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Silvercrest U #3
Fight or Flight
Jace
I live my life by two simple rules: I do what I want, and f*ck anyone who gets in my way. I also never back down from a challenge, and Shane is the ultimate challenge.
I mess with him because it’s fun, and because fighting with him is one of the few times I feel anything at all. He’s the only person who’s ever stirred any real interest in me, and after three years as rivals, it’s obvious that he’s not as straight as he thinks he is.
He wants me, he just doesn’t want to want me.
Then we’re forced to work together to steal some blackmail files from a rival frat, and the more time we spend together, the more our fights become our own brand of foreplay. Watching him lose control is the ultimate rush, so is knowing that I’m the only one who gets to see him like that.
Now I don’t just want him, I’ve claimed him, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make him mine.
Fight or Flight is the third book in a new dark romance series set at an elite, invite-only college, and is a rivals to lovers story between two frat brothers who have more in common than they think. You can expect: rivals to lovers, a bi awakening, some forced proximity, hurt/comfort, primal play and fighting as foreplay, mild CNC, implied dubcon, mild knifeplay, domination and bratting, a protective MC, morally ambiguous heroes, not-so-secret societies, and lots of spicy times that will fog up your kindle screens as these two men realize that sometimes what you need has been in front of you all along.
I live my life by two simple rules: I do what I want, and f*ck anyone who gets in my way. I also never back down from a challenge, and Shane is the ultimate challenge.
I mess with him because it’s fun, and because fighting with him is one of the few times I feel anything at all. He’s the only person who’s ever stirred any real interest in me, and after three years as rivals, it’s obvious that he’s not as straight as he thinks he is.
He wants me, he just doesn’t want to want me.
Then we’re forced to work together to steal some blackmail files from a rival frat, and the more time we spend together, the more our fights become our own brand of foreplay. Watching him lose control is the ultimate rush, so is knowing that I’m the only one who gets to see him like that.
Now I don’t just want him, I’ve claimed him, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make him mine.
Fight or Flight is the third book in a new dark romance series set at an elite, invite-only college, and is a rivals to lovers story between two frat brothers who have more in common than they think. You can expect: rivals to lovers, a bi awakening, some forced proximity, hurt/comfort, primal play and fighting as foreplay, mild CNC, implied dubcon, mild knifeplay, domination and bratting, a protective MC, morally ambiguous heroes, not-so-secret societies, and lots of spicy times that will fog up your kindle screens as these two men realize that sometimes what you need has been in front of you all along.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2025
320 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
Willow Dixon
23 books1,298 followersWhat can I say about myself? It’s kind of like being the new kid in school and being asked to tell everyone a bit about yourself. Anyone else forget everything they’ve ever liked, thought of, and even their name in those moments?
A few facts about me; I’m a veteran, I’m Canadian, and I love books! I’ve been writing my own stories since I was eight and wrote my first novel at sixteen. I’m the first to admit those attempts weren’t my best work, but they started me on a journey of creating stories that has led me to fulfilling my dream of becoming an author. I’ve written and published in several genres under different names, but MM is by far my favorite, and I’m so happy to be able to share my stories with people today.
I currently live on Canada’s east coast with my kiddo and my cats. I have a shoe collecting addiction, and I enjoy taking long walks, discussions with friends, and reading anything and everything I can get my hands on.
A few facts about me; I’m a veteran, I’m Canadian, and I love books! I’ve been writing my own stories since I was eight and wrote my first novel at sixteen. I’m the first to admit those attempts weren’t my best work, but they started me on a journey of creating stories that has led me to fulfilling my dream of becoming an author. I’ve written and published in several genres under different names, but MM is by far my favorite, and I’m so happy to be able to share my stories with people today.
I currently live on Canada’s east coast with my kiddo and my cats. I have a shoe collecting addiction, and I enjoy taking long walks, discussions with friends, and reading anything and everything I can get my hands on.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
October 30, 2025
Fight or Flight is an entertaining rivals-to-lovers story featuring two frat brothers, Shane and Jace, who embody a strong push/pull dynamic. Jace is a captivating predator, and once he sets his sights on Shane, he no longer accepts "no." Shane, on the other hand, is hesitant at first, but the game he plays with Jace keeps him engaged, addicted, and gradually falling for his slightly unhinged frat brother.
Overall, this is a fun dark romance series that pushes all kinds of boundaries, and Jace is a thrilling character—devoted, obsessive, and completely focused on his prey, Shane. Shane's character has many layers stemming from his traumatic background, and this part of his psyche provides the perfect balance to Jace's more erratic nature. They both complement one another well and make for a highly captivating story.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
Overall, this is a fun dark romance series that pushes all kinds of boundaries, and Jace is a thrilling character—devoted, obsessive, and completely focused on his prey, Shane. Shane's character has many layers stemming from his traumatic background, and this part of his psyche provides the perfect balance to Jace's more erratic nature. They both complement one another well and make for a highly captivating story.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
December 31, 2025
2.5 stars ...
As much as I loved the first two entries in this series, this one was so very disappointing. Much like the last book, this one started extremely slow and dull but I kept hope that it would level up at some point as #2 did. I kept waiting patiently ... and waiting impatiently ... and waiting and skimming ... and, unfortunately, I'm still waiting. If, like me, you were greatly anticipating this one, it would be to your benefit to lower your expectations. Seriously ... dull ... 🥱
As much as I loved the first two entries in this series, this one was so very disappointing. Much like the last book, this one started extremely slow and dull but I kept hope that it would level up at some point as #2 did. I kept waiting patiently ... and waiting impatiently ... and waiting and skimming ... and, unfortunately, I'm still waiting. If, like me, you were greatly anticipating this one, it would be to your benefit to lower your expectations. Seriously ... dull ... 🥱
November 16, 2025
He looks completely wrecked, but his eyes are clear and shining with not just lust, but also challenge. Another pulse of need rushes through me, and a low growl rumbles out of my chest as he slowly wets his bottom lip with his tongue. “Looks like you’ve got me,” he rasps. “What are you going to do about it?”
Errrr, hello?! Fight or Flight is book 3 in the Silvercrest U dark-themed MM college romance series by the fabulous Willow Dixon and it is HOT!
This is a linked standalone series, so I do recommend that you read book 1 (my favourite so far) Wicked Games and book 2 Hide and Seek first, because of the overarching story and characters that appear throughout.
The series is set around a group of rich frat boys in an elite college, with strong dark academia vibes, but in a contemporary setting. Think secret societies, money talks, morally grey characters who can literally get away with murder and a whole load of steam. Absolutely divine!
This is Jace (twin brother of Jax from book 2) and Shane's story, and it's as good as I'd hoped it would be!
What To Expect:
🖤MM college romance
🖤Dark themes
🖤Secret societies
🖤Rivals to lovers
🖤Hurt/comfort
🖤Fighting as foreplay
🖤Bi-awakening
🖤Steamy first times
🖤HEA
Totally loved it!
4.5 stars 🌟
Errrr, hello?! Fight or Flight is book 3 in the Silvercrest U dark-themed MM college romance series by the fabulous Willow Dixon and it is HOT!
This is a linked standalone series, so I do recommend that you read book 1 (my favourite so far) Wicked Games and book 2 Hide and Seek first, because of the overarching story and characters that appear throughout.
The series is set around a group of rich frat boys in an elite college, with strong dark academia vibes, but in a contemporary setting. Think secret societies, money talks, morally grey characters who can literally get away with murder and a whole load of steam. Absolutely divine!
This is Jace (twin brother of Jax from book 2) and Shane's story, and it's as good as I'd hoped it would be!
What To Expect:
🖤MM college romance
🖤Dark themes
🖤Secret societies
🖤Rivals to lovers
🖤Hurt/comfort
🖤Fighting as foreplay
🖤Bi-awakening
🖤Steamy first times
🖤HEA
Totally loved it!
4.5 stars 🌟
January 25, 2026
⭐️
3.5 stars rounded up
⭐️
Unfortunately, this was my least favorite of this series so far. Not to say that it still wasn't a solid, strong read overall, it was, but it was lacking things the other two weren't, in my opinion.
We are finally getting Jace's story and his is with Shane, another member of their frat and also an other "founding member" descendent like them. But Shane has been through a lot of shit, having lost his two siblings in a house fire 7 years prior, and he was in it but his brother got him out before his brother died too.
So Shane was the only survivor, and his parents only have him left as well. So a lot of expectations are put on his shoulders now that wouldn't have been there with his older brother and younger sister there.
So not only is he dealing with grief, he's dealing with that pressure as well, mainly from his father.
He doesn't get along with Jace. Jace, being basically a psychopath along with his brother, doesn't hate Shane like Shane hates him, and only messes with Shane by annoying him because it's fun and Shane easily lets him.
They've known each other for two and a half years at the start of this, but they only start to get to know each other in this.
I did like these two together, and they still had amazing chemistry like the first two couples. Whenever they were together, it was fire.
My problems lie in how underutilized that chemistry felt in this. It's not like we get no sex, but it felt like so much less compared to the first two, and we only get two fully penetrative sex scenes. That wasn't nearly enough, not for me.
Especially as we got into the second half and there became less and less between them, sexually and otherwise.
The plot was interesting enough, but not to have it practically take over the last part of this book. I was like...what do you mean we're at 92% into this book and Shane still isn't trusting Jace and they seem to barely know each other still? Even though love is still declared near the end anyway - which, to me, was unearned.
As much as it was a lie by Shane to say he hated Jace and he couldn't stand him, blah blah blah, we all know that wasn't true. Jace knew it, the reader knew it. But Shane still stubbornly held onto that idea until 90% into the book, even as he was softening. The fact that what happened in the plot made him doubt Jace even that late into it? They were NOT at the love stage, in my opinion, for that to happen. Like he doubts Jace BIG time and even goes so far as to so yeah, it felt like their relationship was kind of just started by the time this was over.
Shane was so resistant to admitting to liking Jace, to wanting him, that to me it took a long time to get a feeling of, well, feelings between them. Real feelings aside from lust. Not to say that didn't come, because it did - just wayyy late in the book, too late for their relationship to feel 100% fleshed out and where the story told us they were at by the end.
That's another reason for my lower rating - because of Shane's stubborn resistance to Jace I guess this was just a bit slow going for me at times. Not too bad, but still, slow, especially in the first half. I didn't get sucked into the story like I had with the first two.
Also, there was a surprising lack of the other characters? I feel like in the first two books, the twins featured heavily. In Jax's story, Jace was heavily present, and the boyfriends of Killian and Jax got integrated into their group eventually and we got scenes with the whole group.
We didn't get that with this. I get that Jax was in the honeymoon phase with Myles and very much all about him - but still, we barely saw Jax in this, and this is his twin brother? Jace was present a lot in Jax's story, so it didn't feel right. Like have Jax around WITH Myles, maybe? We only see Myles once in the beginning - even though he and Jace became friends, kind of - and Killian and Felix a few times here or there.
Just...not there. It made Jace feel so disconnected from them and thusly, Shane as well. He never even properly talks to Jax or Killian, there's no proper introduction. We get Jax noticing Jace's growing feelings for Shane and talking to Jace about it, but that's about it. Some moments here or there were Jax is like "oh, no feelings for Shane hmm??"
It made these two feel isolated and while on their own they're fine, it just felt different from the first two, and seeing as I love all these main characters, it was a bummer not to get them as much in the story.
Ironic, given Jax and Myles' story is a good portion of just them, but eventually Myles integrates into their group and all the characters are involved in the main plot. So to not get that here was a bummer.
We didn't even get sex near the end after already going awhile without it - and seriously why were these two spending so much time apart? Jace just has a thought of "I'm actually extremely patient" about why he's okay with over a week going by and Shane is just avoiding him. Like what? You're extremely possessive of him and think of him as yours and you're just...letting him avoid you and do his own thing? It didn't ring true to me. It didn't make much sense.
It also felt like we could have had just a bit more story near the end. They settle into a relationship at the very end and that's all well and good, but the main plot is just...summarized in the epilogue. Like they find the culprit but we don't get to see ANY of the aftermath, just Jace thinking about what happened.
Also these two are verse with each other, and what we get IS hot but we don't get to see Jace being topped by Shane even though they talk about it several times. I think Jax is the top with Myles iirc (which I love, it fits for Jax's character and them as a couple) but if Jace doesn't mind bottoming I would have been interested to see how that would go. Shane is also almost as big as Jace and kind of has an alpha-type personality too, so seeing them switch would have been interesting.
So all that to say, the ending was rushed in a way the first two didn't feel at all.
So I settled on 3.5 stars for this, which is unfortunate as I've LOVED this series so far - it was a definite resurgence for me with this author. I think if some changes here or that had been made, this could have been a 5 star read as well.
But all that to say, I rounded up because I still enjoyed these two together, there were still great moments in this, and when the chemistry was utilized well, it was great to read. The plot was interesting, if it had been followed up on all the way, it would have improved this book even more.
So yeah, some disappointments in this, but still overall a solid read, still enjoyable for a good portion of it. It just could have been even better.
I'm still looking forward to Xave - he's been pretty much a mystery from the start, so it'll be interesting to get to know him and what he gets up to.
Until then! 😘
My Ratings for the Silvercrest U Series:
⭐️ Wicked Games: 5 stars (my review)
⭐️ Hide and Seek: 5 stars (my review)
⭐️ Fight or Flight: 3.5 stars
Unfortunately, this was my least favorite of this series so far. Not to say that it still wasn't a solid, strong read overall, it was, but it was lacking things the other two weren't, in my opinion.
We are finally getting Jace's story and his is with Shane, another member of their frat and also an other "founding member" descendent like them. But Shane has been through a lot of shit, having lost his two siblings in a house fire 7 years prior, and he was in it but his brother got him out before his brother died too.
So Shane was the only survivor, and his parents only have him left as well. So a lot of expectations are put on his shoulders now that wouldn't have been there with his older brother and younger sister there.
So not only is he dealing with grief, he's dealing with that pressure as well, mainly from his father.
He doesn't get along with Jace. Jace, being basically a psychopath along with his brother, doesn't hate Shane like Shane hates him, and only messes with Shane by annoying him because it's fun and Shane easily lets him.
They've known each other for two and a half years at the start of this, but they only start to get to know each other in this.
I did like these two together, and they still had amazing chemistry like the first two couples. Whenever they were together, it was fire.
My problems lie in how underutilized that chemistry felt in this. It's not like we get no sex, but it felt like so much less compared to the first two, and we only get two fully penetrative sex scenes. That wasn't nearly enough, not for me.
Especially as we got into the second half and there became less and less between them, sexually and otherwise.
The plot was interesting enough, but not to have it practically take over the last part of this book. I was like...what do you mean we're at 92% into this book and Shane still isn't trusting Jace and they seem to barely know each other still? Even though love is still declared near the end anyway - which, to me, was unearned.
As much as it was a lie by Shane to say he hated Jace and he couldn't stand him, blah blah blah, we all know that wasn't true. Jace knew it, the reader knew it. But Shane still stubbornly held onto that idea until 90% into the book, even as he was softening. The fact that what happened in the plot made him doubt Jace even that late into it? They were NOT at the love stage, in my opinion, for that to happen. Like he doubts Jace BIG time and even goes so far as to so yeah, it felt like their relationship was kind of just started by the time this was over.
Shane was so resistant to admitting to liking Jace, to wanting him, that to me it took a long time to get a feeling of, well, feelings between them. Real feelings aside from lust. Not to say that didn't come, because it did - just wayyy late in the book, too late for their relationship to feel 100% fleshed out and where the story told us they were at by the end.
That's another reason for my lower rating - because of Shane's stubborn resistance to Jace I guess this was just a bit slow going for me at times. Not too bad, but still, slow, especially in the first half. I didn't get sucked into the story like I had with the first two.
Also, there was a surprising lack of the other characters? I feel like in the first two books, the twins featured heavily. In Jax's story, Jace was heavily present, and the boyfriends of Killian and Jax got integrated into their group eventually and we got scenes with the whole group.
We didn't get that with this. I get that Jax was in the honeymoon phase with Myles and very much all about him - but still, we barely saw Jax in this, and this is his twin brother? Jace was present a lot in Jax's story, so it didn't feel right. Like have Jax around WITH Myles, maybe? We only see Myles once in the beginning - even though he and Jace became friends, kind of - and Killian and Felix a few times here or there.
Just...not there. It made Jace feel so disconnected from them and thusly, Shane as well. He never even properly talks to Jax or Killian, there's no proper introduction. We get Jax noticing Jace's growing feelings for Shane and talking to Jace about it, but that's about it. Some moments here or there were Jax is like "oh, no feelings for Shane hmm??"
It made these two feel isolated and while on their own they're fine, it just felt different from the first two, and seeing as I love all these main characters, it was a bummer not to get them as much in the story.
Ironic, given Jax and Myles' story is a good portion of just them, but eventually Myles integrates into their group and all the characters are involved in the main plot. So to not get that here was a bummer.
We didn't even get sex near the end after already going awhile without it - and seriously why were these two spending so much time apart? Jace just has a thought of "I'm actually extremely patient" about why he's okay with over a week going by and Shane is just avoiding him. Like what? You're extremely possessive of him and think of him as yours and you're just...letting him avoid you and do his own thing? It didn't ring true to me. It didn't make much sense.
It also felt like we could have had just a bit more story near the end. They settle into a relationship at the very end and that's all well and good, but the main plot is just...summarized in the epilogue. Like they find the culprit but we don't get to see ANY of the aftermath, just Jace thinking about what happened.
Also these two are verse with each other, and what we get IS hot but we don't get to see Jace being topped by Shane even though they talk about it several times. I think Jax is the top with Myles iirc (which I love, it fits for Jax's character and them as a couple) but if Jace doesn't mind bottoming I would have been interested to see how that would go. Shane is also almost as big as Jace and kind of has an alpha-type personality too, so seeing them switch would have been interesting.
So all that to say, the ending was rushed in a way the first two didn't feel at all.
So I settled on 3.5 stars for this, which is unfortunate as I've LOVED this series so far - it was a definite resurgence for me with this author. I think if some changes here or that had been made, this could have been a 5 star read as well.
But all that to say, I rounded up because I still enjoyed these two together, there were still great moments in this, and when the chemistry was utilized well, it was great to read. The plot was interesting, if it had been followed up on all the way, it would have improved this book even more.
So yeah, some disappointments in this, but still overall a solid read, still enjoyable for a good portion of it. It just could have been even better.
I'm still looking forward to Xave - he's been pretty much a mystery from the start, so it'll be interesting to get to know him and what he gets up to.
Until then! 😘
My Ratings for the Silvercrest U Series:
⭐️ Wicked Games: 5 stars (my review)
⭐️ Hide and Seek: 5 stars (my review)
⭐️ Fight or Flight: 3.5 stars
November 8, 2025
Fight Or Flight is book three in the Silvercrest U series. This MM rivals to lovers dark romance story is about Jace and Shane.
I was first intrigued by Jace and his twin brother Jax when we met them in book one, so I definitely was looking forward to getting Jace’s story. Jace and Shane attend the elite, invite-only college of Silvercrest U and are in one of the not-so-secret societies. These two frat brothers have been rivals since freshman year, and Jace has yet to get bored of bickering with Shane.
Shane has a traumatic background and we see how much this affects him. He is so angry and instead of brushing it off when Jace tries to get a rise out of him, Shane finally snaps. They get physical, and their fights lead to hooking up. They definitely delivered on the fighting as foreplay. Things got spicy between these two and I absolutely loved Jace’s dirty talk.
Shane had never been with a guy before. He realizes he doesn’t have a problem being with a guy, but struggles with the fact that he wants Jace, the guy that pisses him off more than anyone. But Shane eventually sees Jace has layers and isn’t who he thought he was. Jace eventually realizes things are different with Shane. Shane is the only person that has ever made Jace feel anything. When Shane and Jace continued to hook up, I kept waiting for it to turn into more. I would have liked if Shane and Jace realized their feelings for each other sooner because I wanted more of them together as a couple.
I have really enjoyed the action, mystery and twists in this series, but all of it was just okay for me in this book. And while I loved Jace in the previous books, he felt a little flat to me in this story. As for Shane, I would have liked if there was more resolution with his trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Overall, it was great to see the push and pull of Jace and Shane’s rivalry turn into so much more. I certainly can’t wait to see what will happen next when we get Xave’s story.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
I was first intrigued by Jace and his twin brother Jax when we met them in book one, so I definitely was looking forward to getting Jace’s story. Jace and Shane attend the elite, invite-only college of Silvercrest U and are in one of the not-so-secret societies. These two frat brothers have been rivals since freshman year, and Jace has yet to get bored of bickering with Shane.
Shane has a traumatic background and we see how much this affects him. He is so angry and instead of brushing it off when Jace tries to get a rise out of him, Shane finally snaps. They get physical, and their fights lead to hooking up. They definitely delivered on the fighting as foreplay. Things got spicy between these two and I absolutely loved Jace’s dirty talk.
Shane had never been with a guy before. He realizes he doesn’t have a problem being with a guy, but struggles with the fact that he wants Jace, the guy that pisses him off more than anyone. But Shane eventually sees Jace has layers and isn’t who he thought he was. Jace eventually realizes things are different with Shane. Shane is the only person that has ever made Jace feel anything. When Shane and Jace continued to hook up, I kept waiting for it to turn into more. I would have liked if Shane and Jace realized their feelings for each other sooner because I wanted more of them together as a couple.
I have really enjoyed the action, mystery and twists in this series, but all of it was just okay for me in this book. And while I loved Jace in the previous books, he felt a little flat to me in this story. As for Shane, I would have liked if there was more resolution with his trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Overall, it was great to see the push and pull of Jace and Shane’s rivalry turn into so much more. I certainly can’t wait to see what will happen next when we get Xave’s story.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
November 15, 2025
2.5 but rounding up to 3 simply because i’m in a good mood
this is getting boring.
first of all, the books in this series are the same but in a different font.
the bare plot is the exact same (two rivals that have issues with each other/hate sex/someone threatens the non family member/they get together), with a few differences. mainly the kinks are different.
the first one was the most original (since it’s the first and it had the stepbrother trope), but the twins? you can switch them out and nothing changes. they barely have a personality if you add them together.
and unfortunately it looks like book 4 is going to be pretty much the same.
then we have another issue, not only these books are getting repetitive over the entire series, they’re getting repetitive in the book itself.
no wonder they’re so long: we had the same exact scene four times in a row, with only small changes.
it’s BORING.
then, something that pissed me off since the first book but i was trying to ignore it: the author doesn’t even try to describe some things. it’s always “spins the knife in a complicated movement” “i switch out the cards using a move that took me years to perfect” okay??? what if i wanted to know what the fuck these cool moves are?????? how about you show me what the fuck are they doing????
because they don’t sound impressive like this. at all.
i genuinely hope this author will get some advice and will stop writing the same book with the same scenes in this series🧡
(i might lower the rating because im getting pissed off at this book and i genuinely don’t know if i’ll read book four.)
this is getting boring.
first of all, the books in this series are the same but in a different font.
the bare plot is the exact same (two rivals that have issues with each other/hate sex/someone threatens the non family member/they get together), with a few differences. mainly the kinks are different.
the first one was the most original (since it’s the first and it had the stepbrother trope), but the twins? you can switch them out and nothing changes. they barely have a personality if you add them together.
and unfortunately it looks like book 4 is going to be pretty much the same.
then we have another issue, not only these books are getting repetitive over the entire series, they’re getting repetitive in the book itself.
no wonder they’re so long: we had the same exact scene four times in a row, with only small changes.
it’s BORING.
then, something that pissed me off since the first book but i was trying to ignore it: the author doesn’t even try to describe some things. it’s always “spins the knife in a complicated movement” “i switch out the cards using a move that took me years to perfect” okay??? what if i wanted to know what the fuck these cool moves are?????? how about you show me what the fuck are they doing????
because they don’t sound impressive like this. at all.
i genuinely hope this author will get some advice and will stop writing the same book with the same scenes in this series🧡
(i might lower the rating because im getting pissed off at this book and i genuinely don’t know if i’ll read book four.)
November 17, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ Sigh… I so wanted to love this …. Sigh … So here’s my overall vibe: I did enjoy the book. I liked Jace, I liked Shane, I liked the setup, and the whole idea behind their dynamic had so much promise.
But… the intensity keeps dipping as the series go on
- Book 1 (Killian/Felix) was wildly intense.
- Book 2 (Jax/Myles) was a step down but still had that strong tension.
- Book 3 feels like another step down.
And that’s the part that disappointed me a bit, because Jace is a character who should’ve delivered tension. He’s literally written as someone who can’t feel emotions — same as Jax — so I went in expecting that same tight, electric push-pull dynamic.
But this book didn’t lean into that as much.
There were a lot of side plots, frat drama, extra threads… and honestly, those parts didn’t grip me at all. I found myself skimming, waiting for Jace and Shane to be back together on the page, because that’s where the real magic was.
And weirdly, there wasn’t enough of them together.
Their scenes were good — actually very good — but not enough , so the momentum kept dropping. I came for two unhinged men who cannot keep their hands off each other.
I got 40% frat spreadsheets.
And the pain??
The potential was STUPIDLY HIGH. Jace and Shane had everything:
enemies → rivals → violence → sexual denial → “I don’t do feelings”
It was all there.
But the book kept wandering off like a toddler at the mall.
Hello?? The main couple is THAT WAY.
Every time Jace and Shane were together, I was locked in, laser-focused, no blinking.
And then suddenly—boom—side plot.
Random drama.
Secret frat nonsense.
I wanted MORE:
More tension.
More obsession.
More “touch and die.”
More banging.
More emotions.
More everything.
And then the love declaration??
It was so short and abrupt .
But also:
That’s it???
Hello?? Give me someone breaking a lamp because emotions are too much!
But no. It was like:
“Okay, let’s just get this done.” And after all that buildup, it didn’t land as strongly as it could’ve.
So yes, I liked the book.
But I wanted to love it the same way I loved the first two.
Final feeling: good book, strong couple, but missing that extra tension and depth that would’ve made it amazing.
But… the intensity keeps dipping as the series go on
- Book 1 (Killian/Felix) was wildly intense.
- Book 2 (Jax/Myles) was a step down but still had that strong tension.
- Book 3 feels like another step down.
And that’s the part that disappointed me a bit, because Jace is a character who should’ve delivered tension. He’s literally written as someone who can’t feel emotions — same as Jax — so I went in expecting that same tight, electric push-pull dynamic.
But this book didn’t lean into that as much.
There were a lot of side plots, frat drama, extra threads… and honestly, those parts didn’t grip me at all. I found myself skimming, waiting for Jace and Shane to be back together on the page, because that’s where the real magic was.
And weirdly, there wasn’t enough of them together.
Their scenes were good — actually very good — but not enough , so the momentum kept dropping. I came for two unhinged men who cannot keep their hands off each other.
I got 40% frat spreadsheets.
And the pain??
The potential was STUPIDLY HIGH. Jace and Shane had everything:
enemies → rivals → violence → sexual denial → “I don’t do feelings”
It was all there.
But the book kept wandering off like a toddler at the mall.
Hello?? The main couple is THAT WAY.
Every time Jace and Shane were together, I was locked in, laser-focused, no blinking.
And then suddenly—boom—side plot.
Random drama.
Secret frat nonsense.
I wanted MORE:
More tension.
More obsession.
More “touch and die.”
More banging.
More emotions.
More everything.
And then the love declaration??
It was so short and abrupt .
But also:
That’s it???
Hello?? Give me someone breaking a lamp because emotions are too much!
But no. It was like:
“Okay, let’s just get this done.” And after all that buildup, it didn’t land as strongly as it could’ve.
So yes, I liked the book.
But I wanted to love it the same way I loved the first two.
Final feeling: good book, strong couple, but missing that extra tension and depth that would’ve made it amazing.
November 13, 2025
Fight or Flight
Silver Crest U book 3
Willow Dixon
Shane & Jace
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Rivals to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Elite College
Hurt / Comfort
Fighting as foreplay
Secret Societies
Domination / Bratting
I was waiting for this story. This has been such a great series. I loved each book.
Jace and Shane are rivals… sort of. Really Jace just likes to rile Shane up. Shane being the more broody type, falls for it every time, this everyone thinks they are enemies.
As usual with this series, there is drama with their not so secret society and Silvercrest University. We have some mystery and drama that keep the plot going.
Likewise, I loved seeing Killian, Felix, Jax and Myles too. I really can’t wait to see Xaves story too.
I enjoyed how Jace and Shane's story progressed, it felt natural and not forced. Especially with Jace and Jax’s antisocial personality disorder, Jace needed time to process and understand how and why he felt the way he did for Shane.
Jax stepping in to help Jace process was fantastic too. This is just such a great series with such great characters and plot. I really love them all.
My heart hurt for Shane and his past. Jace was so protective. This borders on dark romance with Jace being a shade away from obsessed lol and their morally grey behaviors.
“I might not be able to feel things like other people, but I know deep down in my soul that Shane is the one exception to that rule.”
I'm glad they finally worked out their issues and got their hea.
Impatiently awaiting Xaves book now lol
So thankful for this arc
Silver Crest U book 3
Willow Dixon
Shane & Jace
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Rivals to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Elite College
Hurt / Comfort
Fighting as foreplay
Secret Societies
Domination / Bratting
I was waiting for this story. This has been such a great series. I loved each book.
Jace and Shane are rivals… sort of. Really Jace just likes to rile Shane up. Shane being the more broody type, falls for it every time, this everyone thinks they are enemies.
As usual with this series, there is drama with their not so secret society and Silvercrest University. We have some mystery and drama that keep the plot going.
Likewise, I loved seeing Killian, Felix, Jax and Myles too. I really can’t wait to see Xaves story too.
I enjoyed how Jace and Shane's story progressed, it felt natural and not forced. Especially with Jace and Jax’s antisocial personality disorder, Jace needed time to process and understand how and why he felt the way he did for Shane.
Jax stepping in to help Jace process was fantastic too. This is just such a great series with such great characters and plot. I really love them all.
My heart hurt for Shane and his past. Jace was so protective. This borders on dark romance with Jace being a shade away from obsessed lol and their morally grey behaviors.
“I might not be able to feel things like other people, but I know deep down in my soul that Shane is the one exception to that rule.”
I'm glad they finally worked out their issues and got their hea.
Impatiently awaiting Xaves book now lol
So thankful for this arc
November 14, 2025
Tropes: animosity to love, secret society
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: dubcon, fighting as foreplay, knifeplay, domination, bratting, dirty talk, mild breathplay
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: violence, murder, past sibling death in fire, suicidal ideation, drug use by MMC, antisocial personality disorder MMC
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: there are references to both of their past hookups, and there's some jealousy in the present over other people flirting with them. But once they start hooking up, neither of them are with anyone else.
3.75 stars
Shane is 21. When he was 13, his siblings died in a house fire and he has survivors guilt and he's really messed up over it. He's constantly trying to be someone else to meet the expectations of his grieving parents. He frequently buries himself in risky behaviors (drink, drugs, violence, sex) to distract himself from his emotions. He's in a frat / secret society because he's a legacy, and he's been hating on fellow frat member Jace for two and a half years. Jace gets on his nerves, he starts s*** with Shane and they torment each other. He's never been with a man before. Jace has been with loads of men and women, and he's been hitting on Shane.
Jace is also 21 and he's a twin. He has antisocial personality disorder and has developed a lot of interesting skills and hobbies to deal with his excess energy and frequent boredom. He's a hacker, and he has no compunction against killing. He's done a lot of dirty work for the secret society and his family. The people closest to him have paired up and it leaves him lonely sometimes. He likes to entertain himself by riling up Shane, flirting with him, and getting Shane so mad he wants to fight Jace. Their fighting gets them up close and personal and it turns sexual. They start hooking up and Shane makes Jace feel things he's never felt before, Jace gets possessive over Shane. While this is happening, they are both tasked with being future leaders of the frats and investigating some security threats into the secret society.
This book could have been really good, but the author fumbled the pacing at the end. A lot of the book was quite good, full of tension. I really loved the animosity/dynamic between Shane and Jace. Jace was so entertained by him, he loved taunting him, and pushing his boundaries. Shane was so riled up and out of his comfort zone, turned on, but enough of a fighter that he didn't just cave to Jace, he fought Jace for top dog position. I liked Jace's friend and family dynamic, they were sassy and snarky and made me laugh.
When I say the author fumbled the pacing, I mean that at the 94% mark, well they had had sex before but: they hadn't kissed, there is no trust between them, there isn't much of a real relationship between them, they haven't had any relationship talks and you have no idea what kind of future they could build together, and it's only now that Shane is even saying that he might be in love. I feel like there was not enough time for them to build up the relationship to a happily ever after. Shane had betrayed Jace, and broken into his room and been caught at this 90ish% mark and in the remaining 10%, they rushed talking out why he did, being forgiven, realizing who the baddie was, taking them out, and rushing through an epilogue showing them together 3 years later. That wasn't enough time to do all that important stuff. It felt like this should have been a duology with a completely extra book to wrap things up OR the author should have paced it so that 30% of the book could have been devoted to the characters consciously/unconsciously building a relationship.
I also felt like the author really should have dealt with Shane's hang ups over his siblings' deaths. Shane was a t time s suicidal, and he had a relationship with his parents that was putting so much pressure on him, and he was really struggling with grief. His dad also should have learned about what happened to KJ and how it was tied to the current threat against the secret society. And none of that was dealt with. Yeah Jace was there for him, but he never grew, he didn't make changes to his coping mechanisms or talk things out with his parents or a therapist.
And a minor complaint, this book was a little too James Bond esque with the spy shenanigans, it was a little over the top.
Some notable moments:
"A soft moan escapes my lips without my permission, and Jace’s smirk turns into a dark grin that sends more of that heat through my chest and into my stomach. “That’s it.” He presses his weight down on me, his eyes boring into mine. “Let me hear how much you love having me on top of you.”"
I love the sassy snark "“So mouthy,” I say as he rifles through the contents. “And just an FYI, my patience is like a gift card right now. I have no idea how much is on it, but we can give it a try if you want to keep testing me.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: dubcon, fighting as foreplay, knifeplay, domination, bratting, dirty talk, mild breathplay
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: violence, murder, past sibling death in fire, suicidal ideation, drug use by MMC, antisocial personality disorder MMC
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: there are references to both of their past hookups, and there's some jealousy in the present over other people flirting with them. But once they start hooking up, neither of them are with anyone else.
3.75 stars
Shane is 21. When he was 13, his siblings died in a house fire and he has survivors guilt and he's really messed up over it. He's constantly trying to be someone else to meet the expectations of his grieving parents. He frequently buries himself in risky behaviors (drink, drugs, violence, sex) to distract himself from his emotions. He's in a frat / secret society because he's a legacy, and he's been hating on fellow frat member Jace for two and a half years. Jace gets on his nerves, he starts s*** with Shane and they torment each other. He's never been with a man before. Jace has been with loads of men and women, and he's been hitting on Shane.
Jace is also 21 and he's a twin. He has antisocial personality disorder and has developed a lot of interesting skills and hobbies to deal with his excess energy and frequent boredom. He's a hacker, and he has no compunction against killing. He's done a lot of dirty work for the secret society and his family. The people closest to him have paired up and it leaves him lonely sometimes. He likes to entertain himself by riling up Shane, flirting with him, and getting Shane so mad he wants to fight Jace. Their fighting gets them up close and personal and it turns sexual. They start hooking up and Shane makes Jace feel things he's never felt before, Jace gets possessive over Shane. While this is happening, they are both tasked with being future leaders of the frats and investigating some security threats into the secret society.
This book could have been really good, but the author fumbled the pacing at the end. A lot of the book was quite good, full of tension. I really loved the animosity/dynamic between Shane and Jace. Jace was so entertained by him, he loved taunting him, and pushing his boundaries. Shane was so riled up and out of his comfort zone, turned on, but enough of a fighter that he didn't just cave to Jace, he fought Jace for top dog position. I liked Jace's friend and family dynamic, they were sassy and snarky and made me laugh.
When I say the author fumbled the pacing, I mean that at the 94% mark, well they had had sex before but: they hadn't kissed, there is no trust between them, there isn't much of a real relationship between them, they haven't had any relationship talks and you have no idea what kind of future they could build together, and it's only now that Shane is even saying that he might be in love. I feel like there was not enough time for them to build up the relationship to a happily ever after. Shane had betrayed Jace, and broken into his room and been caught at this 90ish% mark and in the remaining 10%, they rushed talking out why he did, being forgiven, realizing who the baddie was, taking them out, and rushing through an epilogue showing them together 3 years later. That wasn't enough time to do all that important stuff. It felt like this should have been a duology with a completely extra book to wrap things up OR the author should have paced it so that 30% of the book could have been devoted to the characters consciously/unconsciously building a relationship.
I also felt like the author really should have dealt with Shane's hang ups over his siblings' deaths. Shane was a t time s suicidal, and he had a relationship with his parents that was putting so much pressure on him, and he was really struggling with grief. His dad also should have learned about what happened to KJ and how it was tied to the current threat against the secret society. And none of that was dealt with. Yeah Jace was there for him, but he never grew, he didn't make changes to his coping mechanisms or talk things out with his parents or a therapist.
And a minor complaint, this book was a little too James Bond esque with the spy shenanigans, it was a little over the top.
Some notable moments:
"A soft moan escapes my lips without my permission, and Jace’s smirk turns into a dark grin that sends more of that heat through my chest and into my stomach. “That’s it.” He presses his weight down on me, his eyes boring into mine. “Let me hear how much you love having me on top of you.”"
I love the sassy snark "“So mouthy,” I say as he rifles through the contents. “And just an FYI, my patience is like a gift card right now. I have no idea how much is on it, but we can give it a try if you want to keep testing me.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2025
I have really enjoyed this series. Jace and Shane make a great couple. Loved the bickering and the fighting. I think the ending was a bit rushed here, and the revelation of one of the main mysteries in this book kinda came out of the blue. Still, solid book for me.
October 27, 2025
3.5 stars!
I loved the previous two books in the series so much and have reread the first book especially a lot of times and think of both books MCs all the time, so you can guess how excited I was for this book. It's not a bad book by any means, I love Willow Dixon's writing a lot and the characters are always so fun and interesting and I don't feel bored reading at all. But it is also not as good as the other two books in the series, atleast to me.
The plot was honestly not that interesting to me. I did not care about any of it and compared to the other two books, it felt not that serious either. Towards the end there was more intrigue, but then it was over so quickly that it felt rushed? The focus was more on Shane and Jace but even then, we didn’t get much of them on their own and it was mostly just them fighting and the back and forth. And am I the only one who disliked the reuse of "good talk"? Because to me, it was a special thing between Killian and Felix, and maybe I am biased, because they are my favorite couple from this author, but I really didn't think we needed to reuse it? Couldn't Shane and Jace get something for themselves? Maybe I am looking too deeply into this, but I love it when characters have special lines between them.
Shane. Shane… was something I guess? He was honestly my least favorite main character in the whole series so far. I did not feel any connection to him, I was not interested in him and his hatred and frustration, especially towards Jace, felt weird and just didn’t have any reasoning to back it up. Also I might be biased, because I was super excited for it, but where was the bratting? Because I feel like I didn’t see any of it? And also biased, but I dislike characters, that heavily endorse alcohol and drugs. I don’t like it, and I don’t like characters that keep doing it, no matter what age. (This is my review, with my personal opinions and feelings!)
Jace. I LOVED Jace in the first and second book. I loved him so much and I wouldn’t say I dislike him. I still like him a lot, but I feel like he felt flat compared to how he was in the previous books. He has this playful flirty vibe around him, but also is protective of his loved ones.
This might sound like a very negative review, but I tend to focus on things I disliked more, but I promise I had fun while reading and enjoyed it, too. So give the book still a chance if you think you might like it!
Do I recommend this book? Maybe? I definetly recommend the first two and I am excited for the next one to come out (IT’S XAVE’S BOOK, YAY!) so I would say maybe.
*I received an ARC, but this is my honest review on it.*
I loved the previous two books in the series so much and have reread the first book especially a lot of times and think of both books MCs all the time, so you can guess how excited I was for this book. It's not a bad book by any means, I love Willow Dixon's writing a lot and the characters are always so fun and interesting and I don't feel bored reading at all. But it is also not as good as the other two books in the series, atleast to me.
The plot was honestly not that interesting to me. I did not care about any of it and compared to the other two books, it felt not that serious either. Towards the end there was more intrigue, but then it was over so quickly that it felt rushed? The focus was more on Shane and Jace but even then, we didn’t get much of them on their own and it was mostly just them fighting and the back and forth. And am I the only one who disliked the reuse of "good talk"? Because to me, it was a special thing between Killian and Felix, and maybe I am biased, because they are my favorite couple from this author, but I really didn't think we needed to reuse it? Couldn't Shane and Jace get something for themselves? Maybe I am looking too deeply into this, but I love it when characters have special lines between them.
Shane. Shane… was something I guess? He was honestly my least favorite main character in the whole series so far. I did not feel any connection to him, I was not interested in him and his hatred and frustration, especially towards Jace, felt weird and just didn’t have any reasoning to back it up. Also I might be biased, because I was super excited for it, but where was the bratting? Because I feel like I didn’t see any of it? And also biased, but I dislike characters, that heavily endorse alcohol and drugs. I don’t like it, and I don’t like characters that keep doing it, no matter what age. (This is my review, with my personal opinions and feelings!)
Jace. I LOVED Jace in the first and second book. I loved him so much and I wouldn’t say I dislike him. I still like him a lot, but I feel like he felt flat compared to how he was in the previous books. He has this playful flirty vibe around him, but also is protective of his loved ones.
This might sound like a very negative review, but I tend to focus on things I disliked more, but I promise I had fun while reading and enjoyed it, too. So give the book still a chance if you think you might like it!
Do I recommend this book? Maybe? I definetly recommend the first two and I am excited for the next one to come out (IT’S XAVE’S BOOK, YAY!) so I would say maybe.
*I received an ARC, but this is my honest review on it.*
November 20, 2025
4 Stars
This story is so explosive, the hate is real at the beginning. There is a lot of high octane anger and frustration there. The fights are epic and then they turn sexy, hot as F🔥 even if they act like children in each instigation.
I enjoyed this slow burn. The inner frat mysteries and goings on kept me on edge and interested. Shane and Jax are a strange pair. They take forever to feel anything even though they are together. Jace's uniqueness and Shane's fury make each time they meet a battle. I just wish Shane didn't consume and use so much, but still, he had his reasons. Jace was the multitalented psycho we met and loved from the previous books and Shane felt like a great match for him.
The thing was that the timing felt off in the book. Sometimes repetitive, sometimes just dragging. And sometimes fleeting when it needed to linger. The ending felt rushed and almost like an afterthought. This could easily have been a 5 star-favorites book but needed tweaking.
But I still loved it
First kiss @95% 🤪 (I was like, FINALLY!!) 🤣 🤣 🤣
This story is so explosive, the hate is real at the beginning. There is a lot of high octane anger and frustration there. The fights are epic and then they turn sexy, hot as F🔥 even if they act like children in each instigation.
I enjoyed this slow burn. The inner frat mysteries and goings on kept me on edge and interested. Shane and Jax are a strange pair. They take forever to feel anything even though they are together. Jace's uniqueness and Shane's fury make each time they meet a battle. I just wish Shane didn't consume and use so much, but still, he had his reasons. Jace was the multitalented psycho we met and loved from the previous books and Shane felt like a great match for him.
The thing was that the timing felt off in the book. Sometimes repetitive, sometimes just dragging. And sometimes fleeting when it needed to linger. The ending felt rushed and almost like an afterthought. This could easily have been a 5 star-favorites book but needed tweaking.
But I still loved it
First kiss @95% 🤪 (I was like, FINALLY!!) 🤣 🤣 🤣
November 4, 2025
We’re back at Silverlake University for this one, and Shane and Jace are brothers in the same frat. But their frat is unlike a normal one, and more like a secret society. Shane and Jace are what can best be described as Rivals. They’ve always been in each other’s orbit but truly just didn’t like each other very much. Things come to a head when they’re forced to work together to get some documents from a rival frat and their relationship quickly turns into something totally different.
I’ve been reading this series since the beginning and I do really love Willow’s stuff. That being said, this book lost me a little. The first book was strong, the second one was still pretty strong, but this one did feel a bit rushed. I loved Jace so much in the other books but now that I’m at his book it felt a little flat. I still enjoyed it very much and the spice was amazing, and I’m super excited for Xaves book. Overall not a bad book at all, just lost me a bit in the middle and felt a bit slow and harder to follow than the others.
I’ve been reading this series since the beginning and I do really love Willow’s stuff. That being said, this book lost me a little. The first book was strong, the second one was still pretty strong, but this one did feel a bit rushed. I loved Jace so much in the other books but now that I’m at his book it felt a little flat. I still enjoyed it very much and the spice was amazing, and I’m super excited for Xaves book. Overall not a bad book at all, just lost me a bit in the middle and felt a bit slow and harder to follow than the others.
November 20, 2025
Expected More
This was such a let down.
The story was barely engaging and overall, felt rushed. The chemistry between Jace and Shane just wasn't there, not like it was with Killian and Felix or with Jax and a Myles.
Having been introduced to Jace in the previous 2 books, I was expecting so much more from his character, which sadly didn't happen. I felt Jace deserved much better writing. So disappointing.
The conclusion to the underlying plot felt forced and the epilogue was just plain redundant.
I also noticed a lot of repetition from the previous books. The description of spicy scenes were almost a cut and paste from the other 2 books, as were some of the conversations between the main characters. I mean, if one is going to write a series, at least have a little originality and write some new dialog for each book.
I'm still looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out, but I'm certainly going to lower my expectations beforehand.
Such a shame.
This was such a let down.
The story was barely engaging and overall, felt rushed. The chemistry between Jace and Shane just wasn't there, not like it was with Killian and Felix or with Jax and a Myles.
Having been introduced to Jace in the previous 2 books, I was expecting so much more from his character, which sadly didn't happen. I felt Jace deserved much better writing. So disappointing.
The conclusion to the underlying plot felt forced and the epilogue was just plain redundant.
I also noticed a lot of repetition from the previous books. The description of spicy scenes were almost a cut and paste from the other 2 books, as were some of the conversations between the main characters. I mean, if one is going to write a series, at least have a little originality and write some new dialog for each book.
I'm still looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out, but I'm certainly going to lower my expectations beforehand.
Such a shame.
Read
January 22, 2026DNF 16%
Look I’m not saying the first two books were the pinnacle of dialogue writing, but this one is so cringey and extra terrible that I cannot continue
Look I’m not saying the first two books were the pinnacle of dialogue writing, but this one is so cringey and extra terrible that I cannot continue
November 16, 2025
All the talking/bickering between the couple was kinda boring. All the explanation about the rebels, first gen, etc too. So repetitive.
I don't know. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for this book right now, maybe I will give it a second chance later.
Ps:
I was hoping that, since we already have two pair (four guys) that are in a mm relationship and they being stereotypical macho guys, finally we could have ONE character openly gay and more... feminine.
I don't understand the hatred toward gay/bi/pan men that are more feminine. They are a BIG part of the community, and they don't have the recognition they deserve. Is always NOT representation at all or they put a feminine cartoonish gay-guy there in the story as a secondary character.
I don't know. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for this book right now, maybe I will give it a second chance later.
Ps:
I was hoping that, since we already have two pair (four guys) that are in a mm relationship and they being stereotypical macho guys, finally we could have ONE character openly gay and more... feminine.
I don't understand the hatred toward gay/bi/pan men that are more feminine. They are a BIG part of the community, and they don't have the recognition they deserve. Is always NOT representation at all or they put a feminine cartoonish gay-guy there in the story as a secondary character.
November 20, 2025
Well… it started good. I was loving the banter and the dynamic between Shane and Jace, but the ending brought it down. Why does this author think it’s a good idea to make them kiss for the first time, talk honestly about their relationship for the first time, and finally get together at the very end of the last chapter? Like… why? It really took the impact away for me. I was waiting for that kiss, waiting for Shane to finally admit he wanted Jace—like in the previous books, when we get the cuddling, the emotional connection, all of that. And here, we didn’t get to see any real emotion beyond desire and lust until the last chapter, and even then it wasn’t that impactful. It felt more like, “Oh, I forgot to make them actually acknowledge their relationship and say they love each other, so let me just squeeze it in here at the end.” Yeah… no, that really didn’t work for me.
And honestly, the plot went downhill too. I was loving the whole spy thing they had going on—it was fun, the secret room and the scene where they had to find a way out, the infiltration of the other frat house. I was eating that up. But the way everything wrapped up was soooo anticlimactic. Maybe the author was trying to leave a kind of cliffhanger to lead into the next book, but it just made everything feel unfinished. They discovered the mole and… that’s it. The end.
I’m disappointed because I really was loving the plot and the relationship between the MMCs, and that’s honestly the only reason I’m rating it 3 stars. I really thought it would be a solid 4. But, just like the previous books, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying, and the good plot the author built up throughout the book ends up treated like a second thought. Add to that the addictive dynamic building between Jace and Shane, only for their emotional payoff to land so rushed and flat... it left the whole thing feeling unfinished, unemotional, and honestly… I hate it, because I was loving them.
Definitely reading the next book in the series, because I still want to know what the hell is actually going on — and honestly, after three books, the mystery is still unresolved and I’m starting to lose the thread a bit. Still, I have to admit this is the best series I’ve read from this author so far. I’m just sad I didn’t love both of the twins’ books. I had really high expectations for them after the first book in the series, which was easily the best one in my opinion. But I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what comes next in Xave’s book.
And honestly, the plot went downhill too. I was loving the whole spy thing they had going on—it was fun, the secret room and the scene where they had to find a way out, the infiltration of the other frat house. I was eating that up. But the way everything wrapped up was soooo anticlimactic. Maybe the author was trying to leave a kind of cliffhanger to lead into the next book, but it just made everything feel unfinished. They discovered the mole and… that’s it. The end.
I’m disappointed because I really was loving the plot and the relationship between the MMCs, and that’s honestly the only reason I’m rating it 3 stars. I really thought it would be a solid 4. But, just like the previous books, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying, and the good plot the author built up throughout the book ends up treated like a second thought. Add to that the addictive dynamic building between Jace and Shane, only for their emotional payoff to land so rushed and flat... it left the whole thing feeling unfinished, unemotional, and honestly… I hate it, because I was loving them.
Definitely reading the next book in the series, because I still want to know what the hell is actually going on — and honestly, after three books, the mystery is still unresolved and I’m starting to lose the thread a bit. Still, I have to admit this is the best series I’ve read from this author so far. I’m just sad I didn’t love both of the twins’ books. I had really high expectations for them after the first book in the series, which was easily the best one in my opinion. But I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what comes next in Xave’s book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Ughhhh nooooo. im so upset. I really was looking forward to Jace's book. He was my favorite of them all and im just disappointed 😭 The ending was completely rushed. They literally had their first kiss at 95% 🙃 We never get a scene where Shane stands up to his father. Like how do we put so much emphasis on Shane feeling like a stand in for his dead siblings but get no concrete resolution for it? I really love Jace & Shane together. I wish we got more scenes with them after confessing feelings to each other. The plot was kind of nonexistent. There was a mole and it was resolved in like 2 minutes at the end of the book. 💀
Ughhhh nooooo. im so upset. I really was looking forward to Jace's book. He was my favorite of them all and im just disappointed 😭 The ending was completely rushed. They literally had their first kiss at 95% 🙃 We never get a scene where Shane stands up to his father. Like how do we put so much emphasis on Shane feeling like a stand in for his dead siblings but get no concrete resolution for it? I really love Jace & Shane together. I wish we got more scenes with them after confessing feelings to each other. The plot was kind of nonexistent. There was a mole and it was resolved in like 2 minutes at the end of the book. 💀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2025
4.5 Stars 🌟
4 Spice 🌶️
Tropes and Tags:
- 1st Person, Dual POV
- Dark romance with a little angst and action
- Rivals to lovers
- Frat brothers
- Hurt x Comfort
- Possessive MC
- Bi-Awakening
- Fighting as Foreplay
When the chemistry and tension is so strong they can't tell if it's fighting or foreplay, or maybe both??
The best way to describe this book is hot. The tension is hot, the banter is hot, the fighting is hot, even the underlying plot is simmering with heat!
There's something about this series that makes you not be able to put the books down once you start them. The elite private college setting where truly anything can happen, leaves so much room for all sorts of debauchery that make darker romances fun.
Although Jace and Shane have enough sparks to light a house on fire, they have that underlying tenderness and care for one another that shines through and makes you melt.
Another absolute win in this series and I'm so excited for more!!👏🏽
4 Spice 🌶️
Tropes and Tags:
- 1st Person, Dual POV
- Dark romance with a little angst and action
- Rivals to lovers
- Frat brothers
- Hurt x Comfort
- Possessive MC
- Bi-Awakening
- Fighting as Foreplay
When the chemistry and tension is so strong they can't tell if it's fighting or foreplay, or maybe both??
The best way to describe this book is hot. The tension is hot, the banter is hot, the fighting is hot, even the underlying plot is simmering with heat!
There's something about this series that makes you not be able to put the books down once you start them. The elite private college setting where truly anything can happen, leaves so much room for all sorts of debauchery that make darker romances fun.
Although Jace and Shane have enough sparks to light a house on fire, they have that underlying tenderness and care for one another that shines through and makes you melt.
Another absolute win in this series and I'm so excited for more!!👏🏽
November 21, 2025
You meet Jace in the first book and of course get to know him some in the second so I was really looking forward to this one. You get some angst and some rivalry. It was a good read so check out the series.
November 9, 2025
This series is devour worthy! Who doesnt love a great dark romance-rivals to lovers book. I've been so excited to read Jace's book & I was not disappointed. Willow has delivered an extraordinary series with the Silvercrest U series. Every character is slightly unhinged,but has me giggling little a school girl because i love them so much.ok, maybe im being generous...they are extremely unhinged! I loved Jace and Shane together. I loved their whole 'I hate you, let's fight, now let's f *ck' dynamic.They truly were just two broken men who found their match with each other.
spice-🌶🌶🌶
spice-🌶🌶🌶
November 16, 2025
4.5 stars!
November 30, 2025
Fight or Flight…weakest of all
Like others have mentioned, this book is a letdown, which is so disappointing considering how much I was looking forward to the chaotic energy of Jace. The first two books are good, though I noticed the author repeats a lot of the same dialogue, which is annoying because it makes the characters feel less original. And some of their dialogue sounds less like 21 year old college boys and more like 35 year old women. Also, I really don’t like when authors feel the need to tell us how “bad” and “dangerous” their characters are through speeches. SHOW ME! Sometimes no dialogue is needed—you can just feel when you’re in the presence of a dangerous psychopath. But Killian, Jax, and Jace constantly tell the audience how dangerous they are. Let others spread that through rumor, actions, or tension.
The mystery in this book is bland, and there are holes that don’t make sense, but honestly, I stopped caring halfway through. Shane isn’t as interesting as Felix or Myles. His entire past tragedy feels contrived and not important for driving the story forward. There just wasn’t anything truly compelling about him the way there was with Myles. And yes, his mom tries to explain (again, telling not showing) how you can hate someone for two and a half years and then instantly be in love, but it never felt real. It all felt forced by the hand of the author.
Jace is such an interesting character in the first two books, and I pictured his story being the most confusing yet rewarding of the whole series. Instead, he just likes to tell people he’s an asshole and very dangerous—constantly. Today is Monday…I’ll tell people I’m dangerous. Today is Wednesday…I’ll tell people I’m an asshole. Rinse and repeat. I was also hoping for more interactions between him and Jax. Their chemistry is great, but it felt minimal and practically lost in this book. In book 2, Myles had to accept he would always be second to Jace for Jax, yet that dynamic didn’t show up here at all. Jax didn’t even feel important to Jace.
None of the side characters were interesting, and even Xave—who had more to do in the first two stories—was mostly MIA here, which makes it hard to care about his book coming next.
Again, Killian, Jace, Jax, and Xave were set up to be very interesting characters, but their stories—especially Jace’s—just aren’t interesting anymore and have started to feel predictable. And the culprit reveal at the end…really? Jace, Carter, Myles—none of the hackers could have figured this out??
I really hope the author takes more time before the next book to flesh out a stronger story and a more compelling love interest. The potential is there, but Fight or Flight didn’t come close to delivering on it.
Like others have mentioned, this book is a letdown, which is so disappointing considering how much I was looking forward to the chaotic energy of Jace. The first two books are good, though I noticed the author repeats a lot of the same dialogue, which is annoying because it makes the characters feel less original. And some of their dialogue sounds less like 21 year old college boys and more like 35 year old women. Also, I really don’t like when authors feel the need to tell us how “bad” and “dangerous” their characters are through speeches. SHOW ME! Sometimes no dialogue is needed—you can just feel when you’re in the presence of a dangerous psychopath. But Killian, Jax, and Jace constantly tell the audience how dangerous they are. Let others spread that through rumor, actions, or tension.
The mystery in this book is bland, and there are holes that don’t make sense, but honestly, I stopped caring halfway through. Shane isn’t as interesting as Felix or Myles. His entire past tragedy feels contrived and not important for driving the story forward. There just wasn’t anything truly compelling about him the way there was with Myles. And yes, his mom tries to explain (again, telling not showing) how you can hate someone for two and a half years and then instantly be in love, but it never felt real. It all felt forced by the hand of the author.
Jace is such an interesting character in the first two books, and I pictured his story being the most confusing yet rewarding of the whole series. Instead, he just likes to tell people he’s an asshole and very dangerous—constantly. Today is Monday…I’ll tell people I’m dangerous. Today is Wednesday…I’ll tell people I’m an asshole. Rinse and repeat. I was also hoping for more interactions between him and Jax. Their chemistry is great, but it felt minimal and practically lost in this book. In book 2, Myles had to accept he would always be second to Jace for Jax, yet that dynamic didn’t show up here at all. Jax didn’t even feel important to Jace.
None of the side characters were interesting, and even Xave—who had more to do in the first two stories—was mostly MIA here, which makes it hard to care about his book coming next.
Again, Killian, Jace, Jax, and Xave were set up to be very interesting characters, but their stories—especially Jace’s—just aren’t interesting anymore and have started to feel predictable. And the culprit reveal at the end…really? Jace, Carter, Myles—none of the hackers could have figured this out??
I really hope the author takes more time before the next book to flesh out a stronger story and a more compelling love interest. The potential is there, but Fight or Flight didn’t come close to delivering on it.
November 10, 2025
Oh, I just love Willow's books so much. They're always so consistently good and this latest series is just as addictive as her previous ones. This is the third book in the Silvercrest U series and this time, we get Jace and Shane's story! Let's dive into it, shall we?
Jace is the other half of the Hawthorne twins and it's safe to say I was REALLY looking forward to it. Anytime a found family has a set of unhinged, feral twink-y twins, I am HERE for it. Seriously. I'm glad to say I was not disappointed! I loved him so much, it's ridiculous. But the other MC of this story, Shane, was amazing as well! I felt so much for him and it was kind of beautiful - in an unhinged sort of way - to see how Jace gave him an outlet for all the pent up anger in him and helped him process it and see it for what it really was. These two are so good together. Fireworks, all the way. And the spice? WHEW.
A little nitpick is that it did end rather quickly and I would've liked to have some of the plot points resolved in the main story rather than a quick mention in the epilogue, but I honestly loved this so hard that it didn't bother me quite that much. And yeah, you have to suspend your disbelief a little in this series but that's par for the course with dark romance, if you ask me. Just roll with all of it and have a blast!
Safe to say this is another great installment in a really great series by Willow Dixon. I can't wait to get my hands on Xave's story, but until then, I'll keep recommending this series. Please check it out if it sounds like something you'd enjoy! And as always, be mindful of the trigger warnings.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Jace is the other half of the Hawthorne twins and it's safe to say I was REALLY looking forward to it. Anytime a found family has a set of unhinged, feral twink-y twins, I am HERE for it. Seriously. I'm glad to say I was not disappointed! I loved him so much, it's ridiculous. But the other MC of this story, Shane, was amazing as well! I felt so much for him and it was kind of beautiful - in an unhinged sort of way - to see how Jace gave him an outlet for all the pent up anger in him and helped him process it and see it for what it really was. These two are so good together. Fireworks, all the way. And the spice? WHEW.
A little nitpick is that it did end rather quickly and I would've liked to have some of the plot points resolved in the main story rather than a quick mention in the epilogue, but I honestly loved this so hard that it didn't bother me quite that much. And yeah, you have to suspend your disbelief a little in this series but that's par for the course with dark romance, if you ask me. Just roll with all of it and have a blast!
Safe to say this is another great installment in a really great series by Willow Dixon. I can't wait to get my hands on Xave's story, but until then, I'll keep recommending this series. Please check it out if it sounds like something you'd enjoy! And as always, be mindful of the trigger warnings.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
November 9, 2025
3.75/5 stars 3.5/5 spice
This book was so over the top and ridiculous, but I enjoyed reading every page of it. I liked the unbelievable world and characters that Willow has built. The Hawthorne family is highly entertaining and loveable.
I adored Jace’s character. He’s a psychopath just like his twin and doesn’t feel emotions like others, but he feels something towards Shane. Their fighting as foreplay and Jace’s smart mouth was super hot. I loved the scene where they went on a mission, working well together with Jax involved as well. It was really thrilling, like a movie heist scene.
Shane’s character was probably my least favourite from the series so far. He was intriguing to begin with but as the story developed he gave us nothing more other than the grief he carried for his siblings and the misplaced anger he felt towards Jace. For such a smart, scrappy guy he made some really dumb decisions.
I felt the ending was a little rushed and it left me wanting more, like seeing them as an actual couple and Shane bonding with the other boyfriends of the Hawthorne clan. I always love seeing more of Felix and Myles, especially with their partners being all cute together. I am looking forward to reading Xave’s story next. This series is very addicting.
- Secret society
- Invite only elite college
- Rivals/enemies to lovers
- Queer awakening
- Mystery/suspense
- Secret hookups
This book was so over the top and ridiculous, but I enjoyed reading every page of it. I liked the unbelievable world and characters that Willow has built. The Hawthorne family is highly entertaining and loveable.
I adored Jace’s character. He’s a psychopath just like his twin and doesn’t feel emotions like others, but he feels something towards Shane. Their fighting as foreplay and Jace’s smart mouth was super hot. I loved the scene where they went on a mission, working well together with Jax involved as well. It was really thrilling, like a movie heist scene.
Shane’s character was probably my least favourite from the series so far. He was intriguing to begin with but as the story developed he gave us nothing more other than the grief he carried for his siblings and the misplaced anger he felt towards Jace. For such a smart, scrappy guy he made some really dumb decisions.
I felt the ending was a little rushed and it left me wanting more, like seeing them as an actual couple and Shane bonding with the other boyfriends of the Hawthorne clan. I always love seeing more of Felix and Myles, especially with their partners being all cute together. I am looking forward to reading Xave’s story next. This series is very addicting.
- Secret society
- Invite only elite college
- Rivals/enemies to lovers
- Queer awakening
- Mystery/suspense
- Secret hookups
November 16, 2025
Tak jak podobały mi się poprzednie części, tak w tej czegoś mi zabrakło. Kompletnie nie czułam początkowej niechęci Shane'a i Jace'a (choć bardziej to Shane był tym, który nienawidził), przez co rozwój ich związku też był trochę na siłę. Choć interakcje między nimi były momentami naprawdę urocze.
Najsłabiej w książce wypadła intryga, a raczej główna oś fabuły (poza rozwojem relacji). Tyle niepewności, tyle akcji rodem z "Mission Impossible", aby na końcu otrzymać jedno wielkie nic. Naprawdę, skala środków podjętych do rozwiązania zagadki, sprawiła, że oczekiwałam czegoś wow. A dostałam coś, na co mam ostatnio alergię w książkach ().
Ale i tak sięgnę po następny tytuł z tej serii.
Najsłabiej w książce wypadła intryga, a raczej główna oś fabuły (poza rozwojem relacji). Tyle niepewności, tyle akcji rodem z "Mission Impossible", aby na końcu otrzymać jedno wielkie nic. Naprawdę, skala środków podjętych do rozwiązania zagadki, sprawiła, że oczekiwałam czegoś wow. A dostałam coś, na co mam ostatnio alergię w książkach ().
Ale i tak sięgnę po następny tytuł z tej serii.
November 15, 2025
This book was fun! I am still getting used to the whole college students who have obviously killed people and carry around knives that can slice your bones by thinking about them-vibe. Other than that this is a great entertainment. It’s so Oceans eleven in a book, where you keep thinking: huh? How? But it’s a book, so there are no things you miss in the whole breaking and entering saga because the details you’d need to get it just aren’t there 🤣
And at the same time it’s a warm love story where the two mc’s just make sense together. A lot less predatory than the previous book, and also less shitty behavior to each other than in the first book. They do hate each other immensely the first few chapters but we all know that’s just for show. The whole “I’m so straight” wasn’t even bothering me, because I didn’t feel even Shane really believed that.
So all in all I really liked this book, and I definitely recommend it.
The only missing star is for all the ridiculous violence and still missing backstory (because I now read three books in this series and still don’t get the whole mob thing that’s obviously going on in the outside world with their families, and I don’t know why or even why it’s necessary for these books to work). Anyway: loved it, will read it again 😍
Thanks for the ARC!
And at the same time it’s a warm love story where the two mc’s just make sense together. A lot less predatory than the previous book, and also less shitty behavior to each other than in the first book. They do hate each other immensely the first few chapters but we all know that’s just for show. The whole “I’m so straight” wasn’t even bothering me, because I didn’t feel even Shane really believed that.
So all in all I really liked this book, and I definitely recommend it.
The only missing star is for all the ridiculous violence and still missing backstory (because I now read three books in this series and still don’t get the whole mob thing that’s obviously going on in the outside world with their families, and I don’t know why or even why it’s necessary for these books to work). Anyway: loved it, will read it again 😍
Thanks for the ARC!
November 17, 2025
Honestly…wanted so much more than what I got. I love Jace and I loved the banter between him and Shane, but there was so much build up for this story and it gave me pretty much nothing. I’m about to give mild summary spoilers so if you don’t wanna know anything, stop right here! Essentially, there’s great banter and angst, two spice scenes back-to-back, then an incident occurs and a lot of miscommunication happens and it’s not resolved until the very end of the book…so no spice after that & the make-up dialogue between them didn’t give me any satisfaction either. I’m honestly not even interested in Xave, so I feel like I won’t continue after this.
November 26, 2025
NGL this book was pretty boring and the plot meh.
Shane was in a constant state of anger and it got annoying. His arguments with Jace were LAME AF.
Also I hate when author’s tease a scene and do NOT deliver THE scene. This author’s beta readers are shit awful. The author teased a flip session but we never got it. Ugh. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
The sex seemed like it would be hot with all that fighting but meh. 😑 The only decent part was the sleepover that didn’t even involve sex. Go figure.
3 books might be enough for me to quit this author. 😣
Shane was in a constant state of anger and it got annoying. His arguments with Jace were LAME AF.
Also I hate when author’s tease a scene and do NOT deliver THE scene. This author’s beta readers are shit awful. The author teased a flip session but we never got it. Ugh. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
The sex seemed like it would be hot with all that fighting but meh. 😑 The only decent part was the sleepover that didn’t even involve sex. Go figure.
3 books might be enough for me to quit this author. 😣
December 10, 2025
THERE WAS CRACK IN THIS SHIT. I LOVEEEEEEEEED IT, ATE IT UP ‼️‼️‼️
the plot? great. the hate sex? amazing. the banter? on point. jace? fucking amazing. shane? loveeeed him. 10/10 no notes.
“bite me”
“only if you ask nicely”
“i hate you”
“no, you don’t”
“open your eyes, shane. look at me”
“do you feel good too?”
“i’ve never felt better”
“don’t go”
“i’m not going anywhere”
“it means you’re mine, shane”
“and only me?”
“only you”
“i swear you’re the only person who can make me blush”
LIVE LAUGH LOVE JACE & SHANE 🫡
the plot? great. the hate sex? amazing. the banter? on point. jace? fucking amazing. shane? loveeeed him. 10/10 no notes.
“bite me”
“only if you ask nicely”
“i hate you”
“no, you don’t”
“open your eyes, shane. look at me”
“do you feel good too?”
“i’ve never felt better”
“don’t go”
“i’m not going anywhere”
“it means you’re mine, shane”
“and only me?”
“only you”
“i swear you’re the only person who can make me blush”
LIVE LAUGH LOVE JACE & SHANE 🫡
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