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The Undergrads #1
Student Union
From #1 New York Times–bestselling author Julie Murphy comes a sexy rom com about a college marriage of convenience that goes way beyond chemistry 101...The first in a trilogy of romance novels that follows a group of girls as they navigate love, friendship, and new adulthood, this is perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy and Hannah Grace.
CLOVER ROWAN WALSH knows The Plan™.
1. Get a full ride to her dream school, Wexley University.
2. Conquer the school of business.
3. Say goodbye to the paycheck-to-paycheck life she and her mom have known for years.
There’s just one hiccup. With the first semester rapidly approaching, Clover learns her housing grant has fallen through. But a loophole presents Married couples can live in the dorms for the price of one student. Clover is willing to sacrifice the sanctity of marriage . . . even if it means proposing to the one person she swore she’d never speak to again.
Bennett Andrew Graves is the only heir to the Graves Coffee empire. After spending his first year at Wexley, squeaking by in classes and becoming personally acquainted with the female student body, he is looking forward to living off campus. Until the girl he grew up with (and whom he completely devastated years ago) walks back into his life with the most absurd Will you marry me?
Bennett can’t refuse Clover. He owes her this, but that doesn’t change the fact that these two can barely carry on a conversation without getting at each other’s throats. Forget about sharing a dorm—much less one bed.
But as Clover and Bennett hide the true nature of their marriage, they find that playing house isn’t all that bad—especially with certain marital benefits in the mix. In fact, Clover and Bennett are soon forgetting the most important part of their fake marriage of convenience . . . that it’s supposed to be fake.
CLOVER ROWAN WALSH knows The Plan™.
1. Get a full ride to her dream school, Wexley University.
2. Conquer the school of business.
3. Say goodbye to the paycheck-to-paycheck life she and her mom have known for years.
There’s just one hiccup. With the first semester rapidly approaching, Clover learns her housing grant has fallen through. But a loophole presents Married couples can live in the dorms for the price of one student. Clover is willing to sacrifice the sanctity of marriage . . . even if it means proposing to the one person she swore she’d never speak to again.
Bennett Andrew Graves is the only heir to the Graves Coffee empire. After spending his first year at Wexley, squeaking by in classes and becoming personally acquainted with the female student body, he is looking forward to living off campus. Until the girl he grew up with (and whom he completely devastated years ago) walks back into his life with the most absurd Will you marry me?
Bennett can’t refuse Clover. He owes her this, but that doesn’t change the fact that these two can barely carry on a conversation without getting at each other’s throats. Forget about sharing a dorm—much less one bed.
But as Clover and Bennett hide the true nature of their marriage, they find that playing house isn’t all that bad—especially with certain marital benefits in the mix. In fact, Clover and Bennett are soon forgetting the most important part of their fake marriage of convenience . . . that it’s supposed to be fake.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
94 people are currently reading
17846 people want to read
About the author
Julie Murphy
30 books102 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
For books about animals, see Julie Murphy
For the author of Dumplin', see Julie Murphy
For books about animals, see Julie Murphy
For the author of Dumplin', see Julie Murphy
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating 4.25 ⭐️
This was my first Julie Murphy book and I loved it! It's funny, light and fluffy and the characters feel so real.Their love story was really messy and complicated but so beautiful and I loved everythingabou them. I have to say that Julie Murphy knows how to write spice because this was so hot!!!
I'm soo excited for the next two books and I just know they will be amazing!
Read this if you love:
• marriage of convenience
• college setting
• dislike to lovers
• forced proximity
• so much banter
• one bed
Actual rating 4.25 ⭐️
This was my first Julie Murphy book and I loved it! It's funny, light and fluffy and the characters feel so real.Their love story was really messy and complicated but so beautiful and I loved everythingabou them. I have to say that Julie Murphy knows how to write spice because this was so hot!!!
I'm soo excited for the next two books and I just know they will be amazing!
Read this if you love:
• marriage of convenience
• college setting
• dislike to lovers
• forced proximity
• so much banter
• one bed
December 7, 2025
A fake dating/marriage college kids spicy romcom. Over grew up with Bennett, a few years younger. She and her mom were “the help” and because he owes her (no spoilers, but it’s kinda a sad story) they get married so she can qualify for married student housing.
The premise is ridiculous (I mean, if he’s so rich and he owes you, just have him chip in 5 grand for your dorm) and the back story is touching. I liked this but I didn’t love it, the chemistry felt a bit forced to me. Julie Murphy is a favorite author - I was hoping this would be less spicy since it is a YA/Childrens imprint. But definitely good for fans of Hannah Grace such as the Icebreaker series.
If you want something more on the sweet side, I do enjoy Dumplin and If the Shoe Fits.
Thanks to NetGalley and Balzer and Bray/McMillan Children’s for the ARC. Book to be published May 4, 2026.
The premise is ridiculous (I mean, if he’s so rich and he owes you, just have him chip in 5 grand for your dorm) and the back story is touching. I liked this but I didn’t love it, the chemistry felt a bit forced to me. Julie Murphy is a favorite author - I was hoping this would be less spicy since it is a YA/Childrens imprint. But definitely good for fans of Hannah Grace such as the Icebreaker series.
If you want something more on the sweet side, I do enjoy Dumplin and If the Shoe Fits.
Thanks to NetGalley and Balzer and Bray/McMillan Children’s for the ARC. Book to be published May 4, 2026.
May 3, 2026
3.25 I didn't hate this, but I wasn't over the moon for it either. While the story was certainly entertaining, the core premise didn't feel entirely believable, as other solutions seemed more plausible.
That being said it’s a fun book- it felt very 'Meghan Quinn-esque' but in a college setting- spicy, humorous, and engaging. A solid choice if you're looking for a light, high-heat campus romance.
That being said it’s a fun book- it felt very 'Meghan Quinn-esque' but in a college setting- spicy, humorous, and engaging. A solid choice if you're looking for a light, high-heat campus romance.
May 5, 2026
Student Union by Julie Murphy
The Undergrad series #1. New adult contemporary romance. Alternating 1st person POV.
When Clover Rowan Walsh part of her full ride at Wesley University, she scours the rules and available options until she finds a possibility. Then she proposes marriage to long time friend Bennett Andrew Graves. There is a new allowance for married couples and since she and Bennett pretty much grew up together, she hopes he will agree. They can plan a divorce when school ends.
Bennett owes Clover from an issue a few years back and can’t say no. Sharing a bed with Clover brings them closer than either expects and they both find the benefits are better than expected.
Can they keep the fake marriage going or will the whole college experience be too much temptation?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Heather Firth and Robert Hatchet. Both created a wonderful performance allowing the listener to hear and visualize the characters based on the voice, accent and tempo. Both had me falling in love with Clover and Bennett and hoping they would make the fake marriage work.
The audiobook is appealing and easy to listen to.
There is banter and heat. There are arguments and parties. There is drinking and jealousy. There are bed games and conversations about virginity. There are friendships and dorm monitors and studying.
The college experience with a marriage thrown in.
Amusing at times, sexy, and a small bit of angst. All as they figure out they do want to be together.
I love a romance where he falls first for the curvy girl.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
The Undergrad series #1. New adult contemporary romance. Alternating 1st person POV.
When Clover Rowan Walsh part of her full ride at Wesley University, she scours the rules and available options until she finds a possibility. Then she proposes marriage to long time friend Bennett Andrew Graves. There is a new allowance for married couples and since she and Bennett pretty much grew up together, she hopes he will agree. They can plan a divorce when school ends.
Bennett owes Clover from an issue a few years back and can’t say no. Sharing a bed with Clover brings them closer than either expects and they both find the benefits are better than expected.
Can they keep the fake marriage going or will the whole college experience be too much temptation?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Heather Firth and Robert Hatchet. Both created a wonderful performance allowing the listener to hear and visualize the characters based on the voice, accent and tempo. Both had me falling in love with Clover and Bennett and hoping they would make the fake marriage work.
The audiobook is appealing and easy to listen to.
There is banter and heat. There are arguments and parties. There is drinking and jealousy. There are bed games and conversations about virginity. There are friendships and dorm monitors and studying.
The college experience with a marriage thrown in.
Amusing at times, sexy, and a small bit of angst. All as they figure out they do want to be together.
I love a romance where he falls first for the curvy girl.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
May 5, 2026
You know, in 2018, when the easiest way to read a new adult romance was on Wattpad, written by a 16-year-old who only knew Hardin Scott from the After series and that type of toxic love was the only love you knew and even though the book was grammatically wrong (similar to this review) you still kept reading even though is was SO bad. This man is somehow worse!
If you're the author or a fan of this book, my bad! Books do not work for everyone, and that's the fun of it all! Not everyone is going to have the same experience. You can call me tasteless, but at least I'm self-aware! For the sake of the book, I won't rate this until the release date (05/05/2026). To anyone who publishes a book, I congratulate you on your success. That shit is tough! Especially an acclaimed author like Julie Murphy, but this book had me eyerolling (derogatory). Be kind towards my rant review opinion, thanks!! Beware of minor plot spoilers, nothing too much to spoil the book for you, nor before its release date. Just things that happened in the book but out of context (kind of)!
First and foremost, the premise of this book is ridiculous. Nothing pisses me off more than when someone reviews a fiction (not a true story) book and then gets mad when it isn't realistic. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS NOT REAL. But HOLY SHIT, this is so stupid. Clover and her mom work paycheck to paycheck, and when her housing falls through on campus, she realizes she has no other choice but to marry Bennett Graves. Bennett Graves did something catastrophic to fuck over Clover, and they both know he owes her. Even though he's RICH AS HELL, the book starts with their marriage at the courthouse so she can get into the co-ed dorms. They'll stay married until finals, and by then she'll have figured out her own housing. Obviously, as the story always goes, the two need to fake it in front of everyone, and slowly but surely, they fall in love.
I hated this! Why did I keep reading? Simply because I needed to see this entire 304-page book through in order to justify how ridiculous it is. Bennett's family is RICH RICH. He/ his mom literally pay for the housing he was supposed to live in AND the dorm. Why the fuck did NO ONE think, oh, hey, let me just pay for your dorm? "But then they both wouldn't get anything out of it!" Please tell me what Bennett was getting out of this fake marriage at first. I would love to hear it. Towards the end, they discuss how ridiculous it ended up being, and I'm well aware they're 18/19, so not much critical thinking exists in those alcoholism brains yet, but Jesus Christ.
The thing is, I can have fun! I love quirky, I love romance books, and the entire reason I picked this book up was for the university setting. I LOOOOOVE an academy/ boarding school/university romance. The romance between Clover and Bennett was ridiculous and all over the place. These guys do NOT stay together in real life. From the first few chapters, there is no indication to the reader that Bennett and Clover were in love with each other when they were younger teens. ZERO indication they have any feelings for the other. As we get more background as to what Bennett did in the past, and when he later apologizes, that is the only time we find out that it's an "it's always been you" romance. I BEG TO FUCKING DIFFER????
Randomly, in the beginning, when we are introduced to Bennett, and after we just made rules that they will bring no hook-ups to their dorm, Bennett goes to a party and gets sat on and flirted with by his old teacher assistant hook-up, and that is where we find out how he learned to have sex. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW???? That information lacks relevance and was just there to be there. EEEYYUUUUCK! You want me to swoon over this man, but then you're talking about how his dick is getting hard from another woman just because it's 'biology.' Clover didn't want them to share a bed, but to sell it they 'had to', so she makes a pillow barrier and the very first night, mind you before their wedding they hadn't spoken in over three years since they were 15/16, and you wake up to this man in his boxers snuggling you, pillows thrown off the bed, and his erection poking you because it's 'just biology'. ENOUGH. You jerk off to a noise she makes in her sleep (she is not present for this, but at this point, they still have not admitted their attraction towards the other, nor the fact that they've been in love with each other since they were kids), and also, these two call each other about 20 different pet names. GET OUTTA HERE. You have the balls to be a jealous cunt, but the next day your friends bring four girls into the dorm room you share with YOUR WIFE, and let them touch all her clothes and make-up, roll all over your shared bed, and lay their head on your LAP????? Then, when YOUR WIFE, you just said you didn't EVER wanna see that look on her face again, is UPSET, you throw it in her face that she needs YOU and that you're paying for the dorm? DON'T PISS ME OFF. When I also found out the reason they haven't spoken, it was so fucking enraging I don't know HOW she forgave him. There are also so many parts of the book where you can tell Murphy was trying to make Bennett and his friends, Julian and Tex, 'men written by women', but they are BOYS. It does not come off as natural dialogue or characterization. It feels so forced. They SOOOO act like college boys that perhaps if you really want that, then this will SO work for you!
Clover was honestly not horrible! Besides her lack of a backbone when it came to Bennett, I liked her. She did confuse the shit out of me when she lied to Tate, but whatever. She is not as bad as Bennett was. Congrats, I didn't mind you, Clover.
Also, there's a character mentioned, as well as a few of his buddies, who sexually assault women in this book. There were no steps in this book to properly discuss that. This is a new adult romance. I understand sometimes you don't want heavy books in there. If you know someone is a RAPIST, don't send your wife over there just because she claims they're friends. Call it what it is, that man (not Bennett) is a RAPIST.
The book was easy to read, don't get me wrong, but that's because there's a lack of description. All the descriptive text went to the sex scenes. Those were the most well-written parts of the book! Congrats, Julie Murphy, you know how to write sex!
The thing is, I like Julie Murphy. I've read from her before. The Dumplin' series was one of my favorites when I was younger, and I really liked the movie way back when. I've read A Merry Little Meet Cute and enjoyed that, and even have one of her other books Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl on my anticipated releases list, but this one was SUCH a miss. There aren't many positives other than the fact that her writing is compulsively readable. I'm not dogging on Murphy, nor am I trying to bully her. I am simply shitting on CHARACTERS, and none of my negative comments are directed towards her! I'm sure from this review, you can tell I cannot EVER write a book, but JEEZ, this tanked for me. I will not be seeing the other books in the series, but I will still continue to read from this author. I'm sorry for being a hater, but I must speak my truth.
Review based on the advanced reader's copy. This title is set to release on May 5, 2026, from Balzer + Bray! Thank you!
If you're the author or a fan of this book, my bad! Books do not work for everyone, and that's the fun of it all! Not everyone is going to have the same experience. You can call me tasteless, but at least I'm self-aware! For the sake of the book, I won't rate this until the release date (05/05/2026). To anyone who publishes a book, I congratulate you on your success. That shit is tough! Especially an acclaimed author like Julie Murphy, but this book had me eyerolling (derogatory). Be kind towards my rant review opinion, thanks!! Beware of minor plot spoilers, nothing too much to spoil the book for you, nor before its release date. Just things that happened in the book but out of context (kind of)!
First and foremost, the premise of this book is ridiculous. Nothing pisses me off more than when someone reviews a fiction (not a true story) book and then gets mad when it isn't realistic. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS NOT REAL. But HOLY SHIT, this is so stupid. Clover and her mom work paycheck to paycheck, and when her housing falls through on campus, she realizes she has no other choice but to marry Bennett Graves. Bennett Graves did something catastrophic to fuck over Clover, and they both know he owes her. Even though he's RICH AS HELL, the book starts with their marriage at the courthouse so she can get into the co-ed dorms. They'll stay married until finals, and by then she'll have figured out her own housing. Obviously, as the story always goes, the two need to fake it in front of everyone, and slowly but surely, they fall in love.
I hated this! Why did I keep reading? Simply because I needed to see this entire 304-page book through in order to justify how ridiculous it is. Bennett's family is RICH RICH. He/ his mom literally pay for the housing he was supposed to live in AND the dorm. Why the fuck did NO ONE think, oh, hey, let me just pay for your dorm? "But then they both wouldn't get anything out of it!" Please tell me what Bennett was getting out of this fake marriage at first. I would love to hear it. Towards the end, they discuss how ridiculous it ended up being, and I'm well aware they're 18/19, so not much critical thinking exists in those alcoholism brains yet, but Jesus Christ.
The thing is, I can have fun! I love quirky, I love romance books, and the entire reason I picked this book up was for the university setting. I LOOOOOVE an academy/ boarding school/university romance. The romance between Clover and Bennett was ridiculous and all over the place. These guys do NOT stay together in real life. From the first few chapters, there is no indication to the reader that Bennett and Clover were in love with each other when they were younger teens. ZERO indication they have any feelings for the other. As we get more background as to what Bennett did in the past, and when he later apologizes, that is the only time we find out that it's an "it's always been you" romance. I BEG TO FUCKING DIFFER????
Randomly, in the beginning, when we are introduced to Bennett, and after we just made rules that they will bring no hook-ups to their dorm, Bennett goes to a party and gets sat on and flirted with by his old teacher assistant hook-up, and that is where we find out how he learned to have sex. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW???? That information lacks relevance and was just there to be there. EEEYYUUUUCK! You want me to swoon over this man, but then you're talking about how his dick is getting hard from another woman just because it's 'biology.' Clover didn't want them to share a bed, but to sell it they 'had to', so she makes a pillow barrier and the very first night, mind you before their wedding they hadn't spoken in over three years since they were 15/16, and you wake up to this man in his boxers snuggling you, pillows thrown off the bed, and his erection poking you because it's 'just biology'. ENOUGH. You jerk off to a noise she makes in her sleep (she is not present for this, but at this point, they still have not admitted their attraction towards the other, nor the fact that they've been in love with each other since they were kids), and also, these two call each other about 20 different pet names. GET OUTTA HERE. You have the balls to be a jealous cunt, but the next day your friends bring four girls into the dorm room you share with YOUR WIFE, and let them touch all her clothes and make-up, roll all over your shared bed, and lay their head on your LAP????? Then, when YOUR WIFE, you just said you didn't EVER wanna see that look on her face again, is UPSET, you throw it in her face that she needs YOU and that you're paying for the dorm? DON'T PISS ME OFF. When I also found out the reason they haven't spoken, it was so fucking enraging I don't know HOW she forgave him. There are also so many parts of the book where you can tell Murphy was trying to make Bennett and his friends, Julian and Tex, 'men written by women', but they are BOYS. It does not come off as natural dialogue or characterization. It feels so forced. They SOOOO act like college boys that perhaps if you really want that, then this will SO work for you!
Clover was honestly not horrible! Besides her lack of a backbone when it came to Bennett, I liked her. She did confuse the shit out of me when she lied to Tate, but whatever. She is not as bad as Bennett was. Congrats, I didn't mind you, Clover.
Also, there's a character mentioned, as well as a few of his buddies, who sexually assault women in this book. There were no steps in this book to properly discuss that. This is a new adult romance. I understand sometimes you don't want heavy books in there. If you know someone is a RAPIST, don't send your wife over there just because she claims they're friends. Call it what it is, that man (not Bennett) is a RAPIST.
The book was easy to read, don't get me wrong, but that's because there's a lack of description. All the descriptive text went to the sex scenes. Those were the most well-written parts of the book! Congrats, Julie Murphy, you know how to write sex!
The thing is, I like Julie Murphy. I've read from her before. The Dumplin' series was one of my favorites when I was younger, and I really liked the movie way back when. I've read A Merry Little Meet Cute and enjoyed that, and even have one of her other books Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl on my anticipated releases list, but this one was SUCH a miss. There aren't many positives other than the fact that her writing is compulsively readable. I'm not dogging on Murphy, nor am I trying to bully her. I am simply shitting on CHARACTERS, and none of my negative comments are directed towards her! I'm sure from this review, you can tell I cannot EVER write a book, but JEEZ, this tanked for me. I will not be seeing the other books in the series, but I will still continue to read from this author. I'm sorry for being a hater, but I must speak my truth.
Review based on the advanced reader's copy. This title is set to release on May 5, 2026, from Balzer + Bray! Thank you!
May 4, 2026
A fun, little spicy academic read!
I absolutely fell for Bennett & Clover. Their back story added so much depth to their story. Although this is a SUPER young marriage of convenience, it did make sense, although I do feel like the mains where more mature then real life new adults at that age actually are.
If you loved Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl as much as I did, give them one a try!
I absolutely fell for Bennett & Clover. Their back story added so much depth to their story. Although this is a SUPER young marriage of convenience, it did make sense, although I do feel like the mains where more mature then real life new adults at that age actually are.
If you loved Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl as much as I did, give them one a try!
January 26, 2026
10/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️
Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Balzer + Bray, and of course Julie Murphy for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was waiting to read this book. It was sent to me a while ago, but I was saving it for a moment when I really needed a pick me up because I just knew this book was going to be an immediate favorite. Julie Murphy has written one of my favorite books of the year. This has so much heart. These two characters are so wonderfully flawed, messy, and perfect for one another. It is written so well. This is a book where I was literally mad that I had to put it down because life kept getting in the way. I still read it in a matter of a few hours. Amazing.
Clover is such a delightfully relatable FMC to the point that her college experience was a bit too relatable at times. Bennett was such a swoony and yearning MMC, and what more could you want? I normally don’t like friends to lovers, but these two just made it WORK. Their chemistry was hot. At one point, I literally screamed out loud, “Ten out of five stars!” My neighbors probably think I’m insane, but my godddd. I’m obsessed. This book felt like such a reflection of my life and relationship in the best way and I cried so much reading their love story. I can’t wait to read more from this series.
I want to be clear that this is not YA. There are explicit scenes. They’re written very well and seem age appropriate given that they’re in college and technically married. The whole marriage of convenience is also done to perfection too. It doesn’t feel like there is a bunch of random conflict thrown in that doesn’t advance the plot. Everything flows really well and moves the story forward. Even the secondary and tertiary characters mostly all seem necessary which is a common complaint of mine…that sometimes there’s just random characters who are there as plot devices. All in all, this is just so incredibly well written and I can’t wait to grab it on audiobook. I hope it’s done in duet!
2.5/5 🌶️
Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Balzer + Bray, and of course Julie Murphy for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was waiting to read this book. It was sent to me a while ago, but I was saving it for a moment when I really needed a pick me up because I just knew this book was going to be an immediate favorite. Julie Murphy has written one of my favorite books of the year. This has so much heart. These two characters are so wonderfully flawed, messy, and perfect for one another. It is written so well. This is a book where I was literally mad that I had to put it down because life kept getting in the way. I still read it in a matter of a few hours. Amazing.
Clover is such a delightfully relatable FMC to the point that her college experience was a bit too relatable at times. Bennett was such a swoony and yearning MMC, and what more could you want? I normally don’t like friends to lovers, but these two just made it WORK. Their chemistry was hot. At one point, I literally screamed out loud, “Ten out of five stars!” My neighbors probably think I’m insane, but my godddd. I’m obsessed. This book felt like such a reflection of my life and relationship in the best way and I cried so much reading their love story. I can’t wait to read more from this series.
I want to be clear that this is not YA. There are explicit scenes. They’re written very well and seem age appropriate given that they’re in college and technically married. The whole marriage of convenience is also done to perfection too. It doesn’t feel like there is a bunch of random conflict thrown in that doesn’t advance the plot. Everything flows really well and moves the story forward. Even the secondary and tertiary characters mostly all seem necessary which is a common complaint of mine…that sometimes there’s just random characters who are there as plot devices. All in all, this is just so incredibly well written and I can’t wait to grab it on audiobook. I hope it’s done in duet!
April 24, 2026
I thought I knew what tropes, I loved. And then Julie Murphy said, actually this very specific version of it is what you love and why you love it—and she was absolutely right. She has forever altered and expanded my love for the broken sad boy who doesn’t think he’s deserving of love. She proved why marriage of convenience is my top forced proximity trope. Student Union made me appreciate all the emotional beats a "my wife" can carry and made me love it more than I thought possible, and I was already a big fan. And amidst the hilariously snarky writing, Julie also delivers angst, second chances, the power of forgiveness, and a college experience that feels relatable, messy, and engaging even though I am now far past those years myself.
Clover and Bennett get married so Clover is able to afford on-campus housing in college. Crazy, wild, kind of unfathomable, but the perfect set-up for them to reconnect after a betrayal and rift between them in their teens, and also the perfect way to make them both finally face feelings they've buried for years. Despite the story being set in college, and Clover and Bennett clearly doing college-aged things like frat parties and studying at the library and going to classes, I never felt like they were immature (even though they both make lots of mistakes), because Julie tackled their growth in such a relatable and realistic way.
Bennett is my classic dream MMC: full of guilt and regret and constantly thinking he doesn't deserve love—especially from Clover. But Julie Murphy has an addendum to this that seriously had me putting down my Kindle and staring at my wall for a good five minutes, because it's changed the trajectory of how I'll look at this dynamic and characterization for any other book. Bennett might be a little reformed, and he might believe that he doesn't deserve Clover and her love, but he's just still enough of an asshole, just still greedy enough to want her and it anyway. Every "my wife" that came out of his mouth was filled with desire, possession, and his intimate need to be with her—not one ever felt wasted, and not one ever felt unearned.
And when Clover reciprocates, when we get a "my husband" from her, I felt the marriage of convenience higher beings smiling down at me. Her feelings towards Bennett was complicated—and understandably so when we slowly start to piece together what happened in her past to cause them to basically have no contact for years, and also what has put Clover in this position of needing financial assistance for her housing. Julie dropped these past moments at just the right time through the book for maximum emotional impact. It weaves into their present married, college life perfectly and only ever made me feel even more invested in their reconciliation and current relationship.
There's so much delicious jealousy, pretending to be married even as real feelings simmer under the surface, and small moments of tenderness between the two that made me swoon over their relationship. There was a bit of miscommunication at the end and also a drawn out problem that I felt could have been resolved a bit more quickly without so much back and forth. However, I also think that it worked as part of Clover and Bennett's growth. I'm so pleased with the emotional beats that they both hit throughout this story; I love the message of forgiveness that Clover's arc represents, but I also adore Bennett's efforts to make amends and all the way he shows his love that don't feel like he's proving anything, but instead feels like he's finally allowing himself to do what he's always wanted.
Julie wrote another one of my top reads this year, Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl, and this is yet another home run from her for me. I already can't wait to read Daisy's book, next, because her character was already so sweet, so funny, and so engaging in this book. But most of all because All Nighter tackles yet another one of my favorite tropes, good girl x bad boy, and I have no doubt Julie is going to meet and exceed all of my expectations on that front, too.
﹙ four-point-five stars ﹚
— thank you so much balzer + bray and fierce reads for the e-arc via netgalley to review!
Clover and Bennett get married so Clover is able to afford on-campus housing in college. Crazy, wild, kind of unfathomable, but the perfect set-up for them to reconnect after a betrayal and rift between them in their teens, and also the perfect way to make them both finally face feelings they've buried for years. Despite the story being set in college, and Clover and Bennett clearly doing college-aged things like frat parties and studying at the library and going to classes, I never felt like they were immature (even though they both make lots of mistakes), because Julie tackled their growth in such a relatable and realistic way.
Bennett is my classic dream MMC: full of guilt and regret and constantly thinking he doesn't deserve love—especially from Clover. But Julie Murphy has an addendum to this that seriously had me putting down my Kindle and staring at my wall for a good five minutes, because it's changed the trajectory of how I'll look at this dynamic and characterization for any other book. Bennett might be a little reformed, and he might believe that he doesn't deserve Clover and her love, but he's just still enough of an asshole, just still greedy enough to want her and it anyway. Every "my wife" that came out of his mouth was filled with desire, possession, and his intimate need to be with her—not one ever felt wasted, and not one ever felt unearned.
And when Clover reciprocates, when we get a "my husband" from her, I felt the marriage of convenience higher beings smiling down at me. Her feelings towards Bennett was complicated—and understandably so when we slowly start to piece together what happened in her past to cause them to basically have no contact for years, and also what has put Clover in this position of needing financial assistance for her housing. Julie dropped these past moments at just the right time through the book for maximum emotional impact. It weaves into their present married, college life perfectly and only ever made me feel even more invested in their reconciliation and current relationship.
There's so much delicious jealousy, pretending to be married even as real feelings simmer under the surface, and small moments of tenderness between the two that made me swoon over their relationship. There was a bit of miscommunication at the end and also a drawn out problem that I felt could have been resolved a bit more quickly without so much back and forth. However, I also think that it worked as part of Clover and Bennett's growth. I'm so pleased with the emotional beats that they both hit throughout this story; I love the message of forgiveness that Clover's arc represents, but I also adore Bennett's efforts to make amends and all the way he shows his love that don't feel like he's proving anything, but instead feels like he's finally allowing himself to do what he's always wanted.
Julie wrote another one of my top reads this year, Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl, and this is yet another home run from her for me. I already can't wait to read Daisy's book, next, because her character was already so sweet, so funny, and so engaging in this book. But most of all because All Nighter tackles yet another one of my favorite tropes, good girl x bad boy, and I have no doubt Julie is going to meet and exceed all of my expectations on that front, too.
﹙ four-point-five stars ﹚
— thank you so much balzer + bray and fierce reads for the e-arc via netgalley to review!
May 5, 2026
Leave it to Julie Murphy to take a premise that is so absurd and turn it into something genuine and heartfelt.
Student Union starts with college first year Clover proposing to her estranged childhood friend Bennett so that she can be eligible for married housing… because she can’t get a dorm otherwise.
Yes, there are personal and financial reasons why she skipped from “ask for money” straight to “I do,” but it’s still so wildly improbable and yet—AND YET, enter the magic of Julie Murphy.
Clover is charming, cheeky, and so careful with how she opens up and lets people in. Bennett, meanwhile, is down bad sad boy to the extreme. Their chemistry shines so early in their bickering and denial and little looks, and only grows through all the delicious forced proximity & only one bed.
What Julie does so well is write characters that feel real and believable through all these small details and moments and backstory. The humanity in her writing shines so brightly, you don’t notice any of the improbabilities along the way.
Add to that:
💛 Beautiful, authentic plus size rep
🥪 Grilled cheese as foreplay
🍀 High dose of spice—especially for YA/NA
📚 Longing and denial over years turned into a second chance
💍 “My wife” paired with perfect protective possessiveness
✏️ Standalone with more interconnected stories planned
🎧 This was such a treat on audio. Both performances were so, so good. It’s dual (vs duet) but all voices worked with both of the actors. I do think the characters felt a bit older in the audio… but given the higher spice level here, it actually worked better that way.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC & Fierce Reads for the ARC!
4.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
Student Union starts with college first year Clover proposing to her estranged childhood friend Bennett so that she can be eligible for married housing… because she can’t get a dorm otherwise.
Yes, there are personal and financial reasons why she skipped from “ask for money” straight to “I do,” but it’s still so wildly improbable and yet—AND YET, enter the magic of Julie Murphy.
Clover is charming, cheeky, and so careful with how she opens up and lets people in. Bennett, meanwhile, is down bad sad boy to the extreme. Their chemistry shines so early in their bickering and denial and little looks, and only grows through all the delicious forced proximity & only one bed.
What Julie does so well is write characters that feel real and believable through all these small details and moments and backstory. The humanity in her writing shines so brightly, you don’t notice any of the improbabilities along the way.
Add to that:
💛 Beautiful, authentic plus size rep
🥪 Grilled cheese as foreplay
🍀 High dose of spice—especially for YA/NA
📚 Longing and denial over years turned into a second chance
💍 “My wife” paired with perfect protective possessiveness
✏️ Standalone with more interconnected stories planned
🎧 This was such a treat on audio. Both performances were so, so good. It’s dual (vs duet) but all voices worked with both of the actors. I do think the characters felt a bit older in the audio… but given the higher spice level here, it actually worked better that way.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC & Fierce Reads for the ARC!
4.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Julie Murphy’s “Student Union,” the first installment in “The Undergrads trilogy,” centers on a marriage-of-convenience between two childhood friends who reconnect after years apart.
Nineteen-year-old Bennett Andrew Graves is a sophomore at Wexley University and heir to the Graves Coffee franchise. Raised in wealth, Bennett grew up alongside Clover, the daughter of his family’s house manager. Clover’s mother, Beth, and Bennett’s mother, Sydney, were once close friends, but their relationship fractured during the children’s high school years after an unspecified incident. In the aftermath, Beth was forced to seek new employment, and Clover transitioned from a life of relative privilege to attending public school.
Now eighteen, Clover Rowan Walsh has earned a full scholarship to Wexley University, only to discover that her housing grant has fallen through. Without a place to live, she risks losing her scholarship altogether. Desperate for a solution, Clover proposes a loophole: she asks Bennett to marry her so they can qualify for a gender-neutral dorm reserved for married couples.
Though the arrangement begins as purely transactional, proximity rekindles old emotions. Bennett’s lingering feelings for Clover intensify, especially as she grows closer to Tate, a student with a questionable reputation. As tensions rise, the two must learn to communicate honestly, forcing Bennett to confront his past mistakes and confess his feelings before Clover is drawn toward the wrong person.
Murphy’s novel gestures toward serious issues, including sexual assault on campus, but does so in a way that ultimately feels underdeveloped. At one point, Bennett uncovers disturbing evidence suggesting ongoing abuse, yet this discovery is neither reported nor meaningfully addressed. This lack of resolution undermines the gravity of the topic and risks trivializing the experiences of survivors. Similarly, the novel includes instances of harmful language, particularly regarding a bisexual character, that go largely unchallenged within the narrative.
“It’s my duty to uphold the stereotype of slutty bisexual.”
As with Murphy’s earlier work, representation remains a notable element. Her protagonists are often plus-sized, and “Student Union” takes a more restrained approach to body image. Rather than centering insecurity, the novel incorporates it more naturally into dialogue and characterization, which feels both refreshing and authentic.
However, this strength is offset by frustrations in the final portion of the book. Clover’s decisions and internal reasoning in the last fifth of the story feel exaggerated and, at times, implausible, even when accounting for her age. While emotional conflict is expected in a romance, the execution here may test readers’ patience.
Rating: 2.5/5 not rounded
I received an ARC through Edelweiss via Baltzer + Bray and Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. All thought and opinions are my own
Nineteen-year-old Bennett Andrew Graves is a sophomore at Wexley University and heir to the Graves Coffee franchise. Raised in wealth, Bennett grew up alongside Clover, the daughter of his family’s house manager. Clover’s mother, Beth, and Bennett’s mother, Sydney, were once close friends, but their relationship fractured during the children’s high school years after an unspecified incident. In the aftermath, Beth was forced to seek new employment, and Clover transitioned from a life of relative privilege to attending public school.
Now eighteen, Clover Rowan Walsh has earned a full scholarship to Wexley University, only to discover that her housing grant has fallen through. Without a place to live, she risks losing her scholarship altogether. Desperate for a solution, Clover proposes a loophole: she asks Bennett to marry her so they can qualify for a gender-neutral dorm reserved for married couples.
Though the arrangement begins as purely transactional, proximity rekindles old emotions. Bennett’s lingering feelings for Clover intensify, especially as she grows closer to Tate, a student with a questionable reputation. As tensions rise, the two must learn to communicate honestly, forcing Bennett to confront his past mistakes and confess his feelings before Clover is drawn toward the wrong person.
Murphy’s novel gestures toward serious issues, including sexual assault on campus, but does so in a way that ultimately feels underdeveloped. At one point, Bennett uncovers disturbing evidence suggesting ongoing abuse, yet this discovery is neither reported nor meaningfully addressed. This lack of resolution undermines the gravity of the topic and risks trivializing the experiences of survivors. Similarly, the novel includes instances of harmful language, particularly regarding a bisexual character, that go largely unchallenged within the narrative.
“It’s my duty to uphold the stereotype of slutty bisexual.”
As with Murphy’s earlier work, representation remains a notable element. Her protagonists are often plus-sized, and “Student Union” takes a more restrained approach to body image. Rather than centering insecurity, the novel incorporates it more naturally into dialogue and characterization, which feels both refreshing and authentic.
However, this strength is offset by frustrations in the final portion of the book. Clover’s decisions and internal reasoning in the last fifth of the story feel exaggerated and, at times, implausible, even when accounting for her age. While emotional conflict is expected in a romance, the execution here may test readers’ patience.
Rating: 2.5/5 not rounded
I received an ARC through Edelweiss via Baltzer + Bray and Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. All thought and opinions are my own
April 24, 2026
What do you do when you score a full ride to your dream school only to have your housing funding cut off a right before the semester starts? You ask your ex-best friend to marry you to qualify for non-traditional housing for married couples. Clover and Bennett haven’t spoken in several years after an incident tore them apart. But Clover finds herself asking Bennett for help and Bennett can’t help but agree to it. Clover is determined to make her own way and only need Bennett for this first semester. But Bennett can’t seem to stop himself from taking care of Clover in any way he can. But what will they do when all their old feelings come to the surface?
This book was so good!! It was filled with Julie’s signature humor and tension. I absolutely loved Clover and even got a little emotional at her story. And poor Bennett just wanted to make up for his past mistakes and show Clover how much he cares. I thought the marriage of convenience angle, especially within the dorms, was so interesting - especially as a young couple just starting to experience life. Plus, the side characters were perfection and brought so much banter to the story that I fell in love with every one of them (except for Tate). I’m so excited for the rest of The Undergrads series and can’t wait to see what the rest of the crew gets up to next!
This book was so good!! It was filled with Julie’s signature humor and tension. I absolutely loved Clover and even got a little emotional at her story. And poor Bennett just wanted to make up for his past mistakes and show Clover how much he cares. I thought the marriage of convenience angle, especially within the dorms, was so interesting - especially as a young couple just starting to experience life. Plus, the side characters were perfection and brought so much banter to the story that I fell in love with every one of them (except for Tate). I’m so excited for the rest of The Undergrads series and can’t wait to see what the rest of the crew gets up to next!
May 4, 2026
Student Union by Julie Murphy was such a sweet, fun little escape that had me smiling the whole time 🥰
This gave me all the nostalgic college vibes—stress, chaos, figuring your life out… and somehow falling in love in the middle of it all. Clover and Bennett’s fake marriage setup is already adorable, but the execution? Even better. The tension, the banter, the “we absolutely should not be catching feelings… oh no wait we are” energy?? I ate it up.
It reminded me so much of those messy, emotional, slightly unhinged college days where everything feels like the biggest deal ever—and somehow also magical at the same time. Watching these two navigate old wounds, forced proximity, and accidental softness was just so satisfying.
Overall: cozy, romantic, a little chaotic, and very cute. The kind of book that makes you want to hug it when you’re done 💕
This gave me all the nostalgic college vibes—stress, chaos, figuring your life out… and somehow falling in love in the middle of it all. Clover and Bennett’s fake marriage setup is already adorable, but the execution? Even better. The tension, the banter, the “we absolutely should not be catching feelings… oh no wait we are” energy?? I ate it up.
It reminded me so much of those messy, emotional, slightly unhinged college days where everything feels like the biggest deal ever—and somehow also magical at the same time. Watching these two navigate old wounds, forced proximity, and accidental softness was just so satisfying.
Overall: cozy, romantic, a little chaotic, and very cute. The kind of book that makes you want to hug it when you’re done 💕
Read
April 21, 2026A fun, quick romance read! If you like a book full of classic romance tropes (and black market grilled cheese?), this is a read for you.
Thank you Macmillan Publishers for the ARC!
Thank you Macmillan Publishers for the ARC!
February 6, 2026
The Undergrads launches a new college romance trilogy centered on friendship, love, and the messy transition into adulthood. The story follows Clover Rowan Walsh, a driven incoming freshman at Wexley University whose housing scholarship falls through just before the semester begins. Desperate for a solution, she proposes a marriage of convenience to Bennett Andrew Graves, her childhood friend and first heartbreak so that they can share dorm housing at a discounted rate.
This was a very quick read for me; I finished it in just a few hours. The plot is engaging and fun, and the forced-proximity setup works well to pull the story forward. Clover, however, was a bit of a rollercoaster as a protagonist. One moment I was cheering for her, and the next I found myself frustrated by her reactions. Some of her anger toward Bennett felt misplaced, particularly regarding past hookups that happened while they were no longer in each other’s lives. While Bennett absolutely made mistakes - especially the catfishing situation - his willingness to marry her to help solve her housing crisis made it hard not to feel that she held his past over his head longer than necessary. That said, I also appreciated that the book didn’t pretend forgiveness is immediate or simple.
What begins as an awkward arrangement gradually develops into a heartfelt and chemistry-filled relationship, capturing the intensity and uncertainty of first love. Murphy balances emotional moments with engaging banter and a fairly relatable depiction of early college life. The story strongly evokes the early New Adult era, bringing a nostalgic college-romance feel that I haven’t encountered in a while.
Overall, this is a light, entertaining read. Fans of rom-coms, fake-marriage, and second-chance tropes will likely enjoy it, and I’m interested to see which characters the remaining books in the series will follow.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this early.
This was a very quick read for me; I finished it in just a few hours. The plot is engaging and fun, and the forced-proximity setup works well to pull the story forward. Clover, however, was a bit of a rollercoaster as a protagonist. One moment I was cheering for her, and the next I found myself frustrated by her reactions. Some of her anger toward Bennett felt misplaced, particularly regarding past hookups that happened while they were no longer in each other’s lives. While Bennett absolutely made mistakes - especially the catfishing situation - his willingness to marry her to help solve her housing crisis made it hard not to feel that she held his past over his head longer than necessary. That said, I also appreciated that the book didn’t pretend forgiveness is immediate or simple.
What begins as an awkward arrangement gradually develops into a heartfelt and chemistry-filled relationship, capturing the intensity and uncertainty of first love. Murphy balances emotional moments with engaging banter and a fairly relatable depiction of early college life. The story strongly evokes the early New Adult era, bringing a nostalgic college-romance feel that I haven’t encountered in a while.
Overall, this is a light, entertaining read. Fans of rom-coms, fake-marriage, and second-chance tropes will likely enjoy it, and I’m interested to see which characters the remaining books in the series will follow.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this early.
May 6, 2026
Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio for this gifted copy and audiobook edition of this book! 🥰 🍀 💕
Clover and Bennett were once inseparable, childhood best friends whose families were as close as their own. But when privilege, pressure, and painful misunderstandings tore them apart in high school, they were left with a broken bond and feelings neither of them ever faced.
Now at Wexley University, Clover is barely staying afloat under the weight of tuition and housing costs, while Bennett, her former best friend and biggest regret, is looking for a way to make things right. When a loophole in the school’s new “married housing” policy offers them a solution, the two strike a deal: a marriage of convenience that could solve her problems and give him a second chance.
Living together was never part of the plan… but neither were the feelings that come rushing back.
My thoughts 💭:
This book checked all my boxes….college setting, marriage of convenience, second chance, and friends to lovers! 😍 My first Julie Murphy read and I loved it!
Clover is such a relatable, sweet FMC, and the plus-size representation felt so refreshing and real. And Bennett? Easy to misjudge at first, but he completely wins you over. The yearning, the quiet care he still has for Clover, and watching their friendship rebuild was so soft and emotional 🥹
The side characters and college vibes added a fun, nostalgic layer, messy friendships, parties, and a few questionable guys 👀 I also had a unique reading experience since my husband works in student housing—we’ve actually been the married couple in a dorm! We were done with our undergrad and he was in grad school, but it still brought back so many memories, and some moments had me laughing at what definitely wouldn’t fly in real life 😂
The audiobook was also great, the dual narration was done so well and really brought the story to life! I was listening anytime I had a free moment the last few days! 😍
Overall, Julie Murphy captured college life, young love, and second chances so well. I’m already excited for the next book in the series!
Clover and Bennett were once inseparable, childhood best friends whose families were as close as their own. But when privilege, pressure, and painful misunderstandings tore them apart in high school, they were left with a broken bond and feelings neither of them ever faced.
Now at Wexley University, Clover is barely staying afloat under the weight of tuition and housing costs, while Bennett, her former best friend and biggest regret, is looking for a way to make things right. When a loophole in the school’s new “married housing” policy offers them a solution, the two strike a deal: a marriage of convenience that could solve her problems and give him a second chance.
Living together was never part of the plan… but neither were the feelings that come rushing back.
My thoughts 💭:
This book checked all my boxes….college setting, marriage of convenience, second chance, and friends to lovers! 😍 My first Julie Murphy read and I loved it!
Clover is such a relatable, sweet FMC, and the plus-size representation felt so refreshing and real. And Bennett? Easy to misjudge at first, but he completely wins you over. The yearning, the quiet care he still has for Clover, and watching their friendship rebuild was so soft and emotional 🥹
The side characters and college vibes added a fun, nostalgic layer, messy friendships, parties, and a few questionable guys 👀 I also had a unique reading experience since my husband works in student housing—we’ve actually been the married couple in a dorm! We were done with our undergrad and he was in grad school, but it still brought back so many memories, and some moments had me laughing at what definitely wouldn’t fly in real life 😂
The audiobook was also great, the dual narration was done so well and really brought the story to life! I was listening anytime I had a free moment the last few days! 😍
Overall, Julie Murphy captured college life, young love, and second chances so well. I’m already excited for the next book in the series!
May 5, 2026
Student Union ✏️Audiobook/Book Review 📖 thank you @fiercereads @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!
The Undergrads: Student Union
by Julie Murphy
Narrated by Heather Firth; Robert Hatchet
out now!
CLOVER ROWAN WALSH knows The Plan™.
1. Get a full ride to her dream school, Wexley University.
2. Conquer the school of business.
3. Say goodbye to the paycheck-to-paycheck life she and her mom have known for years.
When Clover’s housing falls through, she finds a loophole…married couples get to share a dorm. Desperate times call for desperate measures… like proposing to Bennett Graves, her childhood enemy and the one guy she swore off forever. Bennett, heir to a coffee empire and professional heartbreaker, reluctantly agrees but living together and sharing a bed, is anything but smooth. Between constant bickering, undeniable chemistry, and a fake marriage that starts to feel a little too real, these two might be in deeper than they planned. Because pretending to be in love? Yeah… that part’s getting complicated.
💭 My thoughts:
Flirty, swoony, and so delicious. I split my time between the audiobook and physical copy, and trust me you can’t go wrong with either. The narration was SO good. It had me sweating, in the most delectable way, and both narrators absolutely delivered their parts. I’ll read anything by Julie Murphy because the romance is always swoony and the spice was always HOT. The chemistry between Clover and Bennett was off the charts but what really made this a banger for me (pun intended) was the fact that Bennett fell first and fully owned it. That man had me drooling. It was fun, flirty, and packed with just the right amount of heat that I just couldn’t help but love every second. I am always excited to read more in the series!
What to expect 👇🏽
💍Fake marriage trope
🥵He falls first
💕Swoony romance
🌶️ Perfect amount of spice
Happy reading 📖 🎧✏️💍
#undergradsgraylady #juliemurphy #macaudio2026
The Undergrads: Student Union
by Julie Murphy
Narrated by Heather Firth; Robert Hatchet
out now!
CLOVER ROWAN WALSH knows The Plan™.
1. Get a full ride to her dream school, Wexley University.
2. Conquer the school of business.
3. Say goodbye to the paycheck-to-paycheck life she and her mom have known for years.
When Clover’s housing falls through, she finds a loophole…married couples get to share a dorm. Desperate times call for desperate measures… like proposing to Bennett Graves, her childhood enemy and the one guy she swore off forever. Bennett, heir to a coffee empire and professional heartbreaker, reluctantly agrees but living together and sharing a bed, is anything but smooth. Between constant bickering, undeniable chemistry, and a fake marriage that starts to feel a little too real, these two might be in deeper than they planned. Because pretending to be in love? Yeah… that part’s getting complicated.
💭 My thoughts:
Flirty, swoony, and so delicious. I split my time between the audiobook and physical copy, and trust me you can’t go wrong with either. The narration was SO good. It had me sweating, in the most delectable way, and both narrators absolutely delivered their parts. I’ll read anything by Julie Murphy because the romance is always swoony and the spice was always HOT. The chemistry between Clover and Bennett was off the charts but what really made this a banger for me (pun intended) was the fact that Bennett fell first and fully owned it. That man had me drooling. It was fun, flirty, and packed with just the right amount of heat that I just couldn’t help but love every second. I am always excited to read more in the series!
What to expect 👇🏽
💍Fake marriage trope
🥵He falls first
💕Swoony romance
🌶️ Perfect amount of spice
Happy reading 📖 🎧✏️💍
#undergradsgraylady #juliemurphy #macaudio2026
February 22, 2026
THE UNDERGRADS: STUDENT UNION
Julie Murphy
Coming May 5th
Rating: 4,5⭐️
Review:
This book was everything a romance lover could ever dream of. From the very beginning I felt a pull towards the main characters and even the side characters. Their connection and interactions were the highlight of the story.
We follow Clover Walsh, a uni freshman who has currently encountered a problem regarding her college scholarship tuition. For that, she comes to the conclusion she has to marry someone, so that the campus provides special privileges to non usual students.
Here comes into the picture, Bennet Graves. Long story childhood friend and the heir to a coffee empire. He’s a year older than Clover and hasn’t been in touch with her since everything felt apart when they were 16.
The story takes a turn when they get married to one another. Their chemistry was off charts. Everything since the ceremony in the courtroom to the dorm interactions made me giddy. The way these two MCs felt a pull towards each other but didn’t wanna act on it, was so angsty.
Clover is a sweet girl but no innocent 😏 She knows what she wants and how to get so. Her relationship with Ben might’ve been messy, but she found a way to feel secure in her own skin and still lower her walls to him.
Bennet, from page one, we see him do anything and everything for her. He’s so in love with her and regrets everything, he’d do anything just to get her to stay.
Their love story was messy but real. It wasn’t pressured, cringy or anything like that. It developed at the right pace and covered every aspect their relationship had to. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
If you are looking for a sweet, spicy and funny story but with the right amount of emotional depth, this is it 💗
Thank you so much to Macmillan for the eARC! 🫶🏻 I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series 🤭🤭
Julie Murphy
Coming May 5th
Rating: 4,5⭐️
Review:
This book was everything a romance lover could ever dream of. From the very beginning I felt a pull towards the main characters and even the side characters. Their connection and interactions were the highlight of the story.
We follow Clover Walsh, a uni freshman who has currently encountered a problem regarding her college scholarship tuition. For that, she comes to the conclusion she has to marry someone, so that the campus provides special privileges to non usual students.
Here comes into the picture, Bennet Graves. Long story childhood friend and the heir to a coffee empire. He’s a year older than Clover and hasn’t been in touch with her since everything felt apart when they were 16.
The story takes a turn when they get married to one another. Their chemistry was off charts. Everything since the ceremony in the courtroom to the dorm interactions made me giddy. The way these two MCs felt a pull towards each other but didn’t wanna act on it, was so angsty.
Clover is a sweet girl but no innocent 😏 She knows what she wants and how to get so. Her relationship with Ben might’ve been messy, but she found a way to feel secure in her own skin and still lower her walls to him.
Bennet, from page one, we see him do anything and everything for her. He’s so in love with her and regrets everything, he’d do anything just to get her to stay.
Their love story was messy but real. It wasn’t pressured, cringy or anything like that. It developed at the right pace and covered every aspect their relationship had to. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
If you are looking for a sweet, spicy and funny story but with the right amount of emotional depth, this is it 💗
Thank you so much to Macmillan for the eARC! 🫶🏻 I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series 🤭🤭
May 5, 2026
While the premise isn’t totally logical or believable it ended up being really cute. This flew by and I never wanted to stop reading. Spicy college romance, fake marriage and a one bed trope?! I’m hooked. For a college romance, I felt the characters were actually really mature and not annoying. And by the end I was really craving a grilled cheese lol
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the arc and happy release day!!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the arc and happy release day!!
May 5, 2026
4.5 stars! This book was packed with tropes in the best way. It felt so comforting and easy to sink into. The author’s voice is funny, relatable, and just very real, which made the whole reading experience even better.
I genuinely loved this one. It had me smiling, it had me invested, and it delivered exactly what I wanted from a romance.
I was not paid to read this as an ARC, just a reader who enjoyed it.
If you’re a romance reader, I absolutely recommend it. And yes… it does have some spice 🌶️
I genuinely loved this one. It had me smiling, it had me invested, and it delivered exactly what I wanted from a romance.
I was not paid to read this as an ARC, just a reader who enjoyed it.
If you’re a romance reader, I absolutely recommend it. And yes… it does have some spice 🌶️
May 1, 2026
I loved this omg💛
April 11, 2026
everyone shut up i just read my favorite book this year holy shit
friends to strangers to lovers is everything to me
i love when estranged friends are brought back in a forced proximity situation and these two are the best at it
julie murphy i will make you endless snacks and beverages for the rest of my life as long as you keep writing like this
friends to strangers to lovers is everything to me
i love when estranged friends are brought back in a forced proximity situation and these two are the best at it
julie murphy i will make you endless snacks and beverages for the rest of my life as long as you keep writing like this
March 14, 2026
A second-chance romance about regret, forgiveness, honesty, and allowing yourself to love and be loved, even if it’s not in the way you once expected. Chloe and Bennett obviously care about each other this whole book, so it’s more about them finally talking through what ruined their friendship (and more) as teens and admitting to one another how much they want to be together.
It’s certainly not easy. I couldn’t figure out at first what Bennett could have done that was so bad when he seemed so sweet and so close to her and her mom. I’ll be honest that I’m not sure I could have forgiven Bennett so easily, but I guess the point is it wasn’t easy for Chloe — it truly did take time and effort, and actually seeing how Bennett had changed, and hearing his apologies and regrets.
Although I love a fake-marriage premise and the only-one-bed trope, I’m not sure Chloe actually *needed* Bennett to marry her to secure her housing — sure, it allowed them to move into the dorms together, but he was still having his mom pay the whole rent for them. How would it have been different if he had just paid for her dorm himself? But I get that for Story Reasons they needed that forced proximity to force them to actually talk and take care of one another (and eventually kiss etc). And they really were cute together — I’m pretty sure everyone could tell that Bennett was shooting heart eyes at Chloe from the start, and once they allowed themselves to start being honest, she was as well. I’m not sure the drama of “should we get a divorce so we can just date and you don’t feel pressured because we’re still married” was necessary, but I appreciate what Bennett’s mom was trying to do — show Chloe that she would support her no matter if Chloe was her daughter-in-law.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m assuming the first in a series that will eventually feature Chloe’s dorm friends Daisy and Briar as well. I love that they are all plus-sized women, and that their size is a positive thing, with the clothes-sharing and mutual support. There are several spicy scenes as Chloe and Bennett reconnect, and though there are references to sexual assaults that have taken place in one of the frats, Chloe is saved from that.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for an advance copy of this book for review purposes. It comes out on May 5 and you can preorder it today (with fun sprayed edges)!
It’s certainly not easy. I couldn’t figure out at first what Bennett could have done that was so bad when he seemed so sweet and so close to her and her mom. I’ll be honest that I’m not sure I could have forgiven Bennett so easily, but I guess the point is it wasn’t easy for Chloe — it truly did take time and effort, and actually seeing how Bennett had changed, and hearing his apologies and regrets.
Although I love a fake-marriage premise and the only-one-bed trope, I’m not sure Chloe actually *needed* Bennett to marry her to secure her housing — sure, it allowed them to move into the dorms together, but he was still having his mom pay the whole rent for them. How would it have been different if he had just paid for her dorm himself? But I get that for Story Reasons they needed that forced proximity to force them to actually talk and take care of one another (and eventually kiss etc). And they really were cute together — I’m pretty sure everyone could tell that Bennett was shooting heart eyes at Chloe from the start, and once they allowed themselves to start being honest, she was as well. I’m not sure the drama of “should we get a divorce so we can just date and you don’t feel pressured because we’re still married” was necessary, but I appreciate what Bennett’s mom was trying to do — show Chloe that she would support her no matter if Chloe was her daughter-in-law.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m assuming the first in a series that will eventually feature Chloe’s dorm friends Daisy and Briar as well. I love that they are all plus-sized women, and that their size is a positive thing, with the clothes-sharing and mutual support. There are several spicy scenes as Chloe and Bennett reconnect, and though there are references to sexual assaults that have taken place in one of the frats, Chloe is saved from that.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for an advance copy of this book for review purposes. It comes out on May 5 and you can preorder it today (with fun sprayed edges)!
May 7, 2026
4.75 Stars
Student Union, book one in The Undergrad series, is a highly entertaining, sexy romance featuring former childhood friends turned enemies who enter into a marriage of convenience.
After getting into her dream school, Clover Walsh needs a way to afford campus housing. She hears about a new policy that allows married couples to stay on campus at a discount leading her to propose a temporary marriage to her former childhood friend and current nemesis, the wealthy Bennett Graves. Because he owes her, Bennett has no other choice but to reluctantly say, “I do.” What follows is a fun and sexy good-time featuring a reluctant husband and wife who face some ups and downs as newlyweds.
I loved everything about this book from the characters to the banter to the story. Clover and Bennett were great characters with amazing chemistry and a fascinating backstory. I enjoyed reading about their pasts and seeing how their relationship changed and became more intimate throughout the book. I couldn’t help but root for them and hope they’d figure things out.
The story was full of humor, both in terms of plot and in dialogue, as well as several other emotions. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next as I really felt for these characters (especially Clover when we learn what caused the rift between her and Bennett). There are also several great secondary characters and plot lines going on that really added to my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, I found this book to be an excellent read that I highly recommend for those looking for a fun and sexy new adult romance.
Thank you @netgalley for the eARC. All opinions are 100% my own
May 4, 2026
Thank you so much NetGalley and Balzer + Bay for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. I was truly blown away by this book. I loved it so much.
I am a sucker for a college romance. I think that there is something so nostalgic about it and I fall in love every single time. Add childhood best friends to strangers to marriage of convenience to lovers and I am SOLD. Was the plot necessarily believable? No. But I enjoyed every minute of it.
I found both main characters to be well developed and not only beautiful souls, but human. Clover was so stubborn at times but had the most amazing heart and was gorgeous inside and out. And Bennet while cocky and struggling with poor behavior in his past was so sincere, truly a simp for Clover and was such a good person. There is truly nothing I can say that I didn’t love about these characters.
It took a long time to get to the spice, but once it happened it was next level. Julie Murphy knows how to build that tension and then have it be so satisfying for the reader when they finally get together. I was HERE FOR IT!
I also loved that Clover opened up and was able to form a couple of deep meaningful friendships. I thought it was lovely to have her not only open up with Bennet, but have her find her people.
I am so excited to continue this series as I am sure that I will love them just as much! If you love college romance this is an absolute MUST READ!
I am a sucker for a college romance. I think that there is something so nostalgic about it and I fall in love every single time. Add childhood best friends to strangers to marriage of convenience to lovers and I am SOLD. Was the plot necessarily believable? No. But I enjoyed every minute of it.
I found both main characters to be well developed and not only beautiful souls, but human. Clover was so stubborn at times but had the most amazing heart and was gorgeous inside and out. And Bennet while cocky and struggling with poor behavior in his past was so sincere, truly a simp for Clover and was such a good person. There is truly nothing I can say that I didn’t love about these characters.
It took a long time to get to the spice, but once it happened it was next level. Julie Murphy knows how to build that tension and then have it be so satisfying for the reader when they finally get together. I was HERE FOR IT!
I also loved that Clover opened up and was able to form a couple of deep meaningful friendships. I thought it was lovely to have her not only open up with Bennet, but have her find her people.
I am so excited to continue this series as I am sure that I will love them just as much! If you love college romance this is an absolute MUST READ!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Marriage of Convenience + One Bed + College Chaos = My New Favorite Read!
If she writes it, I will read it! I absolutely loved this book! It just flowed perfectly and was so easy to devour in one sitting.
The Tropes:
*Marriage of Convenience
*College Setting
*Enemies-to-Lovers Energy
*Forced Proximity
*Top Tier Banter
Why I Loved It:
The characters are grounded, relatable, and so easy to like. I found myself deeply invested in their journey from the very first chapter. The chemistry between the leads is electric, and the "found family" feel of the supporting cast made the campus feel alive.
Julie Murphy has a way of writing that makes you lose track of time. The story moved at a perfect pace, and I genuinely didn't want it to end! This is a must read for anyone who loves a rom-com with equal parts heart, humor, and spice. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!
Marriage of Convenience + One Bed + College Chaos = My New Favorite Read!
If she writes it, I will read it! I absolutely loved this book! It just flowed perfectly and was so easy to devour in one sitting.
The Tropes:
*Marriage of Convenience
*College Setting
*Enemies-to-Lovers Energy
*Forced Proximity
*Top Tier Banter
Why I Loved It:
The characters are grounded, relatable, and so easy to like. I found myself deeply invested in their journey from the very first chapter. The chemistry between the leads is electric, and the "found family" feel of the supporting cast made the campus feel alive.
Julie Murphy has a way of writing that makes you lose track of time. The story moved at a perfect pace, and I genuinely didn't want it to end! This is a must read for anyone who loves a rom-com with equal parts heart, humor, and spice. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!
May 7, 2026
Such a fantastic read from Julie Murphy!!! Student Union is the first novel in a series of interconnected standalones.
I loved this 2nd chance steamy romance between Clover and Bennett.
It was such a fun, while also meaningful read. It was so lovely to read about them falling in love and being brave and sticking with one another even if their love story is unconventional. This novel also has one of my FAVORITE tropes, forced proximity. I love to read it in any form.
As a plus size girlie, I LOVE the plus size rep in this novel. From Clover herself, to her friends. It was so fun to read about a group of plus-size baddies!
The audiobook was fantastic! I loved the narration by Heather Firth and Robert Hatchet. They both did amazing jobs in this dual narration audiobook. The performances were wonderful. I loved all the voices and it really kept me in the moment while listening to the story.
I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a fun romance featuring a plus sized fmc!
Thank you so much to Macmillan audio and Macmillan | Balzer + Bray for the ALC and eARC to review! This review reflects my own opinions.
I loved this 2nd chance steamy romance between Clover and Bennett.
It was such a fun, while also meaningful read. It was so lovely to read about them falling in love and being brave and sticking with one another even if their love story is unconventional. This novel also has one of my FAVORITE tropes, forced proximity. I love to read it in any form.
As a plus size girlie, I LOVE the plus size rep in this novel. From Clover herself, to her friends. It was so fun to read about a group of plus-size baddies!
The audiobook was fantastic! I loved the narration by Heather Firth and Robert Hatchet. They both did amazing jobs in this dual narration audiobook. The performances were wonderful. I loved all the voices and it really kept me in the moment while listening to the story.
I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a fun romance featuring a plus sized fmc!
Thank you so much to Macmillan audio and Macmillan | Balzer + Bray for the ALC and eARC to review! This review reflects my own opinions.
May 6, 2026
I am completely obsessed with this book. Student Union gave me everything I want in a romance: marriage of convenience, unresolved feelings, forced proximity, ridiculous amounts of yearning, and a man so catastrophically down bad for the FMC that I was ready to scream into a pillow.
Clover and Bennett have so much history between them, and every conversation felt layered with tension, old hurt, and longing. The chemistry was absolutely addictive.
And Bennett…….This man was engineered in a lab specifically to ruin me. Protective, obsessed, yearning, and somehow both incredibly sweet and painfully romantic at the same time. The tiny domestic moments between them honestly got me more than the big gestures. The way he took care of her when she was sick melted my heart.
I listened to this on audiobook and the duet narration made it even more addictive. This was emotional, romantic, spicy, and impossible to stop listening to.
Clover and Bennett have so much history between them, and every conversation felt layered with tension, old hurt, and longing. The chemistry was absolutely addictive.
And Bennett…….This man was engineered in a lab specifically to ruin me. Protective, obsessed, yearning, and somehow both incredibly sweet and painfully romantic at the same time. The tiny domestic moments between them honestly got me more than the big gestures. The way he took care of her when she was sick melted my heart.
I listened to this on audiobook and the duet narration made it even more addictive. This was emotional, romantic, spicy, and impossible to stop listening to.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Julie Murphy is bringing the spice in her new romcom about two college kids who get married in order to get discount housing for nontraditional students! Clover and Bennett grew up together while her mom worked for his. But puberty hit and they grew apart. But after he betrays her in high school, they've had no contact. But now she needs a favor. The scholarship for her housing has fallen through and she needs him. Forced proximity, fake marriage, and a lot of spice are all ingredients in this delicious romance.
I liked this one. It's super light and fluffy, but definitely enjoyable. I didn't understand why Rowan didn't just live in the townhouse or just ask him for the money for housing. She basically took the money anyway since he (his mom) paid for it anyway. Still, this was cute.
I liked this one. It's super light and fluffy, but definitely enjoyable. I didn't understand why Rowan didn't just live in the townhouse or just ask him for the money for housing. She basically took the money anyway since he (his mom) paid for it anyway. Still, this was cute.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy, and Macmillan Press for an advanced reader copy of The Undergrads!
I don’t even know where to begin with this review. This book was so layered and so well written with complex characters that had depth and substance. I immediately fell in love with Clover and Bennet even though they had a bad history together. She was guarded and he was down BAD right from the get go. You could easily tell that Bennet has always been in love with Clover and it feels like that never really changed. And the girlhood that Clover created with her hallmates in the dorm room with Daisy and Briar reminded me of all the best parts about college and living on campus. This book made me feel both nostalgic and romantic in the best way possible!
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy, and Macmillan Press for an advanced reader copy of The Undergrads!
I don’t even know where to begin with this review. This book was so layered and so well written with complex characters that had depth and substance. I immediately fell in love with Clover and Bennet even though they had a bad history together. She was guarded and he was down BAD right from the get go. You could easily tell that Bennet has always been in love with Clover and it feels like that never really changed. And the girlhood that Clover created with her hallmates in the dorm room with Daisy and Briar reminded me of all the best parts about college and living on campus. This book made me feel both nostalgic and romantic in the best way possible!
December 18, 2025
I know I said that I felt like I was outgrowing college romances, but I actually REALLY liked this one! The characters and the story don’t feel juvenile, but at the same time it feels age appropriate.
It kind of gives you the same feels as your first love. The dialogue was top tier for me. It felt very natural and authentic. Plus, this is a marriage of convenience. I’ve yet to meet a MOC that I didn’t like. I ate this all the way up and finished it in one sitting. My man Bennett is the king of yearn. Talk about down bad for your girl.
Thanks to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the early gifted copy via NetGalley.
It kind of gives you the same feels as your first love. The dialogue was top tier for me. It felt very natural and authentic. Plus, this is a marriage of convenience. I’ve yet to meet a MOC that I didn’t like. I ate this all the way up and finished it in one sitting. My man Bennett is the king of yearn. Talk about down bad for your girl.
Thanks to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the early gifted copy via NetGalley.
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