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Tender Hearts #1
Fumbled Hearts
After months of refusing, I finally agreed to make the move to Alrick Falls. My family thought it was best - that a new scene would be good for me - and I was sick of having the same conversation.
So here I am, and the plan is simple. Smile through each day and avoid her at all costs.
It's perfect.
Until the cocky quarterback comes into play.
The last thing I want is his crooked grin and dark brown eyes focused on me.
Yet here he is, constantly in my space, pushing me, daring me to care. Telling me what I think and feel, as if he knows.
He doesn't know anything. And I plan to keep it that way.
He’s the persistent playboy who refuses to walk away. I'm the impassive new girl with nothing left to give.
Things are about to get complicated.
So here I am, and the plan is simple. Smile through each day and avoid her at all costs.
It's perfect.
Until the cocky quarterback comes into play.
The last thing I want is his crooked grin and dark brown eyes focused on me.
Yet here he is, constantly in my space, pushing me, daring me to care. Telling me what I think and feel, as if he knows.
He doesn't know anything. And I plan to keep it that way.
He’s the persistent playboy who refuses to walk away. I'm the impassive new girl with nothing left to give.
Things are about to get complicated.
Audible Audio
First published September 21, 2017
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About the author
Meagan Brandy
43 books16.5k followersUSA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Meagan Brandy writes New Adult romance books with a twist. She is a candy crazed, jukebox junkie who tends to speak in lyrics. Born and raised in California, she is a married mother of three crazy boys who keep her bouncing from one sports field to another, depending on the season, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Starbucks is her best friend and words are her sanity.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,653 reviews
April 25, 2020
3.5 stars ✧
FINALLy a non-toxic romance with a H who's not an asshole and the h not being a doormat, pushover in a new adult book!! at first, i really was in the mood for petty, eyeroll inducing teen drama and i thought this was gonna be that book since it has the whole former man ho, cocky quarterback hero and a heroine with an idgaf attitude. why am i in the mood you ask? well, im bored and when im bored, i tend to read stupid shit but this was actually kinda cute??
this is the first NA book that i've read in a looong time where the H is NOT an asshole/bully to the h and was actually super sweet and fought for her, did most of the chasing because she kept rejecting and friendzoning him and i love that.
characters
↠ Kalani Embers (h)
"i Am NoT LiKe OtHeR giRLs". ugh. this girl was annoying af in the beginning with her holier-than-thou attitude and the im not like other girls cuz i eat junk food and know a lot about football and is not a "slut" or a gold digger, and is basically a tomboy but is soOooO hot blah blah blah. she would say things like this:
like bishhh... WHO DO YOU THINK YOU IS. apparently every girl is either mindless or "STD infested" (heroine's words) and i hate this aspect in new adult books. it was so apparent here. she does get better gradually but she just annoyed me so much and that's why my rating isn't higher.
↠ Nate Monroe (H)
i actually really liked this dude because he always fought for the heroine and chased after her. once he found out that he wanted Kalani, he never stopped pursuing her. he did make some pretty dumbass moves in the beginning but he definitely grew out of that. plus, this dude is kinda swoony
AND he feeds her cookie dough for crying out loud. that's boyfriend material right there.
romance
y'all know the kind of romance where it's sweet but passionate at the same time because of the emotional connection and all of the characters thinking that the MCs are "made for each other" or soulmates? yeah, it's like this here. the romance is so fucking cute and sweet. Nate chasing Kalani, while Kalani keeps him in the friendzone for the better part of the book was the highlight here.
she was oblivious and she didn't even know he liked her which means he worked harder to make her like him and that's the shit i live for. i absolutely love it when there's an unrequited love from the H's side because it is RARE.
stupid drama (spoilers)
there is a little bit of OW/OM drama here, especially in the beginning. h meets H after he hooked up with OW (Liv), h saw H come out of the girls washroom with OW (random girl), and H hooked up with OW (Shawna) after the first night they hung out for the first time. this was annoying and i didn't like it whatsoever but silverlining to this is that Kalani did not care at all and wasn't even jealous, because again, she didn't know he liked her and she didn't really care about him in a romantic way. this only happened in the beginning and it ended pretty early and Nate does make up for all this so that's a plus. as for the OM drama, Kalani went on a date with Nate's teammate and she kissed him in front of Nate. she also was genuinely interested in OM more than Nate since she wasn't interested in the H whatsoever
as for the stupid drama, lets not get started on the stereotypes that NA books have about girls being "bimbos", while the heroine is supposedly the "unicorn". please stop with this problematic bs. thanks.
* * *
this was gonna be a solid 4 stars for me but i can't ignore the stupid shit that happened in the beginning and how Kalani was so annoying and how much of a, pardon my language here, judgmental bitch she actually was. im sorry!! i know that's harsh but she really was that kind of heroine. and the book felt a bit dragging when the MCs finally became a couple.
i think this is a completely underrated series/books/heroes from ms. Brandy cuz in a way, this was somewhat better than her popular ones (aka Brayshaw series) since those are pretty OTT, while this one has the emotional connection i love seeing but i still like all her characters tho. well, at least most of them.
anyways, this is a good new adult book mainly because for once, it doesn't have the "H is a bully/asshole trope". the toxicity level is also super low here and there is a lot of showing rather than telling. HALLELUJAH.
FINALLy a non-toxic romance with a H who's not an asshole and the h not being a doormat, pushover in a new adult book!! at first, i really was in the mood for petty, eyeroll inducing teen drama and i thought this was gonna be that book since it has the whole former man ho, cocky quarterback hero and a heroine with an idgaf attitude. why am i in the mood you ask? well, im bored and when im bored, i tend to read stupid shit but this was actually kinda cute??
this is the first NA book that i've read in a looong time where the H is NOT an asshole/bully to the h and was actually super sweet and fought for her, did most of the chasing because she kept rejecting and friendzoning him and i love that.
characters
↠ Kalani Embers (h)
"i Am NoT LiKe OtHeR giRLs". ugh. this girl was annoying af in the beginning with her holier-than-thou attitude and the im not like other girls cuz i eat junk food and know a lot about football and is not a "slut" or a gold digger, and is basically a tomboy but is soOooO hot blah blah blah. she would say things like this:
"My attention turns back to the girl and, imagine that... suddenly, she looks a lot less beauteous, and a lot more bimbo. Her modelesque strut now looks like a runway show for a pro-ho."
like bishhh... WHO DO YOU THINK YOU IS. apparently every girl is either mindless or "STD infested" (heroine's words) and i hate this aspect in new adult books. it was so apparent here. she does get better gradually but she just annoyed me so much and that's why my rating isn't higher.
↠ Nate Monroe (H)
i actually really liked this dude because he always fought for the heroine and chased after her. once he found out that he wanted Kalani, he never stopped pursuing her. he did make some pretty dumbass moves in the beginning but he definitely grew out of that. plus, this dude is kinda swoony
"Looking at you gets under my skin. Thinking about you fucks with my head. Hearing that raspy, sexy ass voice of yours gets me riled up. And touching you? Touching you sets me on fire."
AND he feeds her cookie dough for crying out loud. that's boyfriend material right there.
romance
y'all know the kind of romance where it's sweet but passionate at the same time because of the emotional connection and all of the characters thinking that the MCs are "made for each other" or soulmates? yeah, it's like this here. the romance is so fucking cute and sweet. Nate chasing Kalani, while Kalani keeps him in the friendzone for the better part of the book was the highlight here.
"You are my girl."
"No, I'm not. I'm my own girl. Take my ass home."
she was oblivious and she didn't even know he liked her which means he worked harder to make her like him and that's the shit i live for. i absolutely love it when there's an unrequited love from the H's side because it is RARE.
stupid drama (spoilers)
there is a little bit of OW/OM drama here, especially in the beginning. h meets H after he hooked up with OW (Liv), h saw H come out of the girls washroom with OW (random girl), and H hooked up with OW (Shawna) after the first night they hung out for the first time. this was annoying and i didn't like it whatsoever but silverlining to this is that Kalani did not care at all and wasn't even jealous, because again, she didn't know he liked her and she didn't really care about him in a romantic way. this only happened in the beginning and it ended pretty early and Nate does make up for all this so that's a plus. as for the OM drama, Kalani went on a date with Nate's teammate and she kissed him in front of Nate. she also was genuinely interested in OM more than Nate since she wasn't interested in the H whatsoever
as for the stupid drama, lets not get started on the stereotypes that NA books have about girls being "bimbos", while the heroine is supposedly the "unicorn". please stop with this problematic bs. thanks.
* * *
this was gonna be a solid 4 stars for me but i can't ignore the stupid shit that happened in the beginning and how Kalani was so annoying and how much of a, pardon my language here, judgmental bitch she actually was. im sorry!! i know that's harsh but she really was that kind of heroine. and the book felt a bit dragging when the MCs finally became a couple.
i think this is a completely underrated series/books/heroes from ms. Brandy cuz in a way, this was somewhat better than her popular ones (aka Brayshaw series) since those are pretty OTT, while this one has the emotional connection i love seeing but i still like all her characters tho. well, at least most of them.
anyways, this is a good new adult book mainly because for once, it doesn't have the "H is a bully/asshole trope". the toxicity level is also super low here and there is a lot of showing rather than telling. HALLELUJAH.
May 22, 2018
☆☆☆☆☆ 5+ STARS ☆☆☆☆☆
Fumbled Hearts was such a refreshing read. I love it. Page after page, I couldn’t get enough. What a strong and a sure hit for new author Meagan Brandy. She sure made a fan out me, with her first book. I love her characters and how matured, they were for teenagers. Heroine Kalani is such a strong character. She was independent, witty, fun, sarcastic, bold and beautiful. I also love her unique name, even her nick name Lolli. Then there’s Nate, who started out as such a douche and became so much more. He became very lovable, sweet, caring and such an alpha male.
I love this book, Kalani got me in the beginning with her smart mouth and very hard a** attitude. She never let anyone bring her down and didn’t have a care in the world what anyone thought of her, because she knew who she was. I wasn’t sure about Nate in the beginning, because he was just another jock who got everything he wanted..until Kalani. She made him work for her attention and work so much harder for her affection. But no matter how much they tried to stay away from each other, their pull was strong and it didn’t take long for them to get together. Their connection was electric and oh my how I love them together. Sure they had their childish ways, but they really did act like they were so much older than they were. These two were hot together, from their steamy shower sex to their truck bed quickie.
”Thinking about you fucks with my head.”
“Hearing that raspy, sexy ass voice of yours gets me riled up.”
“And touching you? Touching you sets me on fire.”
Kalani was nobody’s girl..until Nate made her his. They truly were magnificent together. They moved like a couple who’s been in love for years. They felt each other when one was near and communicated their feelings through looks alone. They were like magnets, who really stuck together no matter what they did or was going on around them.
I really enjoyed the heck out of this book. I highly recommend this book to all the sports romance lovers out there.
MEAGAN BRANDY
Fumbled Hearts was such a refreshing read. I love it. Page after page, I couldn’t get enough. What a strong and a sure hit for new author Meagan Brandy. She sure made a fan out me, with her first book. I love her characters and how matured, they were for teenagers. Heroine Kalani is such a strong character. She was independent, witty, fun, sarcastic, bold and beautiful. I also love her unique name, even her nick name Lolli. Then there’s Nate, who started out as such a douche and became so much more. He became very lovable, sweet, caring and such an alpha male.
I love this book, Kalani got me in the beginning with her smart mouth and very hard a** attitude. She never let anyone bring her down and didn’t have a care in the world what anyone thought of her, because she knew who she was. I wasn’t sure about Nate in the beginning, because he was just another jock who got everything he wanted..until Kalani. She made him work for her attention and work so much harder for her affection. But no matter how much they tried to stay away from each other, their pull was strong and it didn’t take long for them to get together. Their connection was electric and oh my how I love them together. Sure they had their childish ways, but they really did act like they were so much older than they were. These two were hot together, from their steamy shower sex to their truck bed quickie.
”Thinking about you fucks with my head.”
“Hearing that raspy, sexy ass voice of yours gets me riled up.”
“And touching you? Touching you sets me on fire.”
Kalani was nobody’s girl..until Nate made her his. They truly were magnificent together. They moved like a couple who’s been in love for years. They felt each other when one was near and communicated their feelings through looks alone. They were like magnets, who really stuck together no matter what they did or was going on around them.
I really enjoyed the heck out of this book. I highly recommend this book to all the sports romance lovers out there.
MEAGAN BRANDY
September 25, 2017
5 WHAT FOREVER FEELS LIKE STARS!!!
THIS BOOK!!! It's everything and THEN SOME!!! An absolute must read! And it's on my TOP 17 OF 17 List! Watch out for Meagan Brandy book world!!! She's gonna knock you on your ASS! Loved loved loved this story!!!
My heart has been COMPLETELY and UTTERLY consumed by this story. From the moment I opened my kindle, I was a goner. Kalani is one of my most favourite heroines EVER. She’s real, she’s sassy, she tells it like it is and doesn’t fuck around. And the minute her and Nate came together, I felt the sparks and magic between them. I was one hundred percent engulfed by their chemistry.
Nate. Holy Jesus. His cockiness set my loins on fire. His sweet, sexy, dirty words to Kalani seared my soul. I’m not joking. God. I’m so in love with him. He helped her so much, I could cry just thinking about it. I’d melt into a puddle of lust and feels every damn time he’d say “Kalani”. I shit you not I could HEAR his rough, sexy voice saying her name.
The side characters. CHRIST! I loved their friends and my god his family!!! I want to be adopted by his mom and dad. There were so many fun and special moments I have a smile so huge right now just thinking about some of the scenes between all of these characters. I don’t think I’ve ever highlighted a book so much.
What I love about the story is how much it made me FEEL. Fumbled Hearts made my HEART do all the things. It swelled, shattered and ached. There were many moments that had me swooning hard. There were moments I cried. And let me tell you there definitely scenes that made me want to throw my damn kindle. HARD. I was so pissed and upset for these characters in certain scenes that I felt sick and I was literally shaking. Because I was so attached and consumed by Nate and Kalani, I felt like I was feeling everything they were. Experiencing their happiness, pain and hell to the YES their pleasure. That says something. Meagan Brandy did all these things to me with her beautiful, emotional and captivating story telling.
If you’re looking for a sexy, fun and emotional new adult romance that will fumble your heart in all the best ways possible, then take a chance on this debut author. Swear to god I felt ALL of the EVERYTHINGS! I’m still feeling them! What am I going to do with my life now? Time for a re-read!
FUMBLED HEARTS IS LIVE!
AMAZON: bit.ly/FumbledHearts-kindle
iBooks: http://apple.co/2gIezXp
B&N: http://bit.ly/2gMoBKF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2eHDbie
THIS BOOK!!! It's everything and THEN SOME!!! An absolute must read! And it's on my TOP 17 OF 17 List! Watch out for Meagan Brandy book world!!! She's gonna knock you on your ASS! Loved loved loved this story!!!
My heart has been COMPLETELY and UTTERLY consumed by this story. From the moment I opened my kindle, I was a goner. Kalani is one of my most favourite heroines EVER. She’s real, she’s sassy, she tells it like it is and doesn’t fuck around. And the minute her and Nate came together, I felt the sparks and magic between them. I was one hundred percent engulfed by their chemistry.
Nate. Holy Jesus. His cockiness set my loins on fire. His sweet, sexy, dirty words to Kalani seared my soul. I’m not joking. God. I’m so in love with him. He helped her so much, I could cry just thinking about it. I’d melt into a puddle of lust and feels every damn time he’d say “Kalani”. I shit you not I could HEAR his rough, sexy voice saying her name.
The side characters. CHRIST! I loved their friends and my god his family!!! I want to be adopted by his mom and dad. There were so many fun and special moments I have a smile so huge right now just thinking about some of the scenes between all of these characters. I don’t think I’ve ever highlighted a book so much.
What I love about the story is how much it made me FEEL. Fumbled Hearts made my HEART do all the things. It swelled, shattered and ached. There were many moments that had me swooning hard. There were moments I cried. And let me tell you there definitely scenes that made me want to throw my damn kindle. HARD. I was so pissed and upset for these characters in certain scenes that I felt sick and I was literally shaking. Because I was so attached and consumed by Nate and Kalani, I felt like I was feeling everything they were. Experiencing their happiness, pain and hell to the YES their pleasure. That says something. Meagan Brandy did all these things to me with her beautiful, emotional and captivating story telling.
If you’re looking for a sexy, fun and emotional new adult romance that will fumble your heart in all the best ways possible, then take a chance on this debut author. Swear to god I felt ALL of the EVERYTHINGS! I’m still feeling them! What am I going to do with my life now? Time for a re-read!
FUMBLED HEARTS IS LIVE!
AMAZON: bit.ly/FumbledHearts-kindle
iBooks: http://apple.co/2gIezXp
B&N: http://bit.ly/2gMoBKF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2eHDbie
December 19, 2017
Ahhhh...am I in a different universe,
how did this book get so many 5 star
reviews? Am I missing something?
This is my WORST READ OF THE YEAR,
maybe ever. It was an insult to my
intelligence. First, do we need to give
everyone a nick name? Or a different
name than the one they were born with?
So we have Kalani, or Lolli or Lolli Bear,
who is this girl? Is she 19 or 40? Just
complete and utter stupidity. I am
not going to rant, and rant, like I soo
want to do, BUT I DNF'd this book
when Kalani, Lolli, or Lolli Bear decides
that she is so good at football that she
is going to instruct the COACH on
how to you know, COACH HIS TEAM.
And instead of THE COACH kicking this
girl off the field, HE TAKES HER ADVICE.
But, I don't want to forget that Lolli Bear
is so extraordinarily beautiful that every
boy, man, in her presence falls at her feet!
Yeah, that's when I finally DNF'd. I will
not only NOT read another book by this
author, but I almost cancelled my
Kindle Unlimited Subscription, due to
the absurdity of this book.
how did this book get so many 5 star
reviews? Am I missing something?
This is my WORST READ OF THE YEAR,
maybe ever. It was an insult to my
intelligence. First, do we need to give
everyone a nick name? Or a different
name than the one they were born with?
So we have Kalani, or Lolli or Lolli Bear,
who is this girl? Is she 19 or 40? Just
complete and utter stupidity. I am
not going to rant, and rant, like I soo
want to do, BUT I DNF'd this book
when Kalani, Lolli, or Lolli Bear decides
that she is so good at football that she
is going to instruct the COACH on
how to you know, COACH HIS TEAM.
And instead of THE COACH kicking this
girl off the field, HE TAKES HER ADVICE.
But, I don't want to forget that Lolli Bear
is so extraordinarily beautiful that every
boy, man, in her presence falls at her feet!
Yeah, that's when I finally DNF'd. I will
not only NOT read another book by this
author, but I almost cancelled my
Kindle Unlimited Subscription, due to
the absurdity of this book.
December 9, 2025
3rd read, Dec 2025 — 5 stars
this is officially becoming a yearly reread 😌
Nate and Kalani have me in a chokehold and i'm not complaining
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
2nd read, Apr 2025 — 5 stars
still obsessed. still in love. still not over it.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
1st read, May 2023 — 4.5 stars
another wonderful book by Meagan Brandy. i love a good slow burn romance and this one was perfect. it had just the perfect amount of angst and drama mixed with romance and steam. such a major page turner!
i love the heroine, Kalani so much. she's a strong and independent woman who knows what she wants. she lost her family, but she doesn't wallow in pain and push forward. she's real and honest and loyal to a fault. Nate’s character was absolutely perfect for her. i loved that he pushed her when necessary and backed off when she needed it. he knew just how to calm her down in certain situations and paid attention to the smallest details and it just really made my heart blush. seeing their love for each other unfold was incredible and i loved every bit of their story🥹🫶🏻
the secondary characters were great too. i loved Nate’s parents and all their friends, but Parker was especially my favourite! i want for myself a platonic best friend like him because Kalani and his friendship were everything i needed and more. i'm excited for whenever i decide to read his book🤩
this is officially becoming a yearly reread 😌
Nate and Kalani have me in a chokehold and i'm not complaining
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
2nd read, Apr 2025 — 5 stars
still obsessed. still in love. still not over it.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
1st read, May 2023 — 4.5 stars
another wonderful book by Meagan Brandy. i love a good slow burn romance and this one was perfect. it had just the perfect amount of angst and drama mixed with romance and steam. such a major page turner!
i love the heroine, Kalani so much. she's a strong and independent woman who knows what she wants. she lost her family, but she doesn't wallow in pain and push forward. she's real and honest and loyal to a fault. Nate’s character was absolutely perfect for her. i loved that he pushed her when necessary and backed off when she needed it. he knew just how to calm her down in certain situations and paid attention to the smallest details and it just really made my heart blush. seeing their love for each other unfold was incredible and i loved every bit of their story🥹🫶🏻
the secondary characters were great too. i loved Nate’s parents and all their friends, but Parker was especially my favourite! i want for myself a platonic best friend like him because Kalani and his friendship were everything i needed and more. i'm excited for whenever i decide to read his book🤩
February 9, 2020
nice read... 3-3,5 stars, review to come
I liked the secondary characters the most though...especially Parker and Austin.
The steamy scenes aren't very detailed and therefore they seem like they are literally over in like a second. Then again...we are talking 18-year-olds here, so it probably was only a second LOL.
I do understand this is ya though... so I get that not all YA books have very detailed steam ;)
I liked the secondary characters the most though...especially Parker and Austin.
The steamy scenes aren't very detailed and therefore they seem like they are literally over in like a second. Then again...we are talking 18-year-olds here, so it probably was only a second LOL.
I do understand this is ya though... so I get that not all YA books have very detailed steam ;)
February 12, 2022
sorry I can't..
do highschoolers really talk and behave like this
now you might say this is fiction but this dialogue is just ugh...
do highschoolers really talk and behave like this
now you might say this is fiction but this dialogue is just ugh...
August 2, 2019
Lost me at leaving the h’s house after a date to go screw another girl
Guy is a douche at who had a thing for our h, doggedly pursues her, warns off other guys, acts jealousy and constantly asks her about her friendships with guys to make sure she isn’t doing anything with them... Then when she agrees to hang out with him,l (they had a home date and watched movies). He casually tells his best friend a week later that he left her house and because he “didn’t have anything better to do” he went and screwed another girl. He comes back to our h’s house the next morning they hang out again. She makes him breakfast. It’s kind of sick. He confesses to the best friend that he felt sick after screwing the other girl, but come on, he should have felt sick first and not screwed her at all. I don’t understand how this doesn’t bother other readers. They may not have been “together” but he was pursuing her hardcore. It reminds me of one of my favorite “bully” books. They guys a compete jacka$$ most of the time and he almost made a mistake, but he pushed the girl off. Nate is supposed to be a decent guy, and she’s “different” yet he pulls that crap? Won’t bother with the sequel...
Guy is a douche at who had a thing for our h, doggedly pursues her, warns off other guys, acts jealousy and constantly asks her about her friendships with guys to make sure she isn’t doing anything with them... Then when she agrees to hang out with him,l (they had a home date and watched movies). He casually tells his best friend a week later that he left her house and because he “didn’t have anything better to do” he went and screwed another girl. He comes back to our h’s house the next morning they hang out again. She makes him breakfast. It’s kind of sick. He confesses to the best friend that he felt sick after screwing the other girl, but come on, he should have felt sick first and not screwed her at all. I don’t understand how this doesn’t bother other readers. They may not have been “together” but he was pursuing her hardcore. It reminds me of one of my favorite “bully” books. They guys a compete jacka$$ most of the time and he almost made a mistake, but he pushed the girl off. Nate is supposed to be a decent guy, and she’s “different” yet he pulls that crap? Won’t bother with the sequel...
January 6, 2021
✨✨✨He's the persistent playboy who refuses to walk away. she's the impassive new girl with nothing left to give.
this story captured my attention since the first page. I've never read about a famale Character so strong so reckless , I wish I could be more like her sometimes. I loved how she changed completely the male character view of women , and how he was able to read her so well , like they were always meant to be. An other thing that really got to me was the strong relationship between Lolli and Parker , they really understand each other , in a really platonic way, but more like they were meant to be family . I CAN'T describe it , but you should really read It , this book changed me in some way.✨✨✨
A-B-S-O-L-U-T-L-Y 4.95 STARS.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
NEXT PARKER'S STORY✨✨✨✨
this story captured my attention since the first page. I've never read about a famale Character so strong so reckless , I wish I could be more like her sometimes. I loved how she changed completely the male character view of women , and how he was able to read her so well , like they were always meant to be. An other thing that really got to me was the strong relationship between Lolli and Parker , they really understand each other , in a really platonic way, but more like they were meant to be family . I CAN'T describe it , but you should really read It , this book changed me in some way.✨✨✨
A-B-S-O-L-U-T-L-Y 4.95 STARS.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
NEXT PARKER'S STORY✨✨✨✨
August 15, 2025
Re-reading it in August /2021 and August/2025...
🎧 This time in audiobook 🎧
And it's still an amazing book!
Nate and Kalani are still perfect together...
Parker and Kalani's friendship is still one of my favorite parts and I still hate what the author did in Parker's book! So I'm never reading defenseless hearts again...
I'm also still hoping for her to continue with the other characters presented in this book, but so far? Nothing.
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
March / 2020
First quarantine book and I'm in love!
I've never had read nothing by this author and this book was highly recommended in her Facebook's readers group.
I had to thank them, because this book was incredible!
I'm completely in love with Kalani and Nathaniel. They're just perfect!
Their relationship it's something out of this world! They're so connect to each other, so deeply and madly into each other, that I just wanted to continue reading about their life, their accomplishments, their babies, until they're gray and old!
Kalani is one of the best females characters that I'd read in a while!
She's so strong, gorgeous, unique, real and truthfully loyal to a fault!
She doesn't lie. She's simple and honest and when she loves? She will support you forever!
Nate is the golden boy, the Playboy, the handsome to his gorgeous, a player inside and outside the field.
But he's also sincere, honest, vulnerable and insecure.
Their connection grows through the story, and you can feel it like it's something palpable.
It's impossible to not fall in love with them.
They're the real deal!
The way that they fell in love...
Argh! Amazing!
I got pissed with the plot twist because their relationship was so strong and real, that I wanted to punch Nate in that moment!
But everything's fine when it ends fine!
I really cannot wait to read about the others... Because beyond the primary couple are so many interesting characters! I'm in love with this author and I will definitely come back for more.
🎧 This time in audiobook 🎧
And it's still an amazing book!
Nate and Kalani are still perfect together...
Parker and Kalani's friendship is still one of my favorite parts and I still hate what the author did in Parker's book! So I'm never reading defenseless hearts again...
I'm also still hoping for her to continue with the other characters presented in this book, but so far? Nothing.
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
March / 2020
First quarantine book and I'm in love!
I've never had read nothing by this author and this book was highly recommended in her Facebook's readers group.
I had to thank them, because this book was incredible!
I'm completely in love with Kalani and Nathaniel. They're just perfect!
Their relationship it's something out of this world! They're so connect to each other, so deeply and madly into each other, that I just wanted to continue reading about their life, their accomplishments, their babies, until they're gray and old!
Kalani is one of the best females characters that I'd read in a while!
She's so strong, gorgeous, unique, real and truthfully loyal to a fault!
She doesn't lie. She's simple and honest and when she loves? She will support you forever!
Nate is the golden boy, the Playboy, the handsome to his gorgeous, a player inside and outside the field.
But he's also sincere, honest, vulnerable and insecure.
Their connection grows through the story, and you can feel it like it's something palpable.
It's impossible to not fall in love with them.
They're the real deal!
The way that they fell in love...
Argh! Amazing!
I got pissed with the plot twist because their relationship was so strong and real, that I wanted to punch Nate in that moment!
But everything's fine when it ends fine!
I really cannot wait to read about the others... Because beyond the primary couple are so many interesting characters! I'm in love with this author and I will definitely come back for more.
not-interested
June 6, 2018Some special people came to my mind when reading this review. LOL You would have a field day with this book girls: Alex, Kiki, Leonor, Dilek, Lu Bielefeld, PointedlyBlunt, A Klue, Book-Bosomed
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Said little but said plenty
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And the gem: I am not like other girls and I don't care about my looks (meaning: all the others are sluts but me...eye rolling) but looks how great my boobies look , and oh.. there's a mirror over there. etc etc.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Said little but said plenty
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And the gem: I am not like other girls and I don't care about my looks (meaning: all the others are sluts but me...eye rolling) but looks how great my boobies look , and oh.. there's a mirror over there. etc etc.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
October 11, 2019
Where to begin? I had been seeing this book around for a while and decided to finally read it. I was expecting a sweet YA romance. That is not what I got. What we got was a long book with a main character who irked me to no end. This was a mix between the Fallen Crest series & The Royals series to me. I could see what the author was trying to do here, but it fell short.
Kalani was a tough character for me to like. I think she was supposed to come off as witty and a badass who doesn’t care what people think about her. I thought that she was uncaring, judgmental, and annoying. She started the book off knowing she was judgmental as hell and continued throughout this book. I know she went through a lot in the past, both her parents and grandpa died on her birthday. Anytime things became real she would shut down or joke her way out of it. Especially when it came to Nate. I really hate the way she treated Nate at times.
Nate really deserved better than what he got in the relationship. Was he playboy before he met her? Yeah. Did he want to be with her and let her know that he only wanted her? Yeah. She would kick him out of her house and still go on dates with other guys even when he laid his feelings out on the table. Seriously? Girl get a grip.
A lot of this book was unrealistic in so many ways. Parents who approve and actually tell their son to have sex in their house while they are there? A high school girl who just happens to be emancipated and lives in a 3 bedroom house by herself? These were supposed to be high school seniors, however, they are doing crap that I didn’t do until my twenties. This should have really been set in college.
Overall, this book was unrealistic, too long, and such a disappointment. I saw that the next book in this series is about Parker. And while he was a complete angel, I don’t have it in me to read anymore.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
Kalani was a tough character for me to like. I think she was supposed to come off as witty and a badass who doesn’t care what people think about her. I thought that she was uncaring, judgmental, and annoying. She started the book off knowing she was judgmental as hell and continued throughout this book. I know she went through a lot in the past, both her parents and grandpa died on her birthday. Anytime things became real she would shut down or joke her way out of it. Especially when it came to Nate. I really hate the way she treated Nate at times.
Nate really deserved better than what he got in the relationship. Was he playboy before he met her? Yeah. Did he want to be with her and let her know that he only wanted her? Yeah. She would kick him out of her house and still go on dates with other guys even when he laid his feelings out on the table. Seriously? Girl get a grip.
A lot of this book was unrealistic in so many ways. Parents who approve and actually tell their son to have sex in their house while they are there? A high school girl who just happens to be emancipated and lives in a 3 bedroom house by herself? These were supposed to be high school seniors, however, they are doing crap that I didn’t do until my twenties. This should have really been set in college.
Overall, this book was unrealistic, too long, and such a disappointment. I saw that the next book in this series is about Parker. And while he was a complete angel, I don’t have it in me to read anymore.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
March 31, 2018
Gotta start off by saying I cannot believe this is Meagan's debut book. It is EVERYTHING I want in a NA read.
Kalani is a fierce, funny and somewhat broken teenager who has had to grow up way before her time. She is independent, loyal, smart and beautiful. I loved everything about her character and her backstory. Nate is the QB - seemingly the typical high school man whore, big man in town and perfect son. When the two meet sparks fly and the game of cat and mouse begins.
Luckily for Kalani there is actually more to Nate than she first thought and throughout the book I fell in love with him too. I adored the chapters in his POV, they really showed who he was, the real him. He breaks through her barriers and gotta tell you - he is one swoony SOB. I smiled a lot while reading his parts and loved his gentle side.
"I kind of hate he knows what to do and when to do it. Then again, I kind of don’t"
It wouldn't be a NA read without plenty of angst, laughs with your BFF and a little heartbreak. I definitely needed tissues a few times. Throw in a plot twist and fantastic supporting characters and you've got one hell of a read. I look forward to many more stories from this author and definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book.
Kalani is a fierce, funny and somewhat broken teenager who has had to grow up way before her time. She is independent, loyal, smart and beautiful. I loved everything about her character and her backstory. Nate is the QB - seemingly the typical high school man whore, big man in town and perfect son. When the two meet sparks fly and the game of cat and mouse begins.
Luckily for Kalani there is actually more to Nate than she first thought and throughout the book I fell in love with him too. I adored the chapters in his POV, they really showed who he was, the real him. He breaks through her barriers and gotta tell you - he is one swoony SOB. I smiled a lot while reading his parts and loved his gentle side.
"I kind of hate he knows what to do and when to do it. Then again, I kind of don’t"
It wouldn't be a NA read without plenty of angst, laughs with your BFF and a little heartbreak. I definitely needed tissues a few times. Throw in a plot twist and fantastic supporting characters and you've got one hell of a read. I look forward to many more stories from this author and definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book.
July 2, 2023
dnf at 60% if I read the word “handsome” one more time I swear i’m going to kill myself
November 21, 2025
3 stars
soo i'm feeling conflicted abt this book. in a way, it was a good and fun read but was also horrific and...not good. therefore, it's getting 3 stars. unpopular opinion: 3 stars is NAWT good imo.
BUT ANYWAY lemme talk abt the book now.
why didn't i like this book:
1) the writing was bad. it was cringe and i found the fmc being a real "i'm not like other girls" type of character. she constantly shamed the girls in her school calling them bimbos and even mia (the fmcs bestie) would as well (there was another word she used but i forgot what the word was LMAO). i'll go more into the fmc but yeah, the writing wasn't it. one of the main issues i had with say you swear in particular was how there would be unexplained stuff happening and this book had that too.
examples:
~ there was a whole chapter abt kalani helping nate with his shoulder but prior to that chapter there was NO SCENE abt nates' shoulder even being hurt in the first place.
~ When she laughs, I reach down to thread my fingers through hers, lift her left hand to my mouth, and kiss the small diamond that rests there. She sighs and melts against me. WHAT??? idk if it’s a promise ring or an engagement one but NO SCENE FOR IT??? there was NO SCENE of her getting this ring. now i know ur probs thinking "oh but it's set in the future" ACTUALLY it's literally still summertime soo....i just feel like we should've gotten a scene for it.
anyway, the writing wasn't it.
2) speaking of the writing, i mentioned this in my first point but GIRL there was SO MUCH slut-shaming it was actually concerning. coming from kalani, mia, and even nate a little bit. it was nawt good.
3) the insta-lust. i thought their relationship was sorta cute but by 30% they were kissing and stuff like BRUHHHHH!!!!!!!! they caught feelings so quickly and then for the rest of the book kalani is all like "oh but we're not serious" NATE LITERALLY CONFESSED AND U GUYS ARE TOGETHER WDYM???? i get the whole "she can't believe he'd like her" BUT C'MON IT'S SO OBVIOUS AND AGAIN, U GUYS WERE DATING U MET HIS FRICKING PARENTS GIRL.
4) some chapters were rly long it bothered me.
5) by the 50% mark it got rly boring and it was around 68-70% when it got interesting again.
6) i didn't rly get the whole "kalani's last name" "OUUUU she's from this famous family" idk it felt underwhelming? we didn't rly get WHY this was such a big deal.
7) the dumb miscommunication by the 85% mark. that was so unnecessary and dumb.
8) okay this is sort of a dumb complaint but i feel like there wasn't much of nate's pov. most of it was kalani and then we got bits of mia's pov which i think was useless bcz we learned nothing abt her. IDKKK she was acting weird and we got no explanation as to why she was like that? i think there was a scene where it was parker and kalani and nate caught them (they didn't do anything but nate was always just jealous and stuff) and then mia ran out crying? I'M CONFUSEDDDDD esp abt her and austin too like do ya'll like each other or not?
here's things i liked:
1) i rly liked the beginning (even tho that's when kalani was rly weird). i found the book to be fun and entertaining.
2) i found kalani to be relatable in some ways. she was sorta a baddie despite the weird thing abt her always saying and being known for "being like a man all freaky and stuff" and then shaming girls like EUGHHHH that was not it.
3) nate's parents. the most normal characters (and parker PERIOD). nate was funny tho icl.
anyway character time:
kalani embers: okay like i mentioned, i wasn't into her attitude of judging other girls for sleeping with guys but then describing herself as a guy who constantly makes s3x jokes that was very "i'm not like other girls" behaviour it was NASTY and hypocritical to read abt. i did find her baddie and unbothered behaviour to be cool tho and funny too. she was interesting too. she defs gives off those types of people who grow up too quickly and sort of have a hard time letting people into their lives. between her, arianna, and payton, i find her character to have the most depth imo (i MIGHT prefer arianna over her tho?). but yeah overall, she was OKAY. not terrible, but not the most amazing character ever.
nate monroe: OKAY NGLLLL aside from his dumb moments, he was rly funny. there wasn't much depth to him but he was still a rly fun character. i found him to be kinda lustful tho and i didn't like the fact that he was such a playboy even after liking kalani. other than that tho he was rly good to kalani they had rly sweet moments and i kinda found his jealousy to be kinda HAWTTT HEHE!!!
them as a romance:
okay again, i don't like the insta-lust. i think there should've been more build-up imo. also that STUPID miscommunication thing at the last 15% of the book made me SO MAD ALSO I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT WHOLE KALANI AND JARROD (or jerrod but i think it's with an a) KISS CLEARED UP (or maybe it did i just forgot idk ya'll it got sorta confusing). so GLAD that nate didn't actually cheat when he heard the recordings of kalani but i still think he was rly immature and should've talked to kalani abt everything. BUT, i do think that in a way, nate defs healed kalani lots and they had a funny dynamic. ALSOOOO HIM FEEDING HER COOKIE DOUGH EEEEEEEEEEEE 🤭🤭🤭
other characters:
parker baylor: CUTIE!!!!!!!! GOSH HE IS WAYYY MORE LIKEABLE THAN PAYTON (his sister). i'm a little confused as to whether he was actually in love with kalani or not but EITHER WAY he was rly good to her. i also feel bad for him not only bcz of his parents situation BUT bcz i feel like he deserves SM BETTERRRRR than kenra (based on his book's blurb and people's reviews). MY SHAYLAAAAA he deserves to be happy.
mia: she was cute but there wasn't much of her. i'm sorry but u can DEFS tell kalani likes parker more LMAO. but she was okay.
liv: such an irrelevant and annoying character. basic mean blonde girl who's bitter of the fmc bcz she's into the mmc. BORINGGGGG!!!
nate's parents: UGH THEY'RE SO CUTESYYYYY!!!!! i want a relationship like theirs they give me john and edel vibes (IYKYKKKKK 🤭🤭🤭). love them sm.
ANYWAYYYYYY nervous for the second book!!! excited for my boy parker but MANNNN i feel like he's gonna be done dirty.
quotes:
To the girl who was told she couldn’t, but proved the world wrong when she did.
Face it, Kalani, you’re being a judgmental bitch. at least she’s aware lmao.
“That’s right,” I snap my fingers. “About how you have to be the first to get ‘acquainted’ with the women in this town.” “Well, I couldn’t let Jarrod beat me to it, now could I?” he smirks. I cross my arms, feeling irritated all over again, remembering how he stepped in where he wasn’t wanted. “That was fucked up.” “I’m much better, trust me.” “I doubt it,” I shoot back.
“I’m not,” I say innocently, and he growls. Actually growls . NATE NOOO STAWP PLS DO NAWT GROWL.
I’m not a clumsy guy, but this girl’s got me trippin’ over myself in every which way and she doesn’t even know it.
A beautiful simplicity of nothingness. The ultimate escape.
“Because, for some reason, the thought of saying goodbye to you does something to me. I don’t like it. It makes me feel like I’m losing something.”
“Yeah, well. He isn’t mine, either.” Nate steps into my space, forcing my eyes back to his. “Maybe I want to be.” “Want to be what?” “Yours.” He tips his chin.
My dad shakes his head, grinning. “Then got mad when Ari started flirtin’ with his friend.” I laugh, leaning back to match my dad’s position. “I knew she had a thing for Chase. Mason put a stop to that quick.” WHAT???
“Yeah,” he chuckles to himself. “What we have is really something.” He locks his eyes on mine. “But what you and Lolli have?” He raises a brow and I frown at him. “That’s once in a lifetime. Once.” NAHHHH personally, i think the parents have a MUCH better relationship LOL.
“She was made for you, Nathaniel. The other piece of your soul. She came to you, was given to you, when you were ready for her, when you needed her. Way I see it, things are coming around now. It was only right something happened now, to test you , like she was tested.”
“Because my heart beats in your chest, and yours in mine. We’re blended in each other in deeper ways than even we understand.”
pre-review:
OKAYY this was better than the first 2 boys of avix books BUT this wasn't the GREATEST read ever. rtc!
pre-read:
OKAYYY NATE AND KALANI (LOLLI)!!!!! i read the first two boys of avix books and they were not good so hopefully this is better. i wasn't gonna read this duology but it's connected to boa and it's gonna bother me if i don't soo yeahh!!!! 💘
soo i'm feeling conflicted abt this book. in a way, it was a good and fun read but was also horrific and...not good. therefore, it's getting 3 stars. unpopular opinion: 3 stars is NAWT good imo.
BUT ANYWAY lemme talk abt the book now.
why didn't i like this book:
1) the writing was bad. it was cringe and i found the fmc being a real "i'm not like other girls" type of character. she constantly shamed the girls in her school calling them bimbos and even mia (the fmcs bestie) would as well (there was another word she used but i forgot what the word was LMAO). i'll go more into the fmc but yeah, the writing wasn't it. one of the main issues i had with say you swear in particular was how there would be unexplained stuff happening and this book had that too.
examples:
~ there was a whole chapter abt kalani helping nate with his shoulder but prior to that chapter there was NO SCENE abt nates' shoulder even being hurt in the first place.
~ When she laughs, I reach down to thread my fingers through hers, lift her left hand to my mouth, and kiss the small diamond that rests there. She sighs and melts against me. WHAT??? idk if it’s a promise ring or an engagement one but NO SCENE FOR IT??? there was NO SCENE of her getting this ring. now i know ur probs thinking "oh but it's set in the future" ACTUALLY it's literally still summertime soo....i just feel like we should've gotten a scene for it.
anyway, the writing wasn't it.
2) speaking of the writing, i mentioned this in my first point but GIRL there was SO MUCH slut-shaming it was actually concerning. coming from kalani, mia, and even nate a little bit. it was nawt good.
3) the insta-lust. i thought their relationship was sorta cute but by 30% they were kissing and stuff like BRUHHHHH!!!!!!!! they caught feelings so quickly and then for the rest of the book kalani is all like "oh but we're not serious" NATE LITERALLY CONFESSED AND U GUYS ARE TOGETHER WDYM???? i get the whole "she can't believe he'd like her" BUT C'MON IT'S SO OBVIOUS AND AGAIN, U GUYS WERE DATING U MET HIS FRICKING PARENTS GIRL.
4) some chapters were rly long it bothered me.
5) by the 50% mark it got rly boring and it was around 68-70% when it got interesting again.
6) i didn't rly get the whole "kalani's last name" "OUUUU she's from this famous family" idk it felt underwhelming? we didn't rly get WHY this was such a big deal.
7) the dumb miscommunication by the 85% mark. that was so unnecessary and dumb.
8) okay this is sort of a dumb complaint but i feel like there wasn't much of nate's pov. most of it was kalani and then we got bits of mia's pov which i think was useless bcz we learned nothing abt her. IDKKK she was acting weird and we got no explanation as to why she was like that? i think there was a scene where it was parker and kalani and nate caught them (they didn't do anything but nate was always just jealous and stuff) and then mia ran out crying? I'M CONFUSEDDDDD esp abt her and austin too like do ya'll like each other or not?
here's things i liked:
1) i rly liked the beginning (even tho that's when kalani was rly weird). i found the book to be fun and entertaining.
2) i found kalani to be relatable in some ways. she was sorta a baddie despite the weird thing abt her always saying and being known for "being like a man all freaky and stuff" and then shaming girls like EUGHHHH that was not it.
3) nate's parents. the most normal characters (and parker PERIOD). nate was funny tho icl.
anyway character time:
kalani embers: okay like i mentioned, i wasn't into her attitude of judging other girls for sleeping with guys but then describing herself as a guy who constantly makes s3x jokes that was very "i'm not like other girls" behaviour it was NASTY and hypocritical to read abt. i did find her baddie and unbothered behaviour to be cool tho and funny too. she was interesting too. she defs gives off those types of people who grow up too quickly and sort of have a hard time letting people into their lives. between her, arianna, and payton, i find her character to have the most depth imo (i MIGHT prefer arianna over her tho?). but yeah overall, she was OKAY. not terrible, but not the most amazing character ever.
nate monroe: OKAY NGLLLL aside from his dumb moments, he was rly funny. there wasn't much depth to him but he was still a rly fun character. i found him to be kinda lustful tho and i didn't like the fact that he was such a playboy even after liking kalani. other than that tho he was rly good to kalani they had rly sweet moments and i kinda found his jealousy to be kinda HAWTTT HEHE!!!
them as a romance:
okay again, i don't like the insta-lust. i think there should've been more build-up imo. also that STUPID miscommunication thing at the last 15% of the book made me SO MAD ALSO I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT WHOLE KALANI AND JARROD (or jerrod but i think it's with an a) KISS CLEARED UP (or maybe it did i just forgot idk ya'll it got sorta confusing). so GLAD that nate didn't actually cheat when he heard the recordings of kalani but i still think he was rly immature and should've talked to kalani abt everything. BUT, i do think that in a way, nate defs healed kalani lots and they had a funny dynamic. ALSOOOO HIM FEEDING HER COOKIE DOUGH EEEEEEEEEEEE 🤭🤭🤭
other characters:
parker baylor: CUTIE!!!!!!!! GOSH HE IS WAYYY MORE LIKEABLE THAN PAYTON (his sister). i'm a little confused as to whether he was actually in love with kalani or not but EITHER WAY he was rly good to her. i also feel bad for him not only bcz of his parents situation BUT bcz i feel like he deserves SM BETTERRRRR than kenra (based on his book's blurb and people's reviews). MY SHAYLAAAAA he deserves to be happy.
mia: she was cute but there wasn't much of her. i'm sorry but u can DEFS tell kalani likes parker more LMAO. but she was okay.
liv: such an irrelevant and annoying character. basic mean blonde girl who's bitter of the fmc bcz she's into the mmc. BORINGGGGG!!!
nate's parents: UGH THEY'RE SO CUTESYYYYY!!!!! i want a relationship like theirs they give me john and edel vibes (IYKYKKKKK 🤭🤭🤭). love them sm.
ANYWAYYYYYY nervous for the second book!!! excited for my boy parker but MANNNN i feel like he's gonna be done dirty.
quotes:
To the girl who was told she couldn’t, but proved the world wrong when she did.
Face it, Kalani, you’re being a judgmental bitch. at least she’s aware lmao.
“That’s right,” I snap my fingers. “About how you have to be the first to get ‘acquainted’ with the women in this town.” “Well, I couldn’t let Jarrod beat me to it, now could I?” he smirks. I cross my arms, feeling irritated all over again, remembering how he stepped in where he wasn’t wanted. “That was fucked up.” “I’m much better, trust me.” “I doubt it,” I shoot back.
“I’m not,” I say innocently, and he growls. Actually growls . NATE NOOO STAWP PLS DO NAWT GROWL.
I’m not a clumsy guy, but this girl’s got me trippin’ over myself in every which way and she doesn’t even know it.
A beautiful simplicity of nothingness. The ultimate escape.
“Because, for some reason, the thought of saying goodbye to you does something to me. I don’t like it. It makes me feel like I’m losing something.”
“Yeah, well. He isn’t mine, either.” Nate steps into my space, forcing my eyes back to his. “Maybe I want to be.” “Want to be what?” “Yours.” He tips his chin.
My dad shakes his head, grinning. “Then got mad when Ari started flirtin’ with his friend.” I laugh, leaning back to match my dad’s position. “I knew she had a thing for Chase. Mason put a stop to that quick.” WHAT???
“Yeah,” he chuckles to himself. “What we have is really something.” He locks his eyes on mine. “But what you and Lolli have?” He raises a brow and I frown at him. “That’s once in a lifetime. Once.” NAHHHH personally, i think the parents have a MUCH better relationship LOL.
“She was made for you, Nathaniel. The other piece of your soul. She came to you, was given to you, when you were ready for her, when you needed her. Way I see it, things are coming around now. It was only right something happened now, to test you , like she was tested.”
“Because my heart beats in your chest, and yours in mine. We’re blended in each other in deeper ways than even we understand.”
pre-review:
OKAYY this was better than the first 2 boys of avix books BUT this wasn't the GREATEST read ever. rtc!
pre-read:
OKAYYY NATE AND KALANI (LOLLI)!!!!! i read the first two boys of avix books and they were not good so hopefully this is better. i wasn't gonna read this duology but it's connected to boa and it's gonna bother me if i don't soo yeahh!!!! 💘
January 22, 2019
Really good! Good dose of angst, drama and other kind of crazyness!!!
Those kind of books almost give me heartburn and I don´t know why I do it to myself and keep on picking them up, knowing that I don´t have the stomach for the angst and drama, but I´m like a junkie that just keeps coming back and can´t give it up!
Those kind of books almost give me heartburn and I don´t know why I do it to myself and keep on picking them up, knowing that I don´t have the stomach for the angst and drama, but I´m like a junkie that just keeps coming back and can´t give it up!
September 2, 2021
This is the most nonsensical fucking book I've ever read. If this was a fucking restaurant, they have been robbed of all seasoning, with this bland as fuck shitshow.
The FMC was trying to come off as easy, laid back and independent, but instead came off as the combined intelligence and personality of a recycled tampon! MEANWHILE, the MMC starts as cocky and a player, but ends up as the fucking tampon applicator with his pussified personality change. AND how the fuck are her and the other dude BFF's by the next time they meet up?!
Goddamnit!
EVERY FUCKING BODY in this book, takes a goddamn look at eachother and fucking ALWAYS UNDERSTANDS THE MESSAGES IN THE OTHER FUCKING PERSONS HEAD OR EYES, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. FUCK!
I'm done. DNF @ 64%
The FMC was trying to come off as easy, laid back and independent, but instead came off as the combined intelligence and personality of a recycled tampon! MEANWHILE, the MMC starts as cocky and a player, but ends up as the fucking tampon applicator with his pussified personality change. AND how the fuck are her and the other dude BFF's by the next time they meet up?!
Goddamnit!
EVERY FUCKING BODY in this book, takes a goddamn look at eachother and fucking ALWAYS UNDERSTANDS THE MESSAGES IN THE OTHER FUCKING PERSONS HEAD OR EYES, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. FUCK!
I'm done. DNF @ 64%
April 3, 2020
I am a huge fan of Meagan's latest books but this one was just okay.
A really strong beginning, but I got a little bored in the middle/end. If at the beginning I liked the characters, after a while of the same dicussions/angst I felt so much annoyed at both of them, so boredom + annoying characters are never a good combination.
Overall still a decent sports romance!
OWLS READATHON: read for the ancient runes prompt.
A really strong beginning, but I got a little bored in the middle/end. If at the beginning I liked the characters, after a while of the same dicussions/angst I felt so much annoyed at both of them, so boredom + annoying characters are never a good combination.
Overall still a decent sports romance!
OWLS READATHON: read for the ancient runes prompt.
May 15, 2019
2.5 stars
September 21, 2017
ARC received for an honest review.
Another manic book rambling brought to you by April;
Read & Share Book Reviews.
5 'Let me wake you up.' Stars
Loaded with all the turmoil and feels of a broken soul, the swoon of young love, and swagger of a high school jock my heart was certainly fumbling head over heels in love with Meagan Brandy's DEBUT novel!! Consumed and mesmerized, I was addicted from the first chapter and couldn't put this book down until it had been devoured. GAH! O.M.G it was simply amazing and holy freaking DEBUT PEOPLE!! DEBUT!!!
Drama, angst, and sexual tension; it was dripping off the pages of Fumbled Hearts and running down my arms all while being balanced so perfect and meticulously with ever evolving emotions, feels... thoughts and character growth with such intricately woven humor, depth, vulnerability, and pacing that just kept dragging me further down the rabbit-hole of euphoric book nerd bliss. This freaking book!!! It sucked me in and wouldn't let me go and I was quite ok with that!
'That boy crept up on me like the fourth shot of Patron, warming my body from the inside out, leaving me feeling weightless and capable. Completely knocking me off my feet.'
I adored everything about Kalani, she's a spitfire, a no hold's bar chick with an air of mystery that gradually comes to light throughout the story and OH BOY! My freaking heart hurt for her!! But she's a tough cookie... and even though cookies sometimes get burnt, their center is still warm and gooey lol... well unless they get burnt too much... then you just need to make more cookie dough *wink*
Nate or Cocky Jock as I like to call him, likes to get down down down down down down in the sack. He's WAS a maaaaaaanwhoreeeee until Kalani came along. SQUEEE!! Yeah this bad boy, turned good guy is swoony AF when it comes to our girl Lolli! He's literally falling to his knees and tripping over his feet to spend time with her. GAH! I love when the bad boy reforms and falls for the girl of the story.
The push & pull, sexual tension, basically everything between Kalani and Nate had me like OMG *insert heart eyes here*! It's most definitely a roller-coaster ride from start to finish and what I'd give to read this book again for the first time, to be able to experience all the feels, emotions and chills of this slow burn romance all over again. God this hangover is going to suck!!!!!!
"We fumbled pretty good, didn't we?"
"Yeah, I guess we did."
Another manic book rambling brought to you by April;
Read & Share Book Reviews.
5 'Let me wake you up.' Stars
Loaded with all the turmoil and feels of a broken soul, the swoon of young love, and swagger of a high school jock my heart was certainly fumbling head over heels in love with Meagan Brandy's DEBUT novel!! Consumed and mesmerized, I was addicted from the first chapter and couldn't put this book down until it had been devoured. GAH! O.M.G it was simply amazing and holy freaking DEBUT PEOPLE!! DEBUT!!!
Drama, angst, and sexual tension; it was dripping off the pages of Fumbled Hearts and running down my arms all while being balanced so perfect and meticulously with ever evolving emotions, feels... thoughts and character growth with such intricately woven humor, depth, vulnerability, and pacing that just kept dragging me further down the rabbit-hole of euphoric book nerd bliss. This freaking book!!! It sucked me in and wouldn't let me go and I was quite ok with that!
'That boy crept up on me like the fourth shot of Patron, warming my body from the inside out, leaving me feeling weightless and capable. Completely knocking me off my feet.'
I adored everything about Kalani, she's a spitfire, a no hold's bar chick with an air of mystery that gradually comes to light throughout the story and OH BOY! My freaking heart hurt for her!! But she's a tough cookie... and even though cookies sometimes get burnt, their center is still warm and gooey lol... well unless they get burnt too much... then you just need to make more cookie dough *wink*
Nate or Cocky Jock as I like to call him, likes to get down down down down down down in the sack. He's WAS a maaaaaaanwhoreeeee until Kalani came along. SQUEEE!! Yeah this bad boy, turned good guy is swoony AF when it comes to our girl Lolli! He's literally falling to his knees and tripping over his feet to spend time with her. GAH! I love when the bad boy reforms and falls for the girl of the story.
The push & pull, sexual tension, basically everything between Kalani and Nate had me like OMG *insert heart eyes here*! It's most definitely a roller-coaster ride from start to finish and what I'd give to read this book again for the first time, to be able to experience all the feels, emotions and chills of this slow burn romance all over again. God this hangover is going to suck!!!!!!
"We fumbled pretty good, didn't we?"
"Yeah, I guess we did."
April 13, 2021
Well it was ok - I needed a little more action
Cute couple and cool characters..
It was a long book... with less action
Cute couple and cool characters..
It was a long book... with less action
June 7, 2022
dnf 19%
A beautiful girl with white-blonde hair descends, looking like a model on her runway. A large, dark-haired figure over her shoulder catches my attention and my eyes lift. I can’t quite make out his face from here, but I can tell he’s smirking and his shirt is hanging from his left hand. My attention turns back to the girl and, imagine that…suddenly, she looks a lot less beauteous, and a lot more bimbo. Her modelesque strut now looks like a runway show for a pro-ho. And I’m pretty sure that’s bleach-blonde, not beach-blonde.
I mean, I like to party and have a good time. Or at least, I used to. But that party felt more like a brothel house. The guys, all too attractive for their own good, with their sexy smirks glued in place, were passing out drinks left and right. No doubt trying to loosen up all the girls - pretty sure most of ‘em were already ‘loose’ - while the girls paraded around in “barely there” clothing, batting their eyelashes as they knocked back every drink thrown their way. Maybe that’s how they get what they want, with a little liquid courage.
To high school guys, new is code for fresh meat. For high school girls, it translates into one word: competition. I, for one, don’t want to be either.
“Hardly.” I check my back pocket to make sure I remembered my cash. “My teachers are assholes, the females are bitches, and the guys all look like they stepped out of Sports Illustrated magazine. Like, a ‘Sexiest Men of the Year’ edition.” I shake my head, not at all understanding. “This shit ain’t normal.”
“Let’s get this out of the way, okay?” His eyebrows pull together slightly, as he waits for me to continue. “I’m hella loud and tend to blurt out whatever I’m thinking, overly sexual or not, and I can be completely inappropriate. Basically, I’m like a guy.”
The guys in the class look away, as the females maneuver themselves into position, pushing their tits out and twirling their hair. Idiots.
would've read further if it weren't for kalani constantly slut-shaming other girls like bitch you don't even know them. she's so judgemental, unfunny, and super annoying. she's literally a pick me. sorry, my bad, she's nOt lIkE tHe oThEr gIrLs, "she's just like a guy". she ruined the book for me. she's a bitch. and lolli??? dumb ass fucking nickname lmao.
she's constantly trying to act like a cool girl but she comes off as desperate as if she's looking for validation from men. it’s like she had some grudge against women. and idk buy it says a lot about you as a woman if you’re calling other women ‘females’.
and how unrealistic can you get when you have a 18 year old girl telling a qualified football coach how to do his job????
literally why is it so hard for authors to write a fmc who doesn't put down other girls??? what do y'all get from making the fmc slut-shame/hate other girls?? it's overdone.
A beautiful girl with white-blonde hair descends, looking like a model on her runway. A large, dark-haired figure over her shoulder catches my attention and my eyes lift. I can’t quite make out his face from here, but I can tell he’s smirking and his shirt is hanging from his left hand. My attention turns back to the girl and, imagine that…suddenly, she looks a lot less beauteous, and a lot more bimbo. Her modelesque strut now looks like a runway show for a pro-ho. And I’m pretty sure that’s bleach-blonde, not beach-blonde.
I mean, I like to party and have a good time. Or at least, I used to. But that party felt more like a brothel house. The guys, all too attractive for their own good, with their sexy smirks glued in place, were passing out drinks left and right. No doubt trying to loosen up all the girls - pretty sure most of ‘em were already ‘loose’ - while the girls paraded around in “barely there” clothing, batting their eyelashes as they knocked back every drink thrown their way. Maybe that’s how they get what they want, with a little liquid courage.
To high school guys, new is code for fresh meat. For high school girls, it translates into one word: competition. I, for one, don’t want to be either.
“Hardly.” I check my back pocket to make sure I remembered my cash. “My teachers are assholes, the females are bitches, and the guys all look like they stepped out of Sports Illustrated magazine. Like, a ‘Sexiest Men of the Year’ edition.” I shake my head, not at all understanding. “This shit ain’t normal.”
“Let’s get this out of the way, okay?” His eyebrows pull together slightly, as he waits for me to continue. “I’m hella loud and tend to blurt out whatever I’m thinking, overly sexual or not, and I can be completely inappropriate. Basically, I’m like a guy.”
The guys in the class look away, as the females maneuver themselves into position, pushing their tits out and twirling their hair. Idiots.
would've read further if it weren't for kalani constantly slut-shaming other girls like bitch you don't even know them. she's so judgemental, unfunny, and super annoying. she's literally a pick me. sorry, my bad, she's nOt lIkE tHe oThEr gIrLs, "she's just like a guy". she ruined the book for me. she's a bitch. and lolli??? dumb ass fucking nickname lmao.
she's constantly trying to act like a cool girl but she comes off as desperate as if she's looking for validation from men. it’s like she had some grudge against women. and idk buy it says a lot about you as a woman if you’re calling other women ‘females’.
and how unrealistic can you get when you have a 18 year old girl telling a qualified football coach how to do his job????
literally why is it so hard for authors to write a fmc who doesn't put down other girls??? what do y'all get from making the fmc slut-shame/hate other girls?? it's overdone.
February 12, 2023
Highly entertaining, but with SO.MANY.ANNOYING.MOMENTS!
2/3 of the book the heroine had a laid back, "fuck it" attitude towards everything and even the hero. It was as if you would exchange the guy for any other dude, she'd still be down for it. It's one thing to save face and not show your feelings etc. But if I spend so much time in the heroine's head and KNOW for a fact that she doesn't give a flying fuck about him for the majority of the book...Not the stuff of romance novels. There's no vulnerability, no emotional connection at first.
Also, the heroine had a strong case of Mary-Sue-ness: beautiful as a picture, smart, sexy, rich, sure of herself, overly sarcastic. New girl at school and INSTANTLY friends with almost all of the guys, while her only girl friend was her cousin. Every other page a character would sing praises to the heroine. A guy she met on her first day at school, became her BFF in a matter of a couple days.
Somewhere around 65-70% mark the book was really great, but then the THIRD ACT BREAK-UP happened, in all its messed up glory. They hurt each other pretty badly, were miserable for a month or two, and then quickly made up in the last chapter. But see, even if their break-up was orchestrated by two jealous people outside of the couple, it still hurt, they still experienced those emotions, it still left an emotional scar. So to sweep it all under the rug, to go back on all the drama and just say that they both figured out they were played and forgive each other on the spot was...disappointing and weak for a finale, tbh.
2/3 of the book the heroine had a laid back, "fuck it" attitude towards everything and even the hero. It was as if you would exchange the guy for any other dude, she'd still be down for it. It's one thing to save face and not show your feelings etc. But if I spend so much time in the heroine's head and KNOW for a fact that she doesn't give a flying fuck about him for the majority of the book...Not the stuff of romance novels. There's no vulnerability, no emotional connection at first.
Also, the heroine had a strong case of Mary-Sue-ness: beautiful as a picture, smart, sexy, rich, sure of herself, overly sarcastic. New girl at school and INSTANTLY friends with almost all of the guys, while her only girl friend was her cousin. Every other page a character would sing praises to the heroine. A guy she met on her first day at school, became her BFF in a matter of a couple days.
Somewhere around 65-70% mark the book was really great, but then the THIRD ACT BREAK-UP happened, in all its messed up glory. They hurt each other pretty badly, were miserable for a month or two, and then quickly made up in the last chapter. But see, even if their break-up was orchestrated by two jealous people outside of the couple, it still hurt, they still experienced those emotions, it still left an emotional scar. So to sweep it all under the rug, to go back on all the drama and just say that they both figured out they were played and forgive each other on the spot was...disappointing and weak for a finale, tbh.
August 17, 2018
Not amused...
This book starts out with a whole lot of slut-shaming... Sure, the heroine chastises herself for being a judgmental bitch for criticizing and judging others based on what she is seeing at a party but it sounds more like: can you really blame me for slut-shaming when all the girls are scantily dressed and throw themselves at guys?
I guess it is going to Take a long, long, long, long, long time for us to finally get to the point where girls can also have awesome sex with multiple people and not be seen as sluts. Or have one night Stands or freaking kiss someone at a freaking party without being viewed as easy. But then of course, who is ever going to treat men and women as equal? That is still a thought for the Future
This book starts out with a whole lot of slut-shaming... Sure, the heroine chastises herself for being a judgmental bitch for criticizing and judging others based on what she is seeing at a party but it sounds more like: can you really blame me for slut-shaming when all the girls are scantily dressed and throw themselves at guys?
I guess it is going to Take a long, long, long, long, long time for us to finally get to the point where girls can also have awesome sex with multiple people and not be seen as sluts. Or have one night Stands or freaking kiss someone at a freaking party without being viewed as easy. But then of course, who is ever going to treat men and women as equal? That is still a thought for the Future
November 3, 2025
The most pick me heroine after Erica fane from Corrupt
October 7, 2017
This is a hard book for me to review. Parts of it I really enjoyed and other parts not so much. Lately I have been finding it hard to find books that hold my attention from start to finish but Fumbled Hearts definitely did. It was a longer read and yet it never felt like it. I would have even been happy to read more. It was kind of addictive even when there was drama. Sometimes there was way too much of it for my liking though. I found it hard to believe it was a high school romance. I think it would have been better set in college. I liked both the hero and heroine yet at times they made me so mad. I did however love Parker one of the secondary characters and I really can't wait for his story.
HEA
Cheating/OW/OM
Any push/pull
Any couple separation
Angst Level: High
Heat Level: High
Safety group triggers
HEA
Cheating/OW/OM
Any push/pull
Any couple separation
Angst Level: High
Heat Level: High
Safety group triggers
November 6, 2017
When I found myself at 10% or so and my eyes had already started to hurt form doing repeated eye rolls I knew this story would not work out for me. There is too much unrealistic stuff going on and the male lead is really not that "likeable" ... (Not even talking about the fact that they fall in love almost instandly .... yep me rolling my eyes while writing) ... but hey maybe YOU are looking for that kind of story then be my guest ... it is not bad written or anything just the way it is done ist not for me.
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February 6, 2024
3 Stars
**Due to some recent time-suck events in my life, I'm not doing my typical review format**
Quick Overall Opinion:This was based in high school and I didn't realize that these were characters I met in Say You Swear until I was already invested. I struggled with the mcs. The h more than the H. I also struggled with the dramatic climax. A little soap opera to me. And why did she have to be a ?! It just felt a little ridiculous in the end. Otherwise I did enjoy some parts.
**Due to some recent time-suck events in my life, I'm not doing my typical review format**
Quick Overall Opinion:This was based in high school and I didn't realize that these were characters I met in Say You Swear until I was already invested. I struggled with the mcs. The h more than the H. I also struggled with the dramatic climax. A little soap opera to me. And why did she have to be a ?! It just felt a little ridiculous in the end. Otherwise I did enjoy some parts.
September 28, 2017
Brilliant debut novel
This book came highly recommended to me from one of my closest friends and I am so glad I listened to her and took a chance on this book. It is by far and away one of the best debut novels that I've ever read. I loved every single thing about this book and didn't want it to end!!! I am speechless in the best way possible and I don't know how I will be able to read anything else after this. It was just brilliant and EVERYTHING!! Do yourself a favor and pick up this book! You won't regret it.
This book came highly recommended to me from one of my closest friends and I am so glad I listened to her and took a chance on this book. It is by far and away one of the best debut novels that I've ever read. I loved every single thing about this book and didn't want it to end!!! I am speechless in the best way possible and I don't know how I will be able to read anything else after this. It was just brilliant and EVERYTHING!! Do yourself a favor and pick up this book! You won't regret it.
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