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University of Atlanta #2
Hard Drive
Hi, my name’s Annie Clark, and I’ve managed to flip my quiet, nerdy, single life completely upside down.
First, I recently figured out that I’m bisexual.
Second, Eve Frederick, star softball player and my ultimate crush, asked me out on a date.
Third, she rocked my world, and now I can’t stop thinking I want more… even though Eve is not into relationships.
And to top it all off, someone took a private video of us and is threatening to make it public.
It’s enough to make me want to go back to hiding out in my dorm room—but only if I can take Eve with me.
First, I recently figured out that I’m bisexual.
Second, Eve Frederick, star softball player and my ultimate crush, asked me out on a date.
Third, she rocked my world, and now I can’t stop thinking I want more… even though Eve is not into relationships.
And to top it all off, someone took a private video of us and is threatening to make it public.
It’s enough to make me want to go back to hiding out in my dorm room—but only if I can take Eve with me.
Unknown Binding
Published October 1, 2021
1 person is currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Shae Connor
45 books75 followersShae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she’s a lackadaisical government worker by day and writes sweet-hot romance under the cover of night. She’s been making things up for as long as she can remember, but it took her a while to figure out that maybe she should try writing them down.
Shae is part Jersey, part Irish, and all Southern, which explains why she never shuts up. When she’s not chained to her laptop, she enjoys cooking, traveling, watching baseball, reading voraciously, giving and receiving hugs, and wearing tiaras. In her copious spare time, she volunteers as director and editor of the Dragon Con on-site publication, the Daily Dragon.
Shae is part Jersey, part Irish, and all Southern, which explains why she never shuts up. When she’s not chained to her laptop, she enjoys cooking, traveling, watching baseball, reading voraciously, giving and receiving hugs, and wearing tiaras. In her copious spare time, she volunteers as director and editor of the Dragon Con on-site publication, the Daily Dragon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 9, 2021
Thank you to PrideBookTour & Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was super cute, a little bit smutty and super sapphic!
Annie has just come to terms with being bisexual. She spends most of her time hiding in her dorm room working on electronics repairs. Occasionally, she attends the Tornadoes softball games so she can admire her crush, Eve Frederick. After Annie helps save Eve's computer before an important deadline, Eve asks her out. The two fall into a fast and fiery relationship. But Eve is known as someone who only does causal hookups. When she ghosts Annie, could that be true?
My new favorite thing is lesbian characters saying "I'm gay, I still have eyes".
Okay my biggest complaint is about the synopsis rather than the content of the book itself. The synopsis makes it seem like there's a graphic video of Eve and Annie circulating and while there is a video, it doesn't come into play until like 80% through. So really, that's more a spoiler than anything.
I absolutely loved the book itself. I wish I hadn't read the synopsis ahead of time, but oh well. Annie was a great narrator. I loved her and getting to see another way intense anxiety can manifest. It felt realistic and I loved how the other characters accommodated Annie when she needed it. I also loved that the school didn't make her do presentations or speeches since she has anxiety! I wish accommodations like that were more normal.
I loved the romance between Annie and Eve. I ship them so much. They were absolutely adorable together. I really liked how they went back to being friends after Eve broke Annie's trust. I love seeing a relationship being worked on and given the time and respect it needs to heal. I love seeing healthy relationships portrayed in fiction.
Seeing this is listed as a series has me side-eyeing both book 1 which is out, and book 3 which is coming (I wonder if it will be about Mo).
Rep: Bisexual female MC with anxiety, sapphic female love interest, BIPOC lesbian female side character, MLM side couple.
CWs: Alcohol consumption, grief, mental illness (anxiety), public outing, panic attacks, sexual content. Moderate: fatphobia, bullying, past mentions of abandonment, addiction, alcoholism, child abuse, and drug use.
This was super cute, a little bit smutty and super sapphic!
Annie has just come to terms with being bisexual. She spends most of her time hiding in her dorm room working on electronics repairs. Occasionally, she attends the Tornadoes softball games so she can admire her crush, Eve Frederick. After Annie helps save Eve's computer before an important deadline, Eve asks her out. The two fall into a fast and fiery relationship. But Eve is known as someone who only does causal hookups. When she ghosts Annie, could that be true?
My new favorite thing is lesbian characters saying "I'm gay, I still have eyes".
Okay my biggest complaint is about the synopsis rather than the content of the book itself. The synopsis makes it seem like there's a graphic video of Eve and Annie circulating and while there is a video, it doesn't come into play until like 80% through. So really, that's more a spoiler than anything.
I absolutely loved the book itself. I wish I hadn't read the synopsis ahead of time, but oh well. Annie was a great narrator. I loved her and getting to see another way intense anxiety can manifest. It felt realistic and I loved how the other characters accommodated Annie when she needed it. I also loved that the school didn't make her do presentations or speeches since she has anxiety! I wish accommodations like that were more normal.
I loved the romance between Annie and Eve. I ship them so much. They were absolutely adorable together. I really liked how they went back to being friends after Eve broke Annie's trust. I love seeing a relationship being worked on and given the time and respect it needs to heal. I love seeing healthy relationships portrayed in fiction.
Seeing this is listed as a series has me side-eyeing both book 1 which is out, and book 3 which is coming (I wonder if it will be about Mo).
Rep: Bisexual female MC with anxiety, sapphic female love interest, BIPOC lesbian female side character, MLM side couple.
CWs: Alcohol consumption, grief, mental illness (anxiety), public outing, panic attacks, sexual content. Moderate: fatphobia, bullying, past mentions of abandonment, addiction, alcoholism, child abuse, and drug use.
October 3, 2021
Annie Clark is an extremely introverted computer studies student at university. She has just come to terms with her bisexuality while crushing on Eve Frederick, the star player of the varsity softball team.
The story is written in first person narrative from Annie’s point of view so there is very little softball and lots of computer talk which makes the title Hard Drive cunningly duplicitous.
Shae Connor writes about Annie’s first time budding romance with a woman with compassion and empathy. The internal dialogue is realistic however a tad repetitive.
Both Annie and Eve are very likeable characters. There is just enough softball to warrant the bat and glove on the cover. The angst is the over used lack of communication but with an interesting twist. This twist is left incomplete once the angst section was over and left me with unanswered questions.
This is definitely a light romantic read for those days when you just want to be entertained.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
The story is written in first person narrative from Annie’s point of view so there is very little softball and lots of computer talk which makes the title Hard Drive cunningly duplicitous.
Shae Connor writes about Annie’s first time budding romance with a woman with compassion and empathy. The internal dialogue is realistic however a tad repetitive.
Both Annie and Eve are very likeable characters. There is just enough softball to warrant the bat and glove on the cover. The angst is the over used lack of communication but with an interesting twist. This twist is left incomplete once the angst section was over and left me with unanswered questions.
This is definitely a light romantic read for those days when you just want to be entertained.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
November 12, 2021
*I was sent this ARC in exchange for an honest review
2.5*
I want to start off by saying I appreciate the author for writing this book. This is a concept I have wanted to read for so long. Like seriously. I've been screaming about how I wanted a sapphic softball romance for years now, so when this one popped up in my inbox I knew I had to have it. With that being said, I think I might have built this book up in my head because I've wanted it for so long. So I think the book had potential and maybe my expectations were just too high, but this just fell flat in too many ways for me.
I felt like the story didn't deliver the premise I was sold. Yes one of our heroines is a softball player and we get a couple of scenes with the field/games, but I was hoping for more. That is probably just the former softball player in me, so I let that slide, but the characters just felt forced together. Their coming together didn't feel natural. It just felt like the author was looking for a reason to force these two girls together and this was her best solution. Also, I didn't get why these two should be together. I didn't feel their chemistry. The steamy scenes were just lacking in details and length.
I loved the concept behind the book and I'm so glad we are getting more sapphic romances, but as a wlw, this one just didn't work for me.
Okay so this had potential and maybe my expectations were just way too high going into it, but this book honestly just fell flat.
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I have many thoughts but the most prominent one at the moment is the misquoted supernatural reference from the main character who claimed to watch the show religiously in high school, followed by the two heroines stating they would marathon the show now that it’s over because they would take any excuse to watch Jensen ackles for hours on end. Tho I agree with this statement, it felt like cruel and unusual punishment
2.5*
I want to start off by saying I appreciate the author for writing this book. This is a concept I have wanted to read for so long. Like seriously. I've been screaming about how I wanted a sapphic softball romance for years now, so when this one popped up in my inbox I knew I had to have it. With that being said, I think I might have built this book up in my head because I've wanted it for so long. So I think the book had potential and maybe my expectations were just too high, but this just fell flat in too many ways for me.
I felt like the story didn't deliver the premise I was sold. Yes one of our heroines is a softball player and we get a couple of scenes with the field/games, but I was hoping for more. That is probably just the former softball player in me, so I let that slide, but the characters just felt forced together. Their coming together didn't feel natural. It just felt like the author was looking for a reason to force these two girls together and this was her best solution. Also, I didn't get why these two should be together. I didn't feel their chemistry. The steamy scenes were just lacking in details and length.
I loved the concept behind the book and I'm so glad we are getting more sapphic romances, but as a wlw, this one just didn't work for me.
Okay so this had potential and maybe my expectations were just way too high going into it, but this book honestly just fell flat.
--------
I have many thoughts but the most prominent one at the moment is the misquoted supernatural reference from the main character who claimed to watch the show religiously in high school, followed by the two heroines stating they would marathon the show now that it’s over because they would take any excuse to watch Jensen ackles for hours on end. Tho I agree with this statement, it felt like cruel and unusual punishment
September 25, 2021
This is a new adult/YA type story. Annie Clark is in college. She has just come out to friends as bisexual and her girl crush is softball pitcher Eve Frederick. Annie also suffers from social anxiety and is comfortable in her room doing her side hustle of fixing computers and electronics. When Eve needs her computer fixed the two meet.
Everything is told from Annie's POV. We get to see her nerves at a first date and first time being with someone. Also her feelings when things don't go smoothly. Eve has a reputation as a casual dater but strangely that isn't addressed or discussed. The drama is limited and easy to figure out. I enjoyed reading the book but there isn't much depth beyond the blurb. It left me happy and the ending felt realistic for a college relationship. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Everything is told from Annie's POV. We get to see her nerves at a first date and first time being with someone. Also her feelings when things don't go smoothly. Eve has a reputation as a casual dater but strangely that isn't addressed or discussed. The drama is limited and easy to figure out. I enjoyed reading the book but there isn't much depth beyond the blurb. It left me happy and the ending felt realistic for a college relationship. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2021
This is a quick and easy read of a sweet romance between two coeds. It’s not spectacular by any means but that doesn’t;t mean that’s anything wrong with it. It just a standard coming off age wow romance that is suitable on a nice relaxing afternoon.
Annie is a computer geek, more hardware than software, with social anxiety issues that has a crush on softball star Eve. Eve has a love them and leave them reputation but that’s not addressed at any point, nor do we see any proof of that. Brought together by an overheated laptop they start dating. It’s sweet and endearing and what a perfect college romance would be like, mostly. I’m giving this 3.5 stars.
I voluntary read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Entagled for this free ARC.
Annie is a computer geek, more hardware than software, with social anxiety issues that has a crush on softball star Eve. Eve has a love them and leave them reputation but that’s not addressed at any point, nor do we see any proof of that. Brought together by an overheated laptop they start dating. It’s sweet and endearing and what a perfect college romance would be like, mostly. I’m giving this 3.5 stars.
I voluntary read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Entagled for this free ARC.
October 26, 2021
This was an enjoyable read.
I like stories like these because they provide LGBTQI representation that's breezy and blends in with all the other books in its category.
I held my breath for most of the book because I was terrified that Eve might be trying to play a cruel joke on Annie, but instead I got a cute romance with great sex.
Some room for improvement, but not a bad book at all.
I like stories like these because they provide LGBTQI representation that's breezy and blends in with all the other books in its category.
I held my breath for most of the book because I was terrified that Eve might be trying to play a cruel joke on Annie, but instead I got a cute romance with great sex.
Some room for improvement, but not a bad book at all.
October 13, 2021
Socially anxious computer geek meets softball girlboss at college? I was honestly so here for this!
This was a very cute, quick and easy sapphic romance to read with a little bit of smut to top things off. Annie, our main character who has recently come out as bisexual is a quiet, awkward shut-in who spends most of her time repairing fellow students’ electronics for some extra cash. She also has a habit of frequenting the Tornadoes home softball games so that she can get a glimpse of Eve, the edgy and fiery star player.
Annie was relatable and her social anxieties felt authentic to read. There was a scene where Annie wasn’t sure if Eve had asked her out on a date or had asked to hang out as friends and that, to me, is the epitome of sapphic panic.
Some phrases in the narration and dialogue at times didn’t sit right with me and didn’t seem to fit the profile of a contemporary college student but this was nothing that I couldn’t move past.
I felt that towards the end, the angst was introduced and resolved a bit too quickly, with actions that I personally would have expected to result in heavier consequences, however, I do appreciate the way Annie and Eve resolve their conflict in the end with good communication.
As a lesbian in Australia with absolutely no knowledge of sports, the softball and baseball aspects of the novel were easy to follow and not at all too dry, which is nice because it doesn’t isolate the reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for supplying an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
This was a very cute, quick and easy sapphic romance to read with a little bit of smut to top things off. Annie, our main character who has recently come out as bisexual is a quiet, awkward shut-in who spends most of her time repairing fellow students’ electronics for some extra cash. She also has a habit of frequenting the Tornadoes home softball games so that she can get a glimpse of Eve, the edgy and fiery star player.
Annie was relatable and her social anxieties felt authentic to read. There was a scene where Annie wasn’t sure if Eve had asked her out on a date or had asked to hang out as friends and that, to me, is the epitome of sapphic panic.
Some phrases in the narration and dialogue at times didn’t sit right with me and didn’t seem to fit the profile of a contemporary college student but this was nothing that I couldn’t move past.
I felt that towards the end, the angst was introduced and resolved a bit too quickly, with actions that I personally would have expected to result in heavier consequences, however, I do appreciate the way Annie and Eve resolve their conflict in the end with good communication.
As a lesbian in Australia with absolutely no knowledge of sports, the softball and baseball aspects of the novel were easy to follow and not at all too dry, which is nice because it doesn’t isolate the reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for supplying an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
October 16, 2021
“Hard Drive” is everything you could ask for out of a short, sweet, femme bisexual romance… almost. And I do absolutely mean that! It is a nice length for anyone who doesn’t want to commit to a long read (like, say, you just want something to read one evening when you have a little time free and just need to relax), it’s relatively low-angst for those who don’t want to be stressed out by what they’re reading, the main characters are very likeable (so you don’t have to work hard to love them), the steamier scenes aren’t too spicy for more conservative readers but are still present for those of us who didn’t open this book just to see all the steam happen off-page, there is some warm and fuzzy romance feelies, and a HEA at the end. So yeah, it’s just about everything you could ask for out of what this book looks like and sounds like it’s supposed to be.
Of course there’s a “but”. You knew a “but” was coming. The plot is incredibly boring, making the book relatively boring. The antagonist, who is supposed to be hidden, is easy to suss out very early in the book and it makes the main characters look dumb for not figuring it out sooner. I felt the author needed a sensitivity reader for issues regarding and surrounding anxiety and panic issues because they weren’t handled with as much care as some other books in the same genre that have included the same issue in their books that I’ve read in the last couple of years, and when the turn came, it seemed overblown which made the resolution seem utterly anticlimactic. Ultimately, in the end, nothing the two main characters went through paid off. It was as if you could have cut out 50% of this book and had the same result and the rest was just melodrama.
But I do still give it three stars because for what it is packaged as, it lives up to the wrapping. It is sweet, cute, a little sexy, gave me some warm fuzzies, and I am always happy to read almost any story where members of the alphabet mafia get a HEA in the end.
Of course there’s a “but”. You knew a “but” was coming. The plot is incredibly boring, making the book relatively boring. The antagonist, who is supposed to be hidden, is easy to suss out very early in the book and it makes the main characters look dumb for not figuring it out sooner. I felt the author needed a sensitivity reader for issues regarding and surrounding anxiety and panic issues because they weren’t handled with as much care as some other books in the same genre that have included the same issue in their books that I’ve read in the last couple of years, and when the turn came, it seemed overblown which made the resolution seem utterly anticlimactic. Ultimately, in the end, nothing the two main characters went through paid off. It was as if you could have cut out 50% of this book and had the same result and the rest was just melodrama.
But I do still give it three stars because for what it is packaged as, it lives up to the wrapping. It is sweet, cute, a little sexy, gave me some warm fuzzies, and I am always happy to read almost any story where members of the alphabet mafia get a HEA in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2021
I love ladies playing baseball (especially sapphic ladies) so I was instantly excited when I saw this cover of two women kissing with a baseball on the cover. After I found out that it was actually softball, I was still excited! But this one just didn't work for me.
This college-aged, single 1st person present POV sapphic romance follows Annie as her crush, Eve - the star softball player and serial hook-up - asks her out. But that doesn't even feel like an honest description of what this book is "about." I'm not really sure what this book is "about." One of my major issues with this book is that it's definitely not about the central love story between Annie and Eve. The two have almost no chemistry and there isn't much of a story of how they get together/stay together. I didn't feel any emotion getting to or arriving at the HFN. Sometimes in romance we talk about books where there's not plot and nothing happens. In this book, really nothing happens. And it's too short for any of the things that do happen to be explained in any depth or detail.
However, I did find the exploration of Annie's anxiety interesting. If you like college romances, this one might be more your speed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled for the ARC.
CW: public outing, revenge porn
This college-aged, single 1st person present POV sapphic romance follows Annie as her crush, Eve - the star softball player and serial hook-up - asks her out. But that doesn't even feel like an honest description of what this book is "about." I'm not really sure what this book is "about." One of my major issues with this book is that it's definitely not about the central love story between Annie and Eve. The two have almost no chemistry and there isn't much of a story of how they get together/stay together. I didn't feel any emotion getting to or arriving at the HFN. Sometimes in romance we talk about books where there's not plot and nothing happens. In this book, really nothing happens. And it's too short for any of the things that do happen to be explained in any depth or detail.
However, I did find the exploration of Annie's anxiety interesting. If you like college romances, this one might be more your speed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled for the ARC.
CW: public outing, revenge porn
October 19, 2021
2.5 Read last night, quick read. Not my favorite sapphic read this year. I was looking forward to it, I thought, oh f/f sports romance YAY. What I got was, eh, not very interesting characters, low spice and it probably would have been better written in duel POV. I wanted to know more about Eve and I didn't get it. The conflict with Naomi was just glossed over. I wanted so much more of of this book and I didn't get it.
October 22, 2021
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC!
The premise of this book held so much promise as I love queer sports romances, especially in a college setting. I can tolerate a pretty high level of "instalove" but this strained the boundaries for me. I didn't understand how they got together really and it went way too fast. I thought the plot twist was a bit unbelievable, too easily resolved, and too late in the book. Overall, it was fine. I think it could have benefitted from more development on the front end to make Annie and Eve's relationship more believable and for the reader to be more invested.
The premise of this book held so much promise as I love queer sports romances, especially in a college setting. I can tolerate a pretty high level of "instalove" but this strained the boundaries for me. I didn't understand how they got together really and it went way too fast. I thought the plot twist was a bit unbelievable, too easily resolved, and too late in the book. Overall, it was fine. I think it could have benefitted from more development on the front end to make Annie and Eve's relationship more believable and for the reader to be more invested.
December 23, 2021
I really need to get to writing reviews because then I end up missing out on books that deserve a lot of hype :'
Trigger Warnings: Panic attacks, accidental outing, alcohol consumption, grief, mental illness (anxiety), explicit sex, bullying, fatphobia, past mentions of - abandonment, addiction, alcoholism, child abused and drug use.
Hard Drive by Shae Connor is a sight to behold. To give a short description - Annie is an electronics everything genius who you can find the most in her dorm room fixing broken stuff for her fellow college peers. She is coming to terms with her being bisexual and is trying her best to contain her crush on college's ace softball player Eve Frederick, who's rumored to enjoy only casual hookups.
Okay first thing I liked about it? It wasn't slow burn. As much as I enjoy slow burn, the thrill about finding out my cutesy characters being upright about their crush on each other while being iffy about it so satisfying oh my. The setting itself was really amazing! The fact that it fits the trope of "The nerd and the jock (aka softball player)" was refreshing on so many levels. The main characters seemed really realistic and it was also good to see how anxiety was represented in the book. As for the plot, it was equally engaging. Annie was an amazing narrator and seeing the story from her perspective evoked a sense of empathy in me because she was very empathetic in general.
I really liked the character development as well as how the book dealt with important topics. One such was enjoying porn, and engaging in sexual practices by oneself which isn't much talked about in general. Oh did I mention the book has good smut scenes? No? Well, I assure you they are really amazing! I loved how consent, interaction and communication was maturely and naturally present in the story. Eve and Annie were really amazing to see - whether it was them being in a romantic and sexual relationship, or them navigating through their personal stuff on their own and coming to terms with their identity. I reallllyyy recommend this book! And omg I am soo excited to read the first book in this series (they are unrelated in general however characters from book 1 are present here)!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing an arc for this book!
Trigger Warnings: Panic attacks, accidental outing, alcohol consumption, grief, mental illness (anxiety), explicit sex, bullying, fatphobia, past mentions of - abandonment, addiction, alcoholism, child abused and drug use.
Hard Drive by Shae Connor is a sight to behold. To give a short description - Annie is an electronics everything genius who you can find the most in her dorm room fixing broken stuff for her fellow college peers. She is coming to terms with her being bisexual and is trying her best to contain her crush on college's ace softball player Eve Frederick, who's rumored to enjoy only casual hookups.
Okay first thing I liked about it? It wasn't slow burn. As much as I enjoy slow burn, the thrill about finding out my cutesy characters being upright about their crush on each other while being iffy about it so satisfying oh my. The setting itself was really amazing! The fact that it fits the trope of "The nerd and the jock (aka softball player)" was refreshing on so many levels. The main characters seemed really realistic and it was also good to see how anxiety was represented in the book. As for the plot, it was equally engaging. Annie was an amazing narrator and seeing the story from her perspective evoked a sense of empathy in me because she was very empathetic in general.
I really liked the character development as well as how the book dealt with important topics. One such was enjoying porn, and engaging in sexual practices by oneself which isn't much talked about in general. Oh did I mention the book has good smut scenes? No? Well, I assure you they are really amazing! I loved how consent, interaction and communication was maturely and naturally present in the story. Eve and Annie were really amazing to see - whether it was them being in a romantic and sexual relationship, or them navigating through their personal stuff on their own and coming to terms with their identity. I reallllyyy recommend this book! And omg I am soo excited to read the first book in this series (they are unrelated in general however characters from book 1 are present here)!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing an arc for this book!
October 6, 2021
Annie is a college girl who recently discovered she's bisexual. Her anxiety usually keeps her locked up in her dorm room with her computer, but when the sexy, cool Eve from the softball team (who also happens to be her biggest crush) asks her out, she finds that she is enjoying leaving her comfort zone. However, there may be someone trying to tear them apart. Will they be able to get through it together?
This book was overall pretty cute, but didn't get much past surface level for me. I love softball and played it all through high school, so I enjoyed that aspect of the book. I also enjoyed the bits about Annie's anxiety, as that is another thing I could relate to. I liked Annie and thought she had some depth to her, but I wish I could say the same about Eve. She has the potential of being a great character, but I feel like we never reached that point with her. Similarly, their romance was cute, but didn't reach the depth I wish it did. While I still enjoyed it, with a little more depth to the plot and the romance itself, I think it could have been fantastic.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and if you're looking for something light and cute, then you should give it a try!
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book was overall pretty cute, but didn't get much past surface level for me. I love softball and played it all through high school, so I enjoyed that aspect of the book. I also enjoyed the bits about Annie's anxiety, as that is another thing I could relate to. I liked Annie and thought she had some depth to her, but I wish I could say the same about Eve. She has the potential of being a great character, but I feel like we never reached that point with her. Similarly, their romance was cute, but didn't reach the depth I wish it did. While I still enjoyed it, with a little more depth to the plot and the romance itself, I think it could have been fantastic.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and if you're looking for something light and cute, then you should give it a try!
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2021
Hard Drive by Shae Connor
4⭐
I'd like to start this book with a huge thank you for the option to see content warnings for this boom via a website - I feel like content warnings are so important but also people don't always want to view it as it can sometimes spoil the story a little, so to have the choice is something I loved and something I'd love to see in more books.
I think this is the first book that has bisexual characters and I LOVED IT - like, I literally read it in 4 and a half hours, I couldn't put it down. I got completely lost in the world of Annie and Eve, and their heartwarming, emotional journey to finding themselves and coming to terms with who they are and their sexuality.
Written beautifully from the POV of Annie, it was so easy to jump into her mind and really root for her. We were even taken on her steamy, intimate adventures which is always a pleasure - no pun intended.
With themes of loss, grief, toxic friendships and balancing different elements of life, this was a real heartwarming read, and who doesn't love a happy ending?!
I can't wait to read more of this author's work and of this series, I do just have one question for Shae..
Did she get the cheesecake?!
4⭐
I'd like to start this book with a huge thank you for the option to see content warnings for this boom via a website - I feel like content warnings are so important but also people don't always want to view it as it can sometimes spoil the story a little, so to have the choice is something I loved and something I'd love to see in more books.
I think this is the first book that has bisexual characters and I LOVED IT - like, I literally read it in 4 and a half hours, I couldn't put it down. I got completely lost in the world of Annie and Eve, and their heartwarming, emotional journey to finding themselves and coming to terms with who they are and their sexuality.
Written beautifully from the POV of Annie, it was so easy to jump into her mind and really root for her. We were even taken on her steamy, intimate adventures which is always a pleasure - no pun intended.
With themes of loss, grief, toxic friendships and balancing different elements of life, this was a real heartwarming read, and who doesn't love a happy ending?!
I can't wait to read more of this author's work and of this series, I do just have one question for Shae..
Did she get the cheesecake?!
October 23, 2021
[3.5]
I've read several sports romances, but I don't think I've ever heard of a sapphic one. I was super excited to read this one, especially considering how pretty the cover is. The synopsis was a little misleading (I'll get to that), so while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed reading it! It was the perfect sweet and steamy read for the afternoon.
Eve and Annie, the two main characters, are relatable and actually really likable. I was sort of expecting Eve to be crueler, but she was totally swoonable! Annie, who narrates the story, was so relatable and it was easy to connect with her. The mental health rep is great as well! Her anxiety actually felt realistic and didn't feel like it was meant as a plot device.
As I mentioned, the synopsis was a bit misleading. It mentions the video that was taken of Eve and Annie, which does happen... really late into the book. I was on edge while reading, waiting for it to happen. By the time it did happen, however, it wasn't really surprising anymore. This is really my only issue with the book; otherwise it was great!
Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book via NetGalley and Pride Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
I've read several sports romances, but I don't think I've ever heard of a sapphic one. I was super excited to read this one, especially considering how pretty the cover is. The synopsis was a little misleading (I'll get to that), so while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed reading it! It was the perfect sweet and steamy read for the afternoon.
Eve and Annie, the two main characters, are relatable and actually really likable. I was sort of expecting Eve to be crueler, but she was totally swoonable! Annie, who narrates the story, was so relatable and it was easy to connect with her. The mental health rep is great as well! Her anxiety actually felt realistic and didn't feel like it was meant as a plot device.
As I mentioned, the synopsis was a bit misleading. It mentions the video that was taken of Eve and Annie, which does happen... really late into the book. I was on edge while reading, waiting for it to happen. By the time it did happen, however, it wasn't really surprising anymore. This is really my only issue with the book; otherwise it was great!
Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book via NetGalley and Pride Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2021
I was really keen to read this sapphic sports romance. I jumped at it seeing the softball cover. It's a college / YA book.
Its essentially a jock - nerd romance with Eve the softballer and Annie the computer geek. Annie has been pining over Eve in the stands at games, and can't quite believe it when Evie's computer goes on the fritz and she manages to fix it (a pretty easy fix). Eve subsequently asks her out on a date. The book is essentially about their attraction and romance.
The challenge for me was believing Eve and Annie had a romance as the chemistry seemed a little stilted. I didn't feel the romance was central to the book. I felt I didn't learn a great deal about Eve as a character and what made her tick, as the book was from Annie's point of view. It would have been nice to gain more from Eve's perspective. We learned more about Annie, particularly about her anxiety which I felt was well described and made Annie vulnerable, but also brave in the way she reacted to a couple of challenges in the book.
This was quite a brisk read however I would have loved more detail particularly in relation to Eve that I think would have benefitted the story.
Its essentially a jock - nerd romance with Eve the softballer and Annie the computer geek. Annie has been pining over Eve in the stands at games, and can't quite believe it when Evie's computer goes on the fritz and she manages to fix it (a pretty easy fix). Eve subsequently asks her out on a date. The book is essentially about their attraction and romance.
The challenge for me was believing Eve and Annie had a romance as the chemistry seemed a little stilted. I didn't feel the romance was central to the book. I felt I didn't learn a great deal about Eve as a character and what made her tick, as the book was from Annie's point of view. It would have been nice to gain more from Eve's perspective. We learned more about Annie, particularly about her anxiety which I felt was well described and made Annie vulnerable, but also brave in the way she reacted to a couple of challenges in the book.
This was quite a brisk read however I would have loved more detail particularly in relation to Eve that I think would have benefitted the story.
October 13, 2021
Thank you Pride Book Tours and Netgalley for gifting me the ebook.
This is an LGBTQ+ book with a bisexual main character and sapphic female love interest. It also touches on mental health as the main character has anxiety so how if affects her and how she deals with it is explored.
Hard Drive is book two in The University of Atlanta series but can be read as a standalone - the first book Rough and Tumble is a standalone with gay love interests and the main characters are present in Hard Drive.
Hard Drive is a really fun and easy romance, with lots of LGBTQ+ representation. It comes across as a bit like a sports romance, with the main love interest playing softball, but a lot of the problems the characters deal with go deeper than that. Discussions of anxiety, grief and previous toxic relationships are all mentioned between the main characters but also the side characters, too.
Hard Drive is told by the POV of Annie, and I really enjoyed seeing her relationship with her brother as well as meeting him as a character. The relationship between Annie and Eve is also fun to see develop and I liked to see how much they grew as characters.
This is an LGBTQ+ book with a bisexual main character and sapphic female love interest. It also touches on mental health as the main character has anxiety so how if affects her and how she deals with it is explored.
Hard Drive is book two in The University of Atlanta series but can be read as a standalone - the first book Rough and Tumble is a standalone with gay love interests and the main characters are present in Hard Drive.
Hard Drive is a really fun and easy romance, with lots of LGBTQ+ representation. It comes across as a bit like a sports romance, with the main love interest playing softball, but a lot of the problems the characters deal with go deeper than that. Discussions of anxiety, grief and previous toxic relationships are all mentioned between the main characters but also the side characters, too.
Hard Drive is told by the POV of Annie, and I really enjoyed seeing her relationship with her brother as well as meeting him as a character. The relationship between Annie and Eve is also fun to see develop and I liked to see how much they grew as characters.
October 17, 2021
Hard Drive was a quick and simple read!
Let's set the mood here : this novel is a new adult saphic romance with a little smut and a good enough amount of softball. The nerd and jock trope worked pretty well in this [lesbian romance] context. It was pretty fr'esh and the setup was kind of unexpected *however* everything was a bit cliché in my opinion (and most of the lesbian romances I've read are already very stereotypical...), pretty uneventful and the rythm wasn't as good as I would expect it to be, even for romance (where it can have less impact than let's say an action packed high fantasy novel).
I think the author (and this series) has a lot of potential and there is still room to improve. There was a good rep (I was suprised, in good!) for a quick romance but perhaps what I liked the most was how the main character's anxiety has been portrayed. I think it's been very well handled (dealing with a similar type of anxiety myself), so bravo for that.
Overall a good quick read if you have a few hours to kill but there is still room for improvement.
Thank you NetGalley and Entagled for this free ARC that I reviewed with my honest opinion.
Let's set the mood here : this novel is a new adult saphic romance with a little smut and a good enough amount of softball. The nerd and jock trope worked pretty well in this [lesbian romance] context. It was pretty fr'esh and the setup was kind of unexpected *however* everything was a bit cliché in my opinion (and most of the lesbian romances I've read are already very stereotypical...), pretty uneventful and the rythm wasn't as good as I would expect it to be, even for romance (where it can have less impact than let's say an action packed high fantasy novel).
I think the author (and this series) has a lot of potential and there is still room to improve. There was a good rep (I was suprised, in good!) for a quick romance but perhaps what I liked the most was how the main character's anxiety has been portrayed. I think it's been very well handled (dealing with a similar type of anxiety myself), so bravo for that.
Overall a good quick read if you have a few hours to kill but there is still room for improvement.
Thank you NetGalley and Entagled for this free ARC that I reviewed with my honest opinion.
November 10, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
This is the second book in Shae Connor’s University of Atlanta series, but it can be read as a standalone. Annie is Grant’s sister, and Grant and Darryn get their love story in Rough and Tumble. Though some of the events of that book are brought up here, it’s not necessary to have read it to enjoy this story. I like Connor’s characters and this book is no exception, but I did have a few issues with the pacing.
The MCs have chemistry from their first meeting, and it gets even better as Eve embraces her true self toward the end. It has the right amount of heat balanced with storyline, and it’s easy to root for these two women to find their HEA. Although I will say this book ends with more of an HFN, as they���re both young and just beginning their adult lives. Both the MCs are about 20, and it shows in their actions and thoughts, but they aren’t immature, even if they don’t always make the best decisions.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
This is the second book in Shae Connor’s University of Atlanta series, but it can be read as a standalone. Annie is Grant’s sister, and Grant and Darryn get their love story in Rough and Tumble. Though some of the events of that book are brought up here, it’s not necessary to have read it to enjoy this story. I like Connor’s characters and this book is no exception, but I did have a few issues with the pacing.
The MCs have chemistry from their first meeting, and it gets even better as Eve embraces her true self toward the end. It has the right amount of heat balanced with storyline, and it’s easy to root for these two women to find their HEA. Although I will say this book ends with more of an HFN, as they���re both young and just beginning their adult lives. Both the MCs are about 20, and it shows in their actions and thoughts, but they aren’t immature, even if they don’t always make the best decisions.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
October 12, 2021
'Hard Drive' is much more than a story itself. It's a reality to so many people, a reality some people live, like living in fear and being bullied over fatphobia and having to hide their sexuality. 🌈 Everything is told by the main character's POV, Annie Clark. She has this huge crush on the softball pitcher, Eve Frederik.
This book explores their relationship and also the side character's opinions. We see all of them develop together and we see how the main love interest is pitched as one thing and ends up changing for the protagonist. Yes, you guessed it. It's the 'I'll change for you' romance trope, which we love and adore. ❣️
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: alcoholism, grief, mental illness (anxiety), fatphobia (bullying), sexual content, panic attacks, child abuse and drug use.
Thank you so much @pridebooktours and @shaeconnor for the opportunity of reading and review this title, one I'm sure won't be the last I'll read from this author ❣️
This book explores their relationship and also the side character's opinions. We see all of them develop together and we see how the main love interest is pitched as one thing and ends up changing for the protagonist. Yes, you guessed it. It's the 'I'll change for you' romance trope, which we love and adore. ❣️
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: alcoholism, grief, mental illness (anxiety), fatphobia (bullying), sexual content, panic attacks, child abuse and drug use.
Thank you so much @pridebooktours and @shaeconnor for the opportunity of reading and review this title, one I'm sure won't be the last I'll read from this author ❣️
October 9, 2021
This is a quick and easy read of a sweet romance between two coeds. It’s not spectacular by any means but that doesn’t;t mean that’s anything wrong with it. It just a standard coming off age wow romance that is suitable on a nice relaxing afternoon.
Annie is a computer geek, more hardware than software, with social anxiety issues that has a crush on softball star Eve. Eve has a love them and leave them reputation but that’s not addressed at any point, nor do we see any proof of that. Brought together by an overheated laptop they start dating. It’s sweet and endearing and what a perfect college romance would be like, mostly. I’m giving this 3.5 stars.
I voluntary read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Entagled for this free ARC.
Annie is a computer geek, more hardware than software, with social anxiety issues that has a crush on softball star Eve. Eve has a love them and leave them reputation but that’s not addressed at any point, nor do we see any proof of that. Brought together by an overheated laptop they start dating. It’s sweet and endearing and what a perfect college romance would be like, mostly. I’m giving this 3.5 stars.
I voluntary read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Entagled for this free ARC.
October 10, 2021
Shy college student Annie is crushing on softball player Eve, but thinks Eve is out of her league. When Annie helps Eve with a computer problem, Eve invites her to dinner to say thanks. Is it a date? Eve's got a reputation for playing the field. But could something real develop with Annie?
This is kind of a slow burn, with Annie taking a while to feel comfortable around Eve. The relationship is sweet and steamy, but takes some abrupt turns. The book is told entirely from Annie's point of view, so Eve's motivations often aren't clear until after the fact. She and Annie are both sympathetic characters, and I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This is kind of a slow burn, with Annie taking a while to feel comfortable around Eve. The relationship is sweet and steamy, but takes some abrupt turns. The book is told entirely from Annie's point of view, so Eve's motivations often aren't clear until after the fact. She and Annie are both sympathetic characters, and I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
October 16, 2021
I have no major complaints about Hard Drive but I also have nothing that I can point to and say 'I loved this, this was amazing!'. It was just... there. There is nothing wrong with the plot, characters or overall story but I just couldn't get super invested in it. The romance seemed lacklustre and lacked a lot of chemistry and connection and it just felt to meh and easy. Saying that there were some interesting characters and the story was well paced.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
This was a good read. It was well written and had a good plot. I liked that the story was told through Annie’s perspective. The feelings of anxiety and social awkwardness hit home for me and felt very authentic. I usually stay away from college and high school age stories but picked this one up because of the softball theme and I’m glad I did. I’ll be keeping an eye out for any follow up novels since it looks like this may be the start of a series.
October 11, 2021
3 stars
I adored book one of this series so I was super excited about this one, sadly I didn't enjoyed it as much.
It was sweet and heartwarming but... I felt like there was not much angst besides something by the end.
So if you want something low in angst and drama and a lot of sweet heartwarming moments, this will be perfect for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review
I adored book one of this series so I was super excited about this one, sadly I didn't enjoyed it as much.
It was sweet and heartwarming but... I felt like there was not much angst besides something by the end.
So if you want something low in angst and drama and a lot of sweet heartwarming moments, this will be perfect for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review
June 10, 2022
I enjoyed this female/female romance. I enjoyed hearing Annie's story and getting to glimpse at Grant and Darren's relationship as well. Being this is Annie's first female romance and being an introvert, I liked how the writer handled her anxieties and address them. I thought the relationship between Eve and Annie was great and both were likable characters.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book.
October 17, 2021
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Cute story and I was all into the slow burn. I loved Annie's apprehensive take on Eve asking her out on a date. Loved the nerd-jock romance . Overall a good read although it didn't sweep me off my feet. Not that this was necessary. I enjoyed reading their journey.
Cute story and I was all into the slow burn. I loved Annie's apprehensive take on Eve asking her out on a date. Loved the nerd-jock romance . Overall a good read although it didn't sweep me off my feet. Not that this was necessary. I enjoyed reading their journey.
October 25, 2021
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
This was a really fun read! It felt a little like reading a fan fiction (a good thing in my opinion) and had some really sweet (and spicy) moments. There were parts that I'd have loved to explore with a little more depth, but as a light queer romance it was very enjoyable!
This was a really fun read! It felt a little like reading a fan fiction (a good thing in my opinion) and had some really sweet (and spicy) moments. There were parts that I'd have loved to explore with a little more depth, but as a light queer romance it was very enjoyable!
September 30, 2021
(ARC read)
This was good, but I prefer dual POVs over just one POV. The way the author covered anxiety was pretty good and interesting. Over all it was a nice NA athletic read. 3.5⭐ rounded to 4.
This was good, but I prefer dual POVs over just one POV. The way the author covered anxiety was pretty good and interesting. Over all it was a nice NA athletic read. 3.5⭐ rounded to 4.
May 20, 2023
Hard Drive is sugar-coated sweetness with a huge drop of jealous stalker.
Shae Connor gives us a loner who focuses on school and work while ogling her crush in her spare time. Imagine when said crush comes to your dorm room with a computer emergency that your brother says only you can fix for her. Yeah…no problem. Gratitude abounds and Annie is beyond happy.
I like Annie and Eve. I think their romance is really sweet. I was rooting for them. Connor definitely knocked this romance right out of the park.
I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily
Shae Connor gives us a loner who focuses on school and work while ogling her crush in her spare time. Imagine when said crush comes to your dorm room with a computer emergency that your brother says only you can fix for her. Yeah…no problem. Gratitude abounds and Annie is beyond happy.
I like Annie and Eve. I think their romance is really sweet. I was rooting for them. Connor definitely knocked this romance right out of the park.
I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily
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