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Varsity Heat Crew #1
The First Stroke
They’re rivals on the river. Off it, they’re hiding a dangerous secret.
Welcome to a New England town split by an unforgiving river—and by two colleges that live to beat each other.
On one Kingswell University. Legacy, money, tradition.
That’s where Alex Harrington rows—the golden boy raised to be perfect, disciplined, untouchable… quietly suffocating under the weight of being closeted, terrified of wanting what he actually wants.
Across the Riverside State University. Middle Class. Grit. Hunger.
That’s where Liam Moore belongs—the working-class powerhouse with something to prove, all heart, fire, and raw hunger… and standing on the edge of a messy, impossible-to-ignore bi-awakening he never saw coming.
But none of that was how it started...
Two years ago, one summer at Brackett Lake—before sides were chosen, before names meant anything—they crossed a line neither of them understood.
One secret summer.
One kiss that should’ve been forgotten.
Then summer ended. Alex made a choice. And Liam's never forgiven him for it.
And now it’s the first day of sophomore year.
5 AM.
No coaches. No rules.
Just Liam and Alex, alone on the river, letting two years of anger and unfinished business explode into an illegal race that could end both their careers.
They thought no one was watching.
They were wrong.
Someone has proof of what they did. And with Olympic scouts circling, scholarships on the line, and secrets neither of them can afford to have exposed—one reckless race might cost them everything.
What are Liam and Alex going to do when wanting each other becomes more dangerous than any race they'll ever row?
Will they give up everything they've been fighting for... for each other?
Varsity Heat Crew is a bingeable, multi-episode MM romance series written like a prestige college sports drama—slow-burn tension, high-heat steam, devastating emotional turns, and a cast of characters whose relationships grow messier—and more intimate—the deeper you go.
Think the obsessive rivals-to-lovers tension of Heated Rivalry
meets the intensity, discipline, and rowing world of The Boys in the Boat.
Readers are calling it addictive, emotionally charged, and impossible to put down.
Join college sports mm romance fans and start binging your next obsession.
Welcome to a New England town split by an unforgiving river—and by two colleges that live to beat each other.
On one Kingswell University. Legacy, money, tradition.
That’s where Alex Harrington rows—the golden boy raised to be perfect, disciplined, untouchable… quietly suffocating under the weight of being closeted, terrified of wanting what he actually wants.
Across the Riverside State University. Middle Class. Grit. Hunger.
That’s where Liam Moore belongs—the working-class powerhouse with something to prove, all heart, fire, and raw hunger… and standing on the edge of a messy, impossible-to-ignore bi-awakening he never saw coming.
But none of that was how it started...
Two years ago, one summer at Brackett Lake—before sides were chosen, before names meant anything—they crossed a line neither of them understood.
One secret summer.
One kiss that should’ve been forgotten.
Then summer ended. Alex made a choice. And Liam's never forgiven him for it.
And now it’s the first day of sophomore year.
5 AM.
No coaches. No rules.
Just Liam and Alex, alone on the river, letting two years of anger and unfinished business explode into an illegal race that could end both their careers.
They thought no one was watching.
They were wrong.
Someone has proof of what they did. And with Olympic scouts circling, scholarships on the line, and secrets neither of them can afford to have exposed—one reckless race might cost them everything.
What are Liam and Alex going to do when wanting each other becomes more dangerous than any race they'll ever row?
Will they give up everything they've been fighting for... for each other?
Varsity Heat Crew is a bingeable, multi-episode MM romance series written like a prestige college sports drama—slow-burn tension, high-heat steam, devastating emotional turns, and a cast of characters whose relationships grow messier—and more intimate—the deeper you go.
Think the obsessive rivals-to-lovers tension of Heated Rivalry
meets the intensity, discipline, and rowing world of The Boys in the Boat.
Readers are calling it addictive, emotionally charged, and impossible to put down.
Join college sports mm romance fans and start binging your next obsession.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 25, 2025
About the author
Dylan Joseph
15 books39 followersGrab your free copy of Before the Rivalry at dylanjoseph.co/vhc
Dylan Joseph writes the kind of MM romance that lingers long after the last page—slow-burn connections, emotional depth, open door spice, and moments of raw vulnerability. His stories invite readers into worlds where love feels both magical and deeply human, where every glance, touch, and conversation matters.
When he’s not writing, Dylan loves gardening, exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, and spending time with his partner, Ben, and three dogs, Oak, Bear, and Mopsy.
If you believe love stories should stir your heart, spark your imagination, and take you somewhere extraordinary, you’ll feel right at home in Dylan Joseph’s world.
All inquiries for podcast appearances, video shows, and speaking can be sent to dylan@dylanjoseph.co
Dylan Joseph writes the kind of MM romance that lingers long after the last page—slow-burn connections, emotional depth, open door spice, and moments of raw vulnerability. His stories invite readers into worlds where love feels both magical and deeply human, where every glance, touch, and conversation matters.
When he’s not writing, Dylan loves gardening, exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, and spending time with his partner, Ben, and three dogs, Oak, Bear, and Mopsy.
If you believe love stories should stir your heart, spark your imagination, and take you somewhere extraordinary, you’ll feel right at home in Dylan Joseph’s world.
All inquiries for podcast appearances, video shows, and speaking can be sent to dylan@dylanjoseph.co
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 38 reviews
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May 11, 2026I'm not going to review this because it's not a complete book, it's not the first book in a series, it's just the first chunk of one. It essentially ends with ready--set-- and you're expected to buy another book.
A technical point: In competitive rowing, you are facing backwards. You cannot look ahead to the finish line, or at the boat in front of you. If you pull ahead of someone they don't disappear behind you, they are actually moving into your field of vision. This knocked me out of the story every time one of these eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head mistakes came up.
c.t.h.
A technical point: In competitive rowing, you are facing backwards. You cannot look ahead to the finish line, or at the boat in front of you. If you pull ahead of someone they don't disappear behind you, they are actually moving into your field of vision. This knocked me out of the story every time one of these eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head mistakes came up.
c.t.h.
May 1, 2026
I hate it when the most important part of the story was left out in the ending. Now, I have to read the sequel in order to find out what happened in their singles match. SMH! I feel like this has been dragged too long only to end it in such a rush. So underwhelming.
May 26, 2026
I just finished reading *VARSITY HEAT CREW: THE First Stroke* by Dylan Joseph, and I have to say—it’s an absolute must-read! The story revolves around two fierce competitors: Liam Moore, a powerhouse at Riverside State University rowing on a full ride, known as the 'Rowing Dragon' and cheered on as ‘Moore Power,’ and Alex Harrington, the legacy kid from Kingswell who rows thanks to his daddy’s money and sits comfortably as the golden boy.
Their worlds collide in an illegal race that flips everything on its head and sets the stage for an unexpected scrimmage that will leave you on the edge of your seat. With Liam taking the lead as Stroke and Alex balancing him out at Bow, their dynamic is intense—a perfect mix of lead and balance that makes their rivalry electric.
This book is just the start of what promises to be an exciting series. To fully dive into the backstory, I highly recommend checking out *Before the Rivalry* first—it really adds depth to the drama and tension between these two.
Trust me, once you get into their world, you won’t want to step away from the riverbank. Ready to see who will come out on top?
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review.
Their worlds collide in an illegal race that flips everything on its head and sets the stage for an unexpected scrimmage that will leave you on the edge of your seat. With Liam taking the lead as Stroke and Alex balancing him out at Bow, their dynamic is intense—a perfect mix of lead and balance that makes their rivalry electric.
This book is just the start of what promises to be an exciting series. To fully dive into the backstory, I highly recommend checking out *Before the Rivalry* first—it really adds depth to the drama and tension between these two.
Trust me, once you get into their world, you won’t want to step away from the riverbank. Ready to see who will come out on top?
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2026
The First Stroke: Varsity Heat Crew Episode 1
Dylan Joseph
3/5 stars
Dylan Joseph's novella "The First Stroke" is a solid opening installment (ending in a cliffhanger) of a rivalry between two college athletes, two colleges, and two distinct social classes. Liam Moore attends Riverside State on a crew scholarship, trying to row his way out of his blue-collar upbringing; Alex Harrington is his privileged counterpart on the crew team at wealthy Kingswell University, located across the river but a world apart from Riverside State. They share a secret: a summer romance (detailed in a prequel, "Before the Rivalry", available for free download on the author's website). Each is expected to defeat the other; neither is given the freedom to fail. The story is told in alternating first-person chapters and the action begins with an illicit river race between Liam and Alex, then builds to a rematch during a scrimmage between their schools.
As already indicated, this is a book of oppositions: the working class vs. the wealthy, the struggling state college vs. the endowed private college, Liam's struggling single mother vs. Alex's powerful father, their respective best friends and teammates, the two opposing coaches, and so forth. The author lines both sides up cleanly and traps the two protagonists in the middle. This binary logic is both one of the book's strengths, by giving it a visible structure and amplifying the central external conflicts as well as the internal emotional conflicts within Liam and Alex, and one of its weaknesses, by yielding a certain predictability (not always a bad thing in a romance) and reducing some of the characters to generic types (this is especially true on the wealthy side of the river). The tone is serious throughout, and nothing at this stage of Liam and Alex's story guarantees an eventual HEA.
Fans of crew drama, of driven college jocks in love suffering in stoic silence, and of the various other tropes deployed here will want to give "The First Stroke" a look.
With thanks to the author and Nighthawk Publishing for access to a digital ARC on Booksprout. All opinions are very definitely my own.
Dylan Joseph
3/5 stars
Dylan Joseph's novella "The First Stroke" is a solid opening installment (ending in a cliffhanger) of a rivalry between two college athletes, two colleges, and two distinct social classes. Liam Moore attends Riverside State on a crew scholarship, trying to row his way out of his blue-collar upbringing; Alex Harrington is his privileged counterpart on the crew team at wealthy Kingswell University, located across the river but a world apart from Riverside State. They share a secret: a summer romance (detailed in a prequel, "Before the Rivalry", available for free download on the author's website). Each is expected to defeat the other; neither is given the freedom to fail. The story is told in alternating first-person chapters and the action begins with an illicit river race between Liam and Alex, then builds to a rematch during a scrimmage between their schools.
As already indicated, this is a book of oppositions: the working class vs. the wealthy, the struggling state college vs. the endowed private college, Liam's struggling single mother vs. Alex's powerful father, their respective best friends and teammates, the two opposing coaches, and so forth. The author lines both sides up cleanly and traps the two protagonists in the middle. This binary logic is both one of the book's strengths, by giving it a visible structure and amplifying the central external conflicts as well as the internal emotional conflicts within Liam and Alex, and one of its weaknesses, by yielding a certain predictability (not always a bad thing in a romance) and reducing some of the characters to generic types (this is especially true on the wealthy side of the river). The tone is serious throughout, and nothing at this stage of Liam and Alex's story guarantees an eventual HEA.
Fans of crew drama, of driven college jocks in love suffering in stoic silence, and of the various other tropes deployed here will want to give "The First Stroke" a look.
With thanks to the author and Nighthawk Publishing for access to a digital ARC on Booksprout. All opinions are very definitely my own.
April 19, 2026
Trigger Warnings:
- homomisia
- elitism
- classism
If I'd known this was a serial, I would have been more forgiving while reading, but only slightly, because nothing happened really except the set up.
It's a pilot-episode novella:
- they're rivals from different schools: Ivy league vs state school
- Alex is rich and experiencing an identity crisis because of his dad's expectations... and he wants to fuck Liam but he's in the closet because his dad's an asshole
- Liam is not rich, but driven because he's a scholarship kid and he needs to prove something to himself. He's also experiencing a bi-awakening because he wants to fuck Alex but Liam has a girlfriend
- they're both good at what they do (I know fuck all about rowing so...) but they need to dominate the other when they compete in this upcoming scrimmage (yes, they want to fuck).
I'm interested to see where it goes. Now that I know it's a serial, them spending 85-90 percent of the book away from each other will be taken into account for the rating.
- homomisia
- elitism
- classism
If I'd known this was a serial, I would have been more forgiving while reading, but only slightly, because nothing happened really except the set up.
It's a pilot-episode novella:
- they're rivals from different schools: Ivy league vs state school
- Alex is rich and experiencing an identity crisis because of his dad's expectations... and he wants to fuck Liam but he's in the closet because his dad's an asshole
- Liam is not rich, but driven because he's a scholarship kid and he needs to prove something to himself. He's also experiencing a bi-awakening because he wants to fuck Alex but Liam has a girlfriend
- they're both good at what they do (I know fuck all about rowing so...) but they need to dominate the other when they compete in this upcoming scrimmage (yes, they want to fuck).
I'm interested to see where it goes. Now that I know it's a serial, them spending 85-90 percent of the book away from each other will be taken into account for the rating.
December 31, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5.
La tension y la rivalidad se sienten en cada pagina. El deseo y tension entre Alex y Liam es palpable en todo el libro. Hay mucho en juego para todos y nadie lo puede negar. Me gusto mucho que cada personaje secundario tenga impacto en Alex y Liam y no se queden como voces de fondo, Noah, Ethan, Marcus y Hale son muy buenos personajes de apoyo.
Lo que no me gusto es que el conflicto entre los protagonistas se menciona mucho al principio y senti que me faltaba contexto sobre como empezo, despues tenia sentido cuando al final te dicen que hay una precuela que te cuenta como sucedio ese beso, pero tendria que haberse sumado a este libro o algo porque es el conflicto principal y es necesario entender que ocurrio exactamente.
El link de la precuela no funcionaba y lo encontre en la pagina de facebook del autor.
Recibí una copia gratuita de este libro a través de Booksprout y estoy dejando una reseña de forma voluntaria.
La tension y la rivalidad se sienten en cada pagina. El deseo y tension entre Alex y Liam es palpable en todo el libro. Hay mucho en juego para todos y nadie lo puede negar. Me gusto mucho que cada personaje secundario tenga impacto en Alex y Liam y no se queden como voces de fondo, Noah, Ethan, Marcus y Hale son muy buenos personajes de apoyo.
Lo que no me gusto es que el conflicto entre los protagonistas se menciona mucho al principio y senti que me faltaba contexto sobre como empezo, despues tenia sentido cuando al final te dicen que hay una precuela que te cuenta como sucedio ese beso, pero tendria que haberse sumado a este libro o algo porque es el conflicto principal y es necesario entender que ocurrio exactamente.
El link de la precuela no funcionaba y lo encontre en la pagina de facebook del autor.
Recibí una copia gratuita de este libro a través de Booksprout y estoy dejando una reseña de forma voluntaria.
January 10, 2026
Both are special
I read this book in one sitting; it was that good. I love a good story around sports, but this also had so much more meat to it... rich guy and scholarship guy... each with their own issues and desires... I rooted for them both... felt both their pain... and I couldn't decide whom I wanted to win... then I was like, it has to be a tie... It's the only way... ha..., and of course the book ends with... well I don't want to ruin it for anyone.....ahhhhh but the point is I was caught up... and that is what makes this book special. I'm just a straight older lady, so don't let this book, just because it's about gay guys, stop you from giving it a chance... it packs a punch for desires of the heart... wanting what you can't have ... and the struggles of finding out who you really are.... I will be one of many to snatch up the next book in this series... I'm invested... Buy the book ... you will love it!
I read this book in one sitting; it was that good. I love a good story around sports, but this also had so much more meat to it... rich guy and scholarship guy... each with their own issues and desires... I rooted for them both... felt both their pain... and I couldn't decide whom I wanted to win... then I was like, it has to be a tie... It's the only way... ha..., and of course the book ends with... well I don't want to ruin it for anyone.....ahhhhh but the point is I was caught up... and that is what makes this book special. I'm just a straight older lady, so don't let this book, just because it's about gay guys, stop you from giving it a chance... it packs a punch for desires of the heart... wanting what you can't have ... and the struggles of finding out who you really are.... I will be one of many to snatch up the next book in this series... I'm invested... Buy the book ... you will love it!
June 30, 2026
Perfect for a short flight from Amsterdam to Porto. Read this in one go. It's quite interesting how you can make some rivals to potential lovers story with a bit of yearning without them interacting. Or almost no interaction. You feel through the wording and their thoughts how they think about one another.
The only thing I'm missing (and that might be because this is part one, and I was not aware at the time of reading) is some closure. It ends with them going head to head in a rowing competition, but then it stops. I NEED to know how wins. Guess that means I'll have to track down the next book. What a bummer... 🙃
The only thing I'm missing (and that might be because this is part one, and I was not aware at the time of reading) is some closure. It ends with them going head to head in a rowing competition, but then it stops. I NEED to know how wins. Guess that means I'll have to track down the next book. What a bummer... 🙃
July 7, 2026
Very good story telling and character building
This first book in the series has me anxious to move right on to the second. The tension of the rivalry and the secret, the emotion of the characters and their love-hate relationship, the inner angst, the spirit of sports competition even in a sport I know nothing about…it all works.
Unfortunately my head was pulled out of the story too many times by the poor editing. Contradictions in the story, lack of continuity as well as copy editing and proofreading. I hate when my head is pulled out of a story…when I have to go back to earlier pages to double check something I know is wrong. That’s a cardinal sin for me.
This first book in the series has me anxious to move right on to the second. The tension of the rivalry and the secret, the emotion of the characters and their love-hate relationship, the inner angst, the spirit of sports competition even in a sport I know nothing about…it all works.
Unfortunately my head was pulled out of the story too many times by the poor editing. Contradictions in the story, lack of continuity as well as copy editing and proofreading. I hate when my head is pulled out of a story…when I have to go back to earlier pages to double check something I know is wrong. That’s a cardinal sin for me.
April 29, 2026
I love a good enemies to lovers and this didn’t disappoint. The rivalry between Liam and Alex was fiery and believable and the chemistry was outstanding. I know nothing about rowing so some of the more detailed descriptions of the sport went a bit over my head but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. Some of the inner dialogue was a bit redundant but it was consistent with the characters and relevant as well. I’ll be reading the next two books in the series asap!
[I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.]
[I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.]
February 5, 2026
This is a good book. I will give it a 4/5. Liam and Alex are from different worlds. Liam is working class and Alex comes from money. Alex’s father makes him get a job where Liam works as punishment. The two young men realize they are attracted to each other h other. They kiss and then don’t know where to go from there except they like each other. But by this time it is time to go their respective colleges. There is a second book in this series and I want to read it.
April 30, 2026
A solid start to a promising series. Alex and Liam are very much opposites - rich/poor, legacy/scholarship - but both are drowning in external expectations and pressures. At the start of the school year they went rowing and raced at a time completely against strict rules for both schools, and though they thought they had hidden it...I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
Thanks for the advance copy via Booksprout, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.
Thanks for the advance copy via Booksprout, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.
May 5, 2026
I didn't realise there was a novella before this book and with the way it ends i'm guessing there will be a book after it.
While I enjoyed the tension between the characters it felt more like it was how others perceived them than how they felt themselves. This was a tame book that while enjoyable it lacked an ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
While I enjoyed the tension between the characters it felt more like it was how others perceived them than how they felt themselves. This was a tame book that while enjoyable it lacked an ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 8, 2026
I'll start with what I enjoyed- the rivalry, do-I-hate-him-or-do-I-want-him push and pull? That definitely hit the spot for me! I didn't understand enough of the rowing to really get into the story, though, and I didn't like the sort of emotional infidelity on Liam's end. It just didn't quite it the spot for me.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 6, 2026
And another series to add to my TBR! The angst & turmoil that Liam & Alex is insane. If they would just get out of their own way. They do seem to have a great group of friends who support them as individuals. I need book 2 now!
"Your eyebrows are trying to stab each other." "They're not."
"They are. They're at war. It's tragic. Two brothers, divided —"
"Stop."
"— forced to fight on the same forehead —" This had my dying!
"Your eyebrows are trying to stab each other." "They're not."
"They are. They're at war. It's tragic. Two brothers, divided —"
"Stop."
"— forced to fight on the same forehead —" This had my dying!
June 23, 2026
Ok let me just say this; if this book wasn’t on my TBR for the reading challenge, I would not have finished it. Write out the bat it was very bad flow and gave YA. This book is supposed to be a MM romance, but there was very little actual romance in the book. It hinted at a former romance between our arrivals, but we didn’t see anything at all in this book (like they didn’t even kiss). This book was honestly very terrible for a romance.
It also left on a cliffhanger which I did not like…
It also left on a cliffhanger which I did not like…
June 27, 2026
Alex and Liam are from rival schools. One is elite, the other low to middle class. Last year Alex & Liam shared a kiss after a rowing competition with Alex telling him this can go no further. This year Liam is holding a grudge. I unfortunately could not get into the story. I couldn't relate to the characters. I needed more of something. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 13, 2026
This story was so good! Get ready to sit around and become a couch potato because I could not stop reading! These are the type of characters you root for from beginning to end. Can’t wait to see what’s next to come in the series!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 31, 2026
This is the first taste and setup for the series of novellas. It's a fast, easy read and a great intro to these two rivals/complete opposites. Alex and Liam seriously couldn't be any more different, and their verbal sparring and tension were spot on, but the chemistry between them makes me want more.
July 3, 2026
Unfinished story -cliffhanger
The book ends without any closure, with a cliffhanger. it is just a long preamble to the next book, which is a must-read to reach a semblance of closure. The plot is interesting, but not enough to go through several books to find out how the story ends.
The book ends without any closure, with a cliffhanger. it is just a long preamble to the next book, which is a must-read to reach a semblance of closure. The plot is interesting, but not enough to go through several books to find out how the story ends.
January 29, 2026
A sexual awakening you couldn't let go of. Liam and Alex were absolutely amazing.
If this first installment was this good, I can't wait for more wonderful couples.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If this first installment was this good, I can't wait for more wonderful couples.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 7, 2026
Great series but I highly recommend reading the prequel first! I don’t know why it isn’t on Goodreads, but you can find it on dylanjoseph.co/vhc. It is really good and it is the start of their relationship, so leaving it out makes no sense to me.
March 10, 2026
Well drawn characters and good story
The first of three, this book covers just a few days in the story. The story is set up, the tension is well drawn and it’s time for the second book. It does help to read the prequel that you can get at the end of the first book.
The first of three, this book covers just a few days in the story. The story is set up, the tension is well drawn and it’s time for the second book. It does help to read the prequel that you can get at the end of the first book.
May 28, 2026
This is a rivals to lovers romance where the tension and angst go deeeeeeeeep! And one super powered kiss! I would recommend this one but I have to say, the ending drove me crazy! You’ll see why! I definitely enjoyed Dylan’s writing easy to read style.
July 13, 2026
If you are a fan of MM sports romance, you will love this book. This the first male crew book and I loved the authenticity of the story both the romance and sport knowledge.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 28, 2025
This is such a amazing mm read. Ugh love 💖.
Can't wait for more💖
Can't wait for more💖
December 31, 2025
Great Story
Great. follow-up to the epilogue, can’t wait for the next installment. Go Liam and Alex!! Who is going to win or maybe they both lose.
Great. follow-up to the epilogue, can’t wait for the next installment. Go Liam and Alex!! Who is going to win or maybe they both lose.
January 13, 2026
The First Stroke is the first book in the new Varsity Heat Crew series and was so good. This was a great sexual awakening read that I could not put down once I started reading.
January 18, 2026
It was well written and I was left wanting more
Displaying 1 - 29 of 38 reviews