am I? I feel like I'm not doing enough. Every time I think we've reached a new point in our relationship, something else happens and I feel like she's pushing me away," I get out. "Every time I try to be there for her, she freaks out and runs away."
She is so mean that she keeps calling him stupid, idiot and a fucking toddler! To the extent that if she is nice, he literally freaks out thinking something is wrong. How sick is that!
I roll my eyes, dropping my hands from his face. "No, you idiot, I just mean it."
"Are you sure you're okay?" He narrows his eyes at me. "Does something have to be wrong for me to be nice to you?"
He shrugs. "No, but it's scary. It's our whole thing. You pretend to hate me; I pretend like I don't care. You bully me; I let you. It's our dynamic. When you're nice to me, I get worried."
"That's stupid," I mutter, and he just grins. I take in a deep breath.
See?! 👆🙄🙄🙄🙄
And the author doesn't know what to do with her inclusive list of CR cliché tropes which she feels the need to put in her book. With a medley of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and non-binary side characters and not to forget the "we never labeled what we are" BS thinking that she can broaden her readers diversity like that. 🙄
Things that shattered the good parts to smithereens are the following:
Her story with her ex was not elaborated. Why did her ex dump her? How did he dump her?
Why and how did his best friend Carter die? Miles was dealing with depression because of his best friend's death, wishing that it could've been him instead of his best friend. But again we don't know how he died? Why he died? And what transpired?
And again with another enigma. Her trip to Barcelona with her best friends which is not to be mentioned, and after which she stopped drinking. The author keeps dangling that carrot in front of our faces yet it is never divulged. What happened in Barcelona?
Who the hell is Gigi and why is she mentioned so much?
Last but not least, she admits she's been with 3 guys. She's been with her ex boyfriend for 4 years, she was barely 16. When the f*ck did she have the time to sleep with two more? How young was she when she did? 🤦♀️because she "claims" she's not the type to sleep around or hookup so b*tch you're telling me before you were 16 you somehow found the time to be in a relationship with two other guys when previously you said you barely had time for your best friends because all you did was train and study?! I don't get it! 🤷♀️
It's a shame because the book deals with depression and anxiety and the author is doing a great job addressing these issues. Instead of a snarky bitchy and obnoxious MFC, the author should have written a more compassionate girl who could've played a bigger and more important role in supporting him and be there for him. Instead the poor guy has been the punching bag of all her jabs, insults and disrespect calling him toddler, stupid, dumb and obnoxious. When in fact he has been one of the best college MMCs I've ever read.
April 8, 2025
This was written terribly!! Put some respect on the genre lol
September 12, 2024
OMG, THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING I NEEDED AND MORE!!! Wren and Miles are perfect for each other. From the moment they first met, I knew they would change each other in ways no one else could—and for the better. I loved how gentle, caring, and supportive Miles is towards Wren. He makes sure to reassure her whenever he can, and the love he has for her is just so admirable. It’s amazing to watch him fall in love with her and help her become who she is by the end of the book.
Wren, my sweet girl, Miles is the best thing that could’ve happened to her. He helped her see so many things, but she also helped him through so much. It was beautiful to see her finally stand up for herself and confront her mom. It was heartwarming to watch her rekindle her relationship with her sister and fall in love with Miles. Both of them have been through so much, and every time I read about it, it breaks my heart. These two are like my babies—you guys do not understand!
This book is written beautifully. The portrayal of grief and the heart-to-heart moments are just top-tier. I am so excited for everyone to read this book; it is honestly amazing and life-changing. I don't know who I would be without this book—it’s my everything right now. Thank you so much, Janisha, for the opportunity to get an ARC, and for writing this amazingly well-crafted book!!!
Wren, my sweet girl, Miles is the best thing that could’ve happened to her. He helped her see so many things, but she also helped him through so much. It was beautiful to see her finally stand up for herself and confront her mom. It was heartwarming to watch her rekindle her relationship with her sister and fall in love with Miles. Both of them have been through so much, and every time I read about it, it breaks my heart. These two are like my babies—you guys do not understand!
This book is written beautifully. The portrayal of grief and the heart-to-heart moments are just top-tier. I am so excited for everyone to read this book; it is honestly amazing and life-changing. I don't know who I would be without this book—it’s my everything right now. Thank you so much, Janisha, for the opportunity to get an ARC, and for writing this amazingly well-crafted book!!!
September 27, 2024
1.5 ⭐
In the nicest way possible... This book was not great at all. The 1.5 stars is simply because it was sports romance and for Miles' golden retriever energy. I really can't put all my thoughts here right now, but I'll hit some highlights... That being said...
Wren was a terrible FMC. She belittled and negatively talked to and about Miles throughout the entire book... Even when she supposedly loved him. She shut out everyone except for the main toxic person in her life: ol' Hacks (until later). She showed how to have super unhealthy communication and relationship tendencies. It was also super cringe the way she talked to Miles and her friends. Do not get me started on how she always told Miles to shut up, or that he was super annoying to her, or she didn't want him around, and for the love how many times she asked him if he knew what he was doing or if she needed to take care of herself during one sexual encounter (which he was doing nothing wrong)-just ew, it was super uncalled for and just ick behavior. She finally told him I love you and that she wanted to have his babies at the end, but it didn't seem like there was enough character development within the book that would lead to this.
Miles... The boy fell hard and fast and maybe not in the best way. He excused being emotionally abused by Wren, because let's be honest, that was 90% of their relationship in the book. Also, I love when a guy has feelings and shows them, but how many times did we need to hear about him physically breaking down and crying?? It seemed like he was dealing with more than just grief, especially how it was sort of mentioned and glossed over how he's always had a severe attachment to things and big emotions... Then the "alcoholism," like how/why was it portrayed in the manner this book displayed it in.
The side characters didn't have any major development and some were kind of terrible people. Speaking of terrible, what was with that Jake guy?? And also, can we please get a statement as to what happened to Carter???? He's basically a main character with how much he is brought up and how his death affects many of the characters. All of the character just seemed really immature and unhealthy.
It just seemed like the writing was not great and all over the place, the plot was kind of interesting, but majorly underdeveloped... I had no expectations going into this read, but it sadly missed all the marks for me.
In the nicest way possible... This book was not great at all. The 1.5 stars is simply because it was sports romance and for Miles' golden retriever energy. I really can't put all my thoughts here right now, but I'll hit some highlights... That being said...
Wren was a terrible FMC. She belittled and negatively talked to and about Miles throughout the entire book... Even when she supposedly loved him. She shut out everyone except for the main toxic person in her life: ol' Hacks (until later). She showed how to have super unhealthy communication and relationship tendencies. It was also super cringe the way she talked to Miles and her friends. Do not get me started on how she always told Miles to shut up, or that he was super annoying to her, or she didn't want him around, and for the love how many times she asked him if he knew what he was doing or if she needed to take care of herself during one sexual encounter (which he was doing nothing wrong)-just ew, it was super uncalled for and just ick behavior. She finally told him I love you and that she wanted to have his babies at the end, but it didn't seem like there was enough character development within the book that would lead to this.
Miles... The boy fell hard and fast and maybe not in the best way. He excused being emotionally abused by Wren, because let's be honest, that was 90% of their relationship in the book. Also, I love when a guy has feelings and shows them, but how many times did we need to hear about him physically breaking down and crying?? It seemed like he was dealing with more than just grief, especially how it was sort of mentioned and glossed over how he's always had a severe attachment to things and big emotions... Then the "alcoholism," like how/why was it portrayed in the manner this book displayed it in.
The side characters didn't have any major development and some were kind of terrible people. Speaking of terrible, what was with that Jake guy?? And also, can we please get a statement as to what happened to Carter???? He's basically a main character with how much he is brought up and how his death affects many of the characters. All of the character just seemed really immature and unhealthy.
It just seemed like the writing was not great and all over the place, the plot was kind of interesting, but majorly underdeveloped... I had no expectations going into this read, but it sadly missed all the marks for me.
September 16, 2024
"I get to watch her study. I carry her books. I walk her to class and then I get a kiss on the cheek. Fake dating Wren Hackerly might be the best thing to ever happen to me."
It was such an adorable read that had me swooning and laughing from the start to finish.
I loved the witty banter, their sizzling chemistry and the hilarious moment that had me giggling out loud. Their friendship group was everything. I appreciated how the author tackled serious issues like anxiety, grief, trust and vulnerability, making the romance feel genuine and heartfelt.
I loved how wren and miles helped each-other grow and do better. Especially seeing miles overcome his grief. I can only imagine how hard that can be but they stood by each-other. They are definitely soulmates.
If you're a fan of fake dating tropes and hockey Romances, or just looking for an adorable read 'Falling' is a must read. Get ready to be swept of your feet by Miles' charm and wren's sassiness.
It was such an adorable read that had me swooning and laughing from the start to finish.
I loved the witty banter, their sizzling chemistry and the hilarious moment that had me giggling out loud. Their friendship group was everything. I appreciated how the author tackled serious issues like anxiety, grief, trust and vulnerability, making the romance feel genuine and heartfelt.
I loved how wren and miles helped each-other grow and do better. Especially seeing miles overcome his grief. I can only imagine how hard that can be but they stood by each-other. They are definitely soulmates.
If you're a fan of fake dating tropes and hockey Romances, or just looking for an adorable read 'Falling' is a must read. Get ready to be swept of your feet by Miles' charm and wren's sassiness.
October 1, 2024
DNF @ 9%
Feft like I lost some brain cells reading this. No one in their right mind would act like these characters unless they were clinically diagnosed with something. This book just proves the point “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” like girl this book should have stayed in the drafts
Feft like I lost some brain cells reading this. No one in their right mind would act like these characters unless they were clinically diagnosed with something. This book just proves the point “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” like girl this book should have stayed in the drafts
September 25, 2024
It wasn’t bad but it was too long. The author described too many details and it was a bit boring. Miles was really sweet but too much at the beginning and, strangely, I didn’t find Wren irritating even though she was changing her mind constantly.
March 8, 2025
It was okay until it became annoying.. and then it somehow still went on and on and on for way too many pages.. and then it got bad.
I wanted to just put it away already
I wanted to just put it away already
Read
September 28, 2025Dnf!! Not for me. The fmc is not my vibe!
October 13, 2025
3.75 stars
Would've benefitted from being shorter and with a little less drama and more communication but it's a cute hockey romance and that's what I was looking for.
Would've benefitted from being shorter and with a little less drama and more communication but it's a cute hockey romance and that's what I was looking for.
March 2, 2025
so so good, loved the relationship
WAY too much mumbling and whispering, please use other words
WAY too much mumbling and whispering, please use other words
August 3, 2025
I absolutely love a good fake dating story, especially when it involves college hockey and an MMC who's the perfect mix of cocky and secretly sensitive. That's why I was so excited for this book. It's a traditionally published version of an indie version I had previously read, and I have to say, the author did an excellent job of reimagining the characters' journey.
The main characters, Wren and Miles, are an absolute delight. Wren, the endearing FMC, starts off a little reserved before entering into a fake dating situation with Miles, the cocky hockey player. I immediately knew I was in for a treat because Miles literally chokes on his tongue/drink when he first sees Wren, and I'm a huge fan of the "he falls first and hard" trope.
This story isn't just about the fake dating, though; it's also about personal growth. Wren and Miles help each other navigate their personal struggles and become better versions of themselves, both individually and as a couple. The witty banter and comedic moments are perfectly balanced with some truly heartfelt scenes, making this a read that had me smiling, swooning, and even shedding a happy tear or two.
If you're looking for a fun and heartfelt college hockey romance, this is the one for you.
The main characters, Wren and Miles, are an absolute delight. Wren, the endearing FMC, starts off a little reserved before entering into a fake dating situation with Miles, the cocky hockey player. I immediately knew I was in for a treat because Miles literally chokes on his tongue/drink when he first sees Wren, and I'm a huge fan of the "he falls first and hard" trope.
This story isn't just about the fake dating, though; it's also about personal growth. Wren and Miles help each other navigate their personal struggles and become better versions of themselves, both individually and as a couple. The witty banter and comedic moments are perfectly balanced with some truly heartfelt scenes, making this a read that had me smiling, swooning, and even shedding a happy tear or two.
If you're looking for a fun and heartfelt college hockey romance, this is the one for you.
October 15, 2025
If you know me at all you know i love hockey and hockey books. And i won't EVER pass a hockey romance book. This was a very good book, a little bit long but still a good one. I just wanted to know more about Carter and what happened to him. They never mention how he died and that is not okay, considering it had a big impact on Miles. Other than that, i liked it very much!!!🏒🩵
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