Hard Pass

Rayton University #1

by K.G. Reuss

Two childhood rivals. A weekend in Vegas. And a challenge that changes everything.

Lexy

Travis Owens has been a pain since he tugged my ponytail and challenged me to our first dare when we were eight years old. Time hasn’t changed a thing in regards to the hotter-than-fire football hero, except the game we play with one another now has higher stakes.

A weekend in Vegas and a fake marriage assignment ensures nothing will ever be the same between us. Because I think I’m falling for my enemy, and the ring on my finger says he’s already won.

Travis

Lexy Hale is every guy’s wet dream, but she’s off-limits since she’s my best friend’s twin sister. I’ve spent our entire childhood challenging her to dares, hoping to one day beat her.

But she never backs down.

This time, I have a plan that will ensure I’ll win. A drunken night in Vegas and a fake marriage assignment are all I need to set this plan in motion. Except I didn’t plan on falling for her.

She thinks I’m just a jock with too many notches in my bedpost. Now, I need to prove her wrong because everything I’ve ever wanted is at stake. Getting her to marry me is the easy part. Trying to keep her is the real challenge.

Hard Pass is a standalone enemies to lovers college football romance. Guaranteed HEA. Contains mature content.

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, Sports, Sports Romance, College, Romance, New Adult, Fake Dating

434 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2020

About the author

Known mostly for being strange, USA Today bestselling author K.G. Reuss knows what it takes to wear the crown of town weirdo. A cemetery creeper and ghost enthusiast, K.G. spends most of her time toeing the line between imagination and forced adulthood.

After a stint in college in Iowa, K.G. moved back to her home in Michigan to work in emergency medicine. She's currently raising three small ghouls and is married to a vampire overlord.

K.G. is the author of The Everlasting Chronicles series, Emissary of the Devil series, The Chronicles of Winterset series, The Middle Road (with co-author CM Lally) Black Falls High series, Hard Pass, and Kings of Bolten with a ridiculous amount of other series set to be released.

Sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on all the things happening in her freakishly ghoulish world. You'll also receive episode one of her new short story series, The Blood Legacy Saga, a paranormal romance. https://claims.prolificworks.com/free...

Can't get enough? Visit her website at www.kgreuss.com or join her street team at www.facebook.com/groups/streetteamkgr... .

Stay ghoul, fellow weirdos.

Reviews

[Lisa :) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am I the only one who thinks that Travis is a freaking a**hole?
They spend a weekend with their friends in Vegas and Lexy gets drunk for the first time in her life and he totally takes advantage of that to win some kind of game?! He was sober enough to know that he was taking advantage of her inebriated state and does it anyway? What the actual f**k?
Also, Travis was the one who always dared Lexy. I think it was supposed bring Lexy out of her shell or something but in only showed an imbalance of power between the characters. Lexy always accepted the dares but never pushed back or challenged Travis in return.

I love the enemies-to-lovers trope but I need both characters to push and pull. I want them to fight their attraction to the point that they almost combust and finally give in and not because of some stupid dare because a spoiled man-child is afraid of losing.

I also didn‘t particularly like Lexy. She complained a lot about Travis teasing her but besides being bitchy from time to time she never really stood up to him or challenged him.

[Melluvsbooks]

DNF @ 4% - F2L -
Shes had a front row seat to all his whoring around FOR YEARS. I shut the book when she asked him about his daily bimbo blow job. 😐 She wasn’t joking. Neither was he.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic contemporary romance, enemies to lovers twist. Childhood frenemies now college students discover they share more chemistry than their discord. Heartbreaker, (football) player Travis and studious, good girl Lexy play out their drama and realize their feelings in this slow / medium, push and pull romance. Prompted by a faux marriage university assignment, the two main characters embark on this compelling romance.

This story was well-written with all the feels -- angst, unbidden attraction, and eventually love. I liked the forbidden sister of best-friend theme as well. I loved the display of vulnerability one might not expect from a hero who captured ladies' hearts with ease to having to work for Lexy's affection. Supporting characters contributed nicely to the plot showcasing the storyline, and in fact, had me hoping to read their individual stories.

Overall, classic romance favoring push and pull, medium, and lighter themes.

[sarai · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked it. then i hated it, then i liked it again

[Sammy ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[NSCREADER · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!!

Another awesome book by K.G. Reuss. I have be impatiently waiting for Hard Pass for what feels like forever! And I was not disappointed. From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked. I could not get enough of the story and found myself 100% invested in not only Travis and Lexy's story but also the side character storylines too.

I loved the back and forth between Travis and Lexy. They have known each other their whole lives and have a love/hate relationship. Travis is her twin brothers best friend who has non stop teased and tormented her. Lexy hates him and does not sugarcoat how much of an annoyance she thinks he is. The banter they have is so entertaining and I couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of their interactions.

It all starts with a fake marriage for an assignment and then somehow turns in to frenemies with benefits. Honestly, their whole plan was absolutely ridiculous! How they thought they could go through with it without feelings involved was beyond me. They were delusional. They had no idea what their real feelings were for one another even though it was clear as anything to everyone around them. It was incredibly frustrating at times because lets be honest, it was disaster waiting to happen! They were so sweet and perfect together so I knew that when it all came crashing down, it was going to hurt. Really hurt. And it did. The emotions I felt were all too much. Travis cried. Lexy cried. I EFFING CRIED!!!!!

Travis was super sexy. Especially in the bedroom. He needs a filter at times though because he says some really stupid shit. Like he really knows how to put his foot in it. But boy can he make you swooooooooon. When he is in his romantic element, he is just divine. What I loved most about him, and it came as a complete shock because it was so unexpected, was that he was not afraid to show emotion and reading that had me falling head over heels in love with him.

I adored this book! It was honestly an amazing enemies to lovers romance that gave you all the feels! And that ending!! Gahhhhh! It gave me some serious butterflies and left the biggest smile on my face. I didn't want it to end!

[Brittany (happy.ending.always) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Standing Ovation! Gives You All the Feels!!!

Wow! This beautiful amazing book. I was looking for an extra swoony gives you all the feels type of book. Loving K.G. Reuss’ Black Falls High series, I thought I would give this a shot. I mean look at the cover, the cover alone is amazing, I had know idea what the book was about but started reading it anyway. Next thing I know it was 3 in the morning and I was 1/2 way through the entire book! I didn’t want to put it down. But I also didn’t want to rush the amazing story.

Travis and Lexy are amazing! Enemies paired up for a class project, what could go wrong there? Oh two people who constantly tease and push each other’s buttons can work quickly to get the project done, right? But guess what, the project is a semester long project, so hold onto your hats, strap in and get ready for so much amazing tension that the chemistry will be flying off the pages!

I loved this book so much. The cover alone is hot and beautiful. The writing is entertaining and pulls you in, in the best way possible. I was laughing, I was crying, but mostly I was swooning so hard! This is a must read, give it all the stars, as it is enjoyable, fun and grabs your attention from page one!

[Beeg Panda · Rating 2 out of 5]

a really good grovel
(she made him work for it)
he should NOT have put himself in that situation in the first place...
he isn't entirely truthful about it but maybe he'll do better in future....because, if his present (and past) is any indication, he'll be in that same situation again...and again...

[Kalli Kounavong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis is giving men everywhere a high bar to reach! I really enjoyed this book. The chemistry is palpable between Travis and Lexy. I've never been so jealous of fictional characters in my life!! Such a good book. 5 stars and 2 thumbs way up.

[Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enemy to Liverpool trope
Secret/ fake marriage
Star player / in every way
childhood rivals
OW drama
Grovelling
A challenge made and an accepted

Outcome? Keeping the fake marriage real.
A standalone, enemies to lover, college football romance.

New author and a different take on of the fake marriage trope.

Good story. Looking forward to the next one.

[ies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Khas romcom lah... meski leadnya agak menyebalkan, karena sama2 overthinking... tp dlm kehidupan nyata jg kan, mikirin pros con nya sampai lama ahahahaha


Bukunya Ava & Alex ntr ya 2022

[C L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was able to get through it but it was just so unrealistic and over the top. Wasn’t a fan of either of the MCs

[🦉Maggie Whitworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
🥵🥵
😢

I’ve decided that it doesn’t seem to matter what I read from this author, I love it.
Haven’t found a bad one yet.
This is a great sports romance, tears in places , great characters and fantastic story.

[Eliza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn’t crazy about this one. It was the same old plot told in the same old way. I got into it as the story went on though, as I became more convinced of their chemistry. I really liked the hero toward the end. And the sex scenes were pretty sweet.

The hero got her wasted for the first time in her life, and deliberately took advantage of her drunkenness to marry her and get her to sleep with him. That shit was fucked up.

The characters were so exaggerated. The h was a virgin and a fuddy-duddy. Also, a real dick to the hero.

In the beginning, the H appeared to have had a sex addiction. There's hot football star getting laid, and then there was this guy. It was several times a day, different women each time. It was worrisome.

Other than the h and her best friend, every female character in this book was rabidly, obsessively vying to give the hero a no-strings-attached dick sucking. There was one lurking everywhere the hero goes, waiting in the wings like little goblins, shamelessly and aggressively trying to get his dick in their mouth. They had no morals, integrity, standards, or really any characteristic other than single-minded desire to provide the hot football star oral pleasure.

So we are to look down on these women, these lesser antagonists, evil girls with their sexuality and their tempting of our hero. Meanwhile, our heroine is lauded as this paragon of virtue because she kept her pussy locked up tight for her future husband and didn't drink. She's worthy of humanity.

FUCK THAT. Sex is a fun activity. Women who have sex aren't any less moral or human than those that don't, and I'm sick of reading stories that presume otherwise. Dick doesn't taint us, or make us less pure. That's just a bullshit notion from shitty men from a thousand years ago, when women were their property and wanted to make sure that their kid was theirs.

They were supposed to be playing college football, but they never seemed to have to do any football shit. He was a Heisman hopeful and he was partying all the time, eating whatever he wants, taking three days off to go to on trips without so much as working out? And he was the president of their frat, but seemingly never had any fraternity shit to do? AND he was apparently magna cum laude, on top of all that, but you never caught him studying except for this one assignment. At one point he even said he had a job, too! All of that together was so unrealistic it was absurd. I'm pretty sure you're not even allowed to be in a frat or have a job when you're playing a D1 college sport.

What was up with a college sociology professor giving a high school health class/family planning assignment?

What kind of sadists name their twin children Alex and Alexis?

This was written in 2020, but it felt at least a decade old. Guys wearing popped collars? College kids obsessing about facebook? I don't know if it was supposed to take place in the past or not.

Motherfucker I'm going to kill the next fictional heroine who makes a major decision out of heartbreak without so much as talking to the guy. Every goddamn time. I understand the need for drama, but having these heroines play the victim in this same way over and over, just to amp things up a little, is infuriating. It's always the same: the h is heartbroken, but is too stubborn and melodramatic to allow any communication that would obviously alleviate the problem. They wallow and pout like a child for an annoyingly long time.

In this case, the h wasn't just dumb, she was cruel, and totally inconsiderate of the feelings of the man she supposedly loved. Pouting like a child all through Christmas? I can't respect that. The author sacrificed the heroine's character in the service of some late in the game drama. It ruins the story for me every time.

The hero, however, became awesome. It was probably my favorite part of the book to see this cocky douche be so comfortable with his emotions.

I'll probably read the next book. Maybe I'll have better luck with Ava.

[Rain · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can’t

This was a very rare DNF for me. It’s just bad. This guy is thinking about the heroine, but hooks up with 3 different girls in one day. That’s what we read about for the first 40 pages. He cannot keep his hand our d*** out of another girl to even give a decent inner monologue. He’s doing while he’s inside them. He rolls one out of his bed in the morning. Takes off with another after his 8 am class. Was supposed to re hook up with the first girl for a library bj (but we don’t if he did, I’m guessing yes, cause why not at this point) the meets yet another girl that night. 2 out of three it’d these were detailed sex scenes. It just never stops. It’s completely laughable, and bordering on creepy. Yes people like sexZ but this guy has no standards and does nothing else with his life. He’s supposed to be Up for the Heisman award, yet he no practices or anything even at the start of the season. He just has all of the free time in the world to run off with every single skank who smiles at him. He also drinks all the time and jets off to Vegas for the weekend at his leisure. I don’t think this author even understands college athletics at all, or probably even what the Heisman is. Anyway back to the bad plot. The heroine is a virgin of course, per the norm in these books. She’s watched him live like a rock star with a harem for years. So romantic. Thus whole idea what just a joke.

[Anni · Rating 2 out of 5]

if the writing hadn't been all over the place this could have been a pretty good book. I liked the plot but hated the writing. also I don't give more than 2 stars to books that bash on other women for no reason but to make their heroine look good. proclaiming every women easy and making her get bat shit crazy over the hero. why is that still a thing... oh right because then the heroine and her virginity can be presented as super special and pure - she's just different, you know. Well no. she isn't. she just hasn't had sex yet. and apparently she doesnt ever drink - until suddenly she does. which is all fine buuut... is it supposed to be her fall from grace? I don't know. I'm rambling but then that's what the book did.. go on and on and on while I was just hoping it would end. Oh and I somehow didnt expect it to be a college romance? but that's my mistake. the blurb I read sounded like it was about people in their late twenties.


p. s. as a sociologists I really wonder how people study sociology in the US - I'm a nerd for social sciences and I didn't get it at all. why were they supposed to pretent to be married? was it some micro sociology course on the inner workings of relationships? if so... the fact that communication is key is a rather weak finding for a term long study. once again I wonder - is uni in the states really that different from Europe? 🤣

[Lory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an addictive, laugh-out-loud, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance that delivers all the delicious tropes fake dating (well, fake marriage, actually), brother’s best friend, childhood frenemies turned something more, and the kind of tension that practically crackles off the page.

Lexy and Travis have known (and lowkey loathed) each other for as long as they can remember. She’s the straight-laced, sarcastic twin sister. He’s the cocky football heartbreaker who lives to push her buttons. So of course when a college class pairs them up for a fake marriage project, chaos and chemistry ensues.

What starts as playful hate and ridiculous rules turns into stolen glances, unspoken feelings, and a whole lot of what the hell are we doing? Their banter is whip-smart and sharp-edged in the best way there were moments I genuinely laughed out loud. But underneath the teasing and tension is a surprising emotional depth. Travis, the guy who could have any girl, suddenly finds himself having to work for the one he can’t stop thinking about. And Lexy? She starts to see that maybe her childhood tormentor knows her better than she thought.

This book gave me all the feels angst, attraction, vulnerability, and that sweet, satisfying payoff we crave from a great romance. The forbidden love angle (best friend’s sister!) just added fuel to the fire. And the supporting cast? Let’s just say I’m already crossing my fingers for a spin-off or two.

If you love stories with enemies who don’t realize they’re soulmates, fake relationships that spiral into something real, and perfectly imperfect characters who fight their feelings every step of the way only to fall harder Hard Pass is a hard YES.

[Maddie (Bookaholic_Dreamer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOT DAMN MOTHER CHUCKER!!!

I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH BUT K.G. REUSS BOOKS ARE GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME!

ROMANTIC, HOT, SEXY, HEARTBREAKING, HILARIOUS, BEAUTIFUL, SWEET, CHEESY and MORE is what this book is!

Lexy ‘Alexis’ Sophia Hale and Travis Michael Owens have grown up as frenemies. But what happens when a class marriage assignment turns into the real deal after Travis challenges her to make it real during their trip to Vegas?!
AN EXPLOSION of some many EMOTIONS and FEELINGS and MORE.
Their story was like riding a crazy rollercoaster, watching them battle their growing feelings for one another like the TWISTS and TURNS on the rollercoaster. Never knowing when it’s going to hit you and how hard of a hit to expect!

Travis and Lexy were everything and more! The chemistry between them was definitely there and watching it grow between them (alongside their feeings for one another) with each interaction was HOT, SEXY, SWEET and BEAUTIFUL all together!
I HONESTLY COULD NOT GET ENOUGH!

ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN from K.G. yet again with Lexy and Travis’s AH-MAZING story!
A PERFECT HEA ENDING!
DEFINITELY 100% #MUSTREAD!!!

[Bre Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this

This book was so good. I don’t know how I’m just now finding out about this book. It’s an enemies to lovers romance with a marriage by a dare. Travis is Lexy’s brother Alex’s best friend. They’ve been arguing and disagreeing with each other since they were children. The two of them get partnered in class for a marriage project so they have to start hanging out together. They have this thing that they do where they dare each other and they can’t back down unless they want an extremely embarrassing punishment. After a drunken night in Vegas Travis dares Lexy to marry him for real. Lexy takes him up in the dare and that causes a whole lot of drama. They lie to everyone around them and ‘pretend’ to be married for their project. As they keep up this rise they both start to fall for each other. I love Travis and Lexy! Their relationship is so chaotic, messy, and beautiful. This book was an amazing read! I can’t wait for Alex and Ava’s book.

🌹Enemies to Lovers
📚College Romance
💍Marriage
🏈Football

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

[Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenge !

This was a super cute and fun read. I read the entire thing in 1 sitting.

Lexy and Travis have grown up together being frenemies and love to “up” one another. It isn’t really until they are placed in a Husband and Wife role with each other for a class assignment that they start to see each other in a different light. Fast track to a drunk night in Vegas. They get married.
Travis is normally the ladies man and has them in rotation while Lexy is the stay at home and study kind. The two battle back and forth with all sorts of twists and turns to see if their feelings turn into something more or if it was doomed from the start.

This was super cute. The banter back and forth was entertaining and the author left room for more books to continue on in this world about the other characters involved. This was my first book by this author but I’m glad I gave it a shot. I look forward on reading more.

[Brooklyn Van Antwerp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Pass

I love a good enemies to lovers romance, but I love it even more when the main characters have a history between them.
Travis has always been a jerk to Lexy, from pulling her hair and pushing her into mud, to challenging her to do the stupidest things. One drunken night while in Vegas, their game of challenge goes a bit too far. They end up married.
I loved watching both Travis and Lexy navigate their feelings to try to get to the end of their college semester while being married.
Throughout the story, I wasn’t sure if I truly liked Travis. The way he challenge Lexy to marry him, knowing she wouldn’t back down, rubbed me the wrong way. Yes they were both drunk, but still. He kind of knew what he was doing. I’m the end though, he won me over. He loved Lexy from the very start, he just didn’t know it.
Hard Pass is another book I get to add to my favorites list!!

[Kim Equi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put it down !!

K. G. Reuss delivers an amazing enemies to lovers romance. Our strong and stubborn, take-no-bs, heroine Lexy falls for the hot, sexy, love-to-hate Travis, who also happens to be Lexy's brother's best friend. Having been challenging each other since childhood, Travis takes the opportunity to present Lexy with the ultimate challenge when a sociology project pairs them together.

I loved the back and forth, the sexual tension, the emotional rollercoaster. You will laugh, cry, and swoon with every page but our heroes are full of passion and wit. Every touch and every kiss between these characters will make you fall in love. I loved every piece of this book, I could not put it down, kudos to K. G. Reuss!! Amazing! Awesome! Wonderful! Can't wait for upcoming releases.

[Kayla Pocernich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis and Lexy have known each other their whole lives and they have a love/hate relationship. Travis is her twin brothers best friend who has non stop teased and tormented her. Lexy hates him and does not sugarcoat how much of an annoyance she thinks he is. The banter between Lexy and Travis is pure gold and entertaining. This all begins with a fake marriage for an assignment and then somehow turns in to frenemies with benefits. But one trip to Las Vegas with some friends causes a little bit of chaos and an unexpected turn of events for these two and a trip that these two will never forget. Will Travis but aside his playboy ways and be the man that Lexy needs him to be or will there relationship be over before it even started. I loved this book and I loved reading Travis's and Lexy's story.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled across this randomly, was really surprised on how much I enjoyed this book!

Lexy and Travis have HISTORY... Like in insane amount. The feelings start off rocky due to the enemies portion of the book. After getting past the first few chapters, I really enjoyed the up/down feelings along with the plot/resolution. There were moments of frustration, swooning, and laughter between the group of friends surrounding them.

It was honestly, everything needed in a enemies to lovers book. Which is why I am so shocked to see this get so many bad reviews lol. My suggestion to any future readers is to dive in head first if you like angst, a hero who gets served reality by heroine (always a favorite!) and a emotional love story.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and definitely will not be my last.

I really love the banter and chemistry between Travis and Lexy. They were fun to follow. They definitely had some pent up feelings which made for some great spice sprinkled throughout the story.

I do wish Lexy would have communicated her feelings more. It would have definitely been more of an asset to the story. She really seemed to get in her head and shut down which cause issues with she and Travis.

I cannot wait to read more of this series.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!!

I loved this one!! I went into this one blind. I was looking for a sports romance that wasn’t hockey, and I found this one. It was great and it had me hooked!! How do you navigate a fake relationship with your long time enemy? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…unless it’s a marriage certificate. Do you run from the mistake or do you play the game? Read and find out if Lexy is what Travis needed all along and if Travis is someone Lexy can build a life with. 5⭐️ and the spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t even know why I finished this book. It was awful. The writing was flat, there was zero chemistry with Travis and Lexy - it seemed forced and just so unnatural- and the story was all over the place. It was this weird insta love even though they grew up together, just all over the place and Lexy was just irritating and immature. Not that Travis was a peach himself. They’re both just insanely immature characters and a poorly written book.

[London D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring read

It was an ok read, a little tedious from the beginning to the end. I could not connect with the main characters. The game and challenges they both played were childish. I was disappointed with the epilogue; I expected a little more details. I skipped a lot of paragraphs. Honestly, it indeed was a dull, not interesting story. The author wrote an extremely stubborn female that I viewed the character tiresome. I am not interested in continuing to read the series.

[Lorraine Kaplan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis & Alexis

Can these two have been more perfect for each other? They have known each other for years, Travis is the best friend of her twin brother. They have had a very antagonistic relationship always challenging each other to dares. Things start getting real when Travis dares Alexis to marry him when the whole group goes to Vegas. Great story with all the feels and you will need some tissues.

[Rashonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very solid enemies to lovers book. I felt so bad for the ml though, he was literally crying for her to listen to him. In all my years of reading romance books, I've never seen a guy cry over his girlfriend breaking up with him. At this point just hear the man out lol. Also the brother was so oblivious, he constantly flirted with her and acted possessive over her in front of him and he only caught on when he actually confirmed it... where have you been this whole time.