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Brentson University #1
Devious Game
I left Brentson in the dead of night and made a promise that I would never return.
I was determined to leave my past behind, but here’s the thing about
It always has a way of hunting you down.
Now, I’m face-to-face with Nash Henson, my ex-boyfriend, heir to the Henson fortune, and crowned king of Brentson University.
He’ll never forgive me for what I’ve done.
And when he’s done playing his game with me, there won’t be anything left.
Because he’s determined to destroy me. Devious Game is the first book in a dark college romance trilogy that has enemies-to-lovers themes. This book may not be suitable for all readers due to dubious situations that might be triggering. It ends in a cliffhanger and the next book in the series will be Devious Secret.
I was determined to leave my past behind, but here’s the thing about
It always has a way of hunting you down.
Now, I’m face-to-face with Nash Henson, my ex-boyfriend, heir to the Henson fortune, and crowned king of Brentson University.
He’ll never forgive me for what I’ve done.
And when he’s done playing his game with me, there won’t be anything left.
Because he’s determined to destroy me. Devious Game is the first book in a dark college romance trilogy that has enemies-to-lovers themes. This book may not be suitable for all readers due to dubious situations that might be triggering. It ends in a cliffhanger and the next book in the series will be Devious Secret.
220 pages, Paperback
Published August 8, 2022
1034 people are currently reading
3648 people want to read
About the author
Bri Blackwood
31 books492 followersBri loves a good romance, especially ones that involve a hot anti-hero. That is why she likes to turn the dial up a notch with her own writing. Her Broken Cross series is her debut dark romance series.
She spends most of her time hanging out with her family, plotting her next novel, or reading books by other romance authors.
She spends most of her time hanging out with her family, plotting her next novel, or reading books by other romance authors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
October 24, 2022
DNF 28%
Gosh the writing is annoying! It’s like the writer was trying to make it the longest story possible by writing essentially the same thing a few times in each paragraph. It could literally be condensed down to one single sentence. 🤦🏻♀️
Direct quote as an example:
“I was able to confirm that she was still here, even after my warning at the library several hours ago. The beat-up car she’d walked out to when I’d first seen her was parked in the driveway. I had my answer about whether she’d left town or not and still I sat here. Seeing her still here was irritating as fuck, but I did think she was tenacious.”
If you can handle reading that kind of crap throughout, be my guest and read it.
Then there’s the amount of times in that 28% that each character thinks about “the reason she left” that makes you just roll your eyes. Ok, we get it now move on and tell us or give a hint or just shut up about it. It doesn’t make me want to continue reading, it actually does the opposite. And I have a feeling that the whole reason she left isn’t even something bad.
Gosh the writing is annoying! It’s like the writer was trying to make it the longest story possible by writing essentially the same thing a few times in each paragraph. It could literally be condensed down to one single sentence. 🤦🏻♀️
Direct quote as an example:
“I was able to confirm that she was still here, even after my warning at the library several hours ago. The beat-up car she’d walked out to when I’d first seen her was parked in the driveway. I had my answer about whether she’d left town or not and still I sat here. Seeing her still here was irritating as fuck, but I did think she was tenacious.”
If you can handle reading that kind of crap throughout, be my guest and read it.
Then there’s the amount of times in that 28% that each character thinks about “the reason she left” that makes you just roll your eyes. Ok, we get it now move on and tell us or give a hint or just shut up about it. It doesn’t make me want to continue reading, it actually does the opposite. And I have a feeling that the whole reason she left isn’t even something bad.
October 17, 2022
2 stars was generous. I don't know what this was but it was not enemies to lovers. It was mostly smut with a tiny bit of plot. And the stuff that was interesting happened in the last 5 pages of the book and then cliffhanger. I'm glad this was free on kindle unlimited cause I'm not out anything but time.
will probably read the 2nd one though lol I'm slightly curious about the cliffhanger
will probably read the 2nd one though lol I'm slightly curious about the cliffhanger
January 15, 2023
3.5 ⭐️. I enjoyed the read and the chemistry between Nash and Raven but I’m not really pulled in by the plot yet.
Onto see what happens next.
Onto see what happens next.
August 13, 2022
fun and easy read! secret society, private school x second chance
August 24, 2022
Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Note 2: This is a trilogy. So please read in order.
Trigger warnings: dubious consent, kidnapping, death, murder, infidelity (mentioned - not by MMC), bullying, drugging
And the deviousness in this book lived up to it's name!
Here we have two broken characters.
One's a rich athlete who's now in university, with everything he could want, except for the girl of his dreams.
The girl of his said dreams had to leave due to her own past tragedies...but of course...since they all like miscommunication a lot...she doesn't bother telling him.
Two/three years later, she comes back. And utter chaos starts up. Including a secret society for some reason (we feeling ninth house vibes here?) that has something to do with the FMC's issues?
Damn, there's a whole lot going on and I was so there for it. Plus that plot twist cliff hanger ending though...I couldn't believe it happened...I mean after every happy interaction..this ended up happening instead.
I just loved it so much. The writing, the MCs (though both were damn...damn yeaah indeed), the chemistry was on point (no romance for now), the plot was just so well done with their behaviours and memories...even the betrayals, the confessions, and scary good plot twists.
Honestly...I am so ready for devious secrets cause this book got me spinning and wanting more.
I am just so ready, so hit me baby one more...yeah you got it.
Anyway until the next read,
-TMR
Note 2: This is a trilogy. So please read in order.
Trigger warnings: dubious consent, kidnapping, death, murder, infidelity (mentioned - not by MMC), bullying, drugging
And the deviousness in this book lived up to it's name!
Here we have two broken characters.
One's a rich athlete who's now in university, with everything he could want, except for the girl of his dreams.
The girl of his said dreams had to leave due to her own past tragedies...but of course...since they all like miscommunication a lot...she doesn't bother telling him.
Two/three years later, she comes back. And utter chaos starts up. Including a secret society for some reason (we feeling ninth house vibes here?) that has something to do with the FMC's issues?
Damn, there's a whole lot going on and I was so there for it. Plus that plot twist cliff hanger ending though...I couldn't believe it happened...I mean after every happy interaction..this ended up happening instead.
I just loved it so much. The writing, the MCs (though both were damn...damn yeaah indeed), the chemistry was on point (no romance for now), the plot was just so well done with their behaviours and memories...even the betrayals, the confessions, and scary good plot twists.
Honestly...I am so ready for devious secrets cause this book got me spinning and wanting more.
I am just so ready, so hit me baby one more...yeah you got it.
Anyway until the next read,
-TMR
June 25, 2023
i couldn’t tell you what just happened
April 28, 2023
Lowering from 4 stars - my original rating was giving the series the benefit of the doubt that my questions and concerns would be answered in the next books but they never were.
How is it possible that they were so in love but when they are back together again they never discuss the 2 years they were apart? Did he have relationships? Did she? Where was she? Does she have friends? Is an ex going to pop up looking for her? When did she move on to having sex with others? Was that a difficult decision? She had all the info and left him devastated. Did it take a long time to move past that?? Why is he not asking who she’s been with?? He’s so possessive. It makes no sense that he’s not asking questions.
And the reason she left him is horrible. Not what I was expecting at all. If you’re expecting it to be some noble decision she was forced into, you’re going to be disappointed. Why was he not livid that the girlfriend he loved made these ridiculous decisions based solely on greed and never told him what was going on???
Nerp. I was really hopeful that I was finally gonna like a trilogy but this one got progressively worse and the more I found out the LESS I liked the MCs (the heroine, in particular).
😐
How is it possible that they were so in love but when they are back together again they never discuss the 2 years they were apart? Did he have relationships? Did she? Where was she? Does she have friends? Is an ex going to pop up looking for her? When did she move on to having sex with others? Was that a difficult decision? She had all the info and left him devastated. Did it take a long time to move past that?? Why is he not asking who she’s been with?? He’s so possessive. It makes no sense that he’s not asking questions.
And the reason she left him is horrible. Not what I was expecting at all. If you’re expecting it to be some noble decision she was forced into, you’re going to be disappointed. Why was he not livid that the girlfriend he loved made these ridiculous decisions based solely on greed and never told him what was going on???
Nerp. I was really hopeful that I was finally gonna like a trilogy but this one got progressively worse and the more I found out the LESS I liked the MCs (the heroine, in particular).
😐
September 20, 2022
Wow! This book took me by a storm and kept me reading! Nash And Raven are explosive together. Regardless of their hate and anger you can feel the sexual tension and the chemistry rolling off the pages.
This book has secrets, upon secrets, upon secrets… that some come to light… and some you will have to hopefully find out in the next book. At least I hope so… diving into Devious Secret now in hopes of finding out more! Even though I know more secrets will be uncovered and more will still be hidden and only alluded to!
If you like friends to enemies to lovers… then this is an amazing series.
This book has secrets, upon secrets, upon secrets… that some come to light… and some you will have to hopefully find out in the next book. At least I hope so… diving into Devious Secret now in hopes of finding out more! Even though I know more secrets will be uncovered and more will still be hidden and only alluded to!
If you like friends to enemies to lovers… then this is an amazing series.
May 16, 2024
Helped me avoid a reading slump! go billionaire college romances!
look up tw
look up tw
August 8, 2022
First time reading Bri Blackwood and I'm hooked. This book had my attention from the blurb but also from the first chapter. Raven and Nash story wow. We go from love to enemies in the span of 2 chapters. Raven left town only to get mysterious letter to come back to Brentson. Nash omg I can't wait to see how he will be in the next book. I am so glad I found this author.
September 15, 2024
I love a good hate fuck
August 10, 2022
This is the 1st in a new series, and this is Raven and Nash’s journey. These two were high school sweethearts until she left town without a word, and now 2-years later, she is lured back to Brentson by a mysterious message. Nash is crowned the king of Brentson university and is vying for the leadership position in a secret society, where he is tasked with conquering Raven. Nash is nothing like the boy Raven left behind, he is bitter and hates her. This story ends in a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to read the next book. This is a well written story which is fast paced, enemies / lovers’ story, and is dark, raw, gritty, and intense, with emotions, secrets, tension, family, friendships, betrayal, suspense, twists, and is a thrilling page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Elle Woods PR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Elle Woods PR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 21, 2022
ARC Bookreview, Rate 4/5 stars
Lovers to Enemies. I really liked this book. The vibe it gave off was thriller, smut and mystery. This is the first book of this series, Brentson University. A dark college romance.
This was kinda twisted in its own way, but enjoyable that kept you wanting for more. The end left you on a cliffhanger, which I'll be reading book two shortly 😉
Lovers to Enemies. I really liked this book. The vibe it gave off was thriller, smut and mystery. This is the first book of this series, Brentson University. A dark college romance.
This was kinda twisted in its own way, but enjoyable that kept you wanting for more. The end left you on a cliffhanger, which I'll be reading book two shortly 😉
September 14, 2022
I have to admit I'm not usually into college romances (a little too young for me!), but this one really sucked me in! Nash and Raven are high school sweethearts with big plans for their future. But on graduation day, Raven secretly leaves Brentson without even saying goodbye. Two years later she's back and enrolled in Brentson U. Nash is shocked and very angry that she is back. Meanwhile he is being initiated into a secret society. Lots of stuff going on and lots of secrets being kept. Really good story and great characters. Nash is so angry but can't stay away from Raven. Their attraction leads to some dark sex scenes. Dratted cliffhanger! On to the next book!!
August 19, 2022
This is the first book in the Brentson University Series and is a great start to the trilogy. This is a dark romance with an enemy to lovers theme. Raven and Nash's story will pull you in and take you on an emotional roller coaster like no other. Gripping and full of drama. No shortage of angst or suspense. A page turner that ends with a cliffhanger that will have you begging for the next book Well written with amazing characters and an engaging story line. i read an advance copy via the author and voluntarily chose to review it.
April 3, 2023
2,5 stars*
it starts of so sweet and innocent and then BAM!—dark! broody! drama! betrayal! trauma!
too bad the very short but innocent intro is ingrained in my brain now because that’s how i view the characters now and it made the rest of the book feel off.
it’s fast paced tho so that’s something
it starts of so sweet and innocent and then BAM!—dark! broody! drama! betrayal! trauma!
too bad the very short but innocent intro is ingrained in my brain now because that’s how i view the characters now and it made the rest of the book feel off.
it’s fast paced tho so that’s something
December 2, 2024
Didn’t 100% love it, but I certainly didn’t hate it. I am definitely hooked and can’t wait to dive into book 2. I’m kinda already guessing Nash’s dad is responsible for Raven’s mom’s death and it’s his dad who drove her out of town and then lied to Nash. Looking forward to seeing what happens next.
September 24, 2023
2,5/5⭐️
March 16, 2025
I almost didn’t finish. Long winded story leading up to nothing.
April 3, 2024
2.5
For all the details she had them mention during the book about all their minor daily task she could have spent on actually having a plot.
For all the details she had them mention during the book about all their minor daily task she could have spent on actually having a plot.
September 10, 2022
Who is who
I read a very similar book. For those that are into secrete societies books, you'll enjoy this story.
How was the heroin able to live without any income? Why did he hate her so much when she left to the point he was willing to her physically (harsh sex) and mental abuse?
I read a very similar book. For those that are into secrete societies books, you'll enjoy this story.
How was the heroin able to live without any income? Why did he hate her so much when she left to the point he was willing to her physically (harsh sex) and mental abuse?
August 18, 2022
I loved this book so so much!!
This was my first time reading Bri and I am certainly going to be back for more! Raven & Nash are the definition of high school sweethearts and are madly in love with each other🤍
I CANNOT WAIT FOR DEVIOUS SECRET!!!
This was my first time reading Bri and I am certainly going to be back for more! Raven & Nash are the definition of high school sweethearts and are madly in love with each other🤍
I CANNOT WAIT FOR DEVIOUS SECRET!!!
November 22, 2025
foi uma leitura bem rápida e bem viciante. quando pisquei, já tinha acabado.
estou curiosa o bastante para ler a continuação, então vem ai!!!
estou curiosa o bastante para ler a continuação, então vem ai!!!
September 22, 2022
Dude, this was fucking boring. The beginning was so nauseatingly sweet, it was almost a DNF before the end of the chapter. We get it, rich, powerful, popular dude and the poor kid. No one thought they'd last, but they did and the dude couldn't stop saying he loves you. Snooze fest.
Fast forward to 2 years and a bunch of shit the writer kept to herself, cuz nothing was revealed, except maybe one dumb sexual alluding comment in the last chapter. I love a good suspense, but this broken condom accident was useless. It was overflowing with so much jizz that it exploded with a below subpar anticlimactic ending. All there was to it was sex, a bunch of texting, keeping secrets, late night stalking, monotonous secret society and random friend scenes thrown in.
It just felt stale, nothing pushed me to want to read more except trying to see why my friend liked this. I didn't find it. It was fucking dull and mediocre.
Fast forward to 2 years and a bunch of shit the writer kept to herself, cuz nothing was revealed, except maybe one dumb sexual alluding comment in the last chapter. I love a good suspense, but this broken condom accident was useless. It was overflowing with so much jizz that it exploded with a below subpar anticlimactic ending. All there was to it was sex, a bunch of texting, keeping secrets, late night stalking, monotonous secret society and random friend scenes thrown in.
It just felt stale, nothing pushed me to want to read more except trying to see why my friend liked this. I didn't find it. It was fucking dull and mediocre.
September 4, 2025
Raven - after graduating high school took off out of town and only returned when receiving a letter detailing she could learn about her mothers dead and an acceptance letter to the university
Nash - the towns golden boy who is captain of the football team and hates to love raven after she left town without a word.
Plot was…interesting? Somehow dark romance, small town/college, and sports romance all in one. Although you don’t see a tonne of the sports bit so maybe not.
I really need to know who is sending Raven the notes/threats. I need to know why she left. I need to know why they couldn’t have just made the book a little longer and just put it in this one rather than drag it out.
Whilst I would like to know the answers to my questions I did not enjoy this enough to find out.
3/5
Nash - the towns golden boy who is captain of the football team and hates to love raven after she left town without a word.
Plot was…interesting? Somehow dark romance, small town/college, and sports romance all in one. Although you don’t see a tonne of the sports bit so maybe not.
I really need to know who is sending Raven the notes/threats. I need to know why she left. I need to know why they couldn’t have just made the book a little longer and just put it in this one rather than drag it out.
Whilst I would like to know the answers to my questions I did not enjoy this enough to find out.
3/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2024
n é tao ruim quanto falam ! a autora fala e repete umas coisas desnecessárias mas é legalzinho e rapido de ler
mal posso esperar pra saber oq a raven tanto esconde aposto q uma grande bosta EBA
mal posso esperar pra saber oq a raven tanto esconde aposto q uma grande bosta EBA
April 6, 2025
This is my review for the entirety of the trilogy, and I’m posting it on the first one because maybe then someone will see it before they’ve wasted their time like I have.
2.5 ⭐️ (for every book)
And even that rating for the entire series is generous. The only thing I applaud about this trilogy was its ability to keep me reading even when I truly could not care about the story, I was so curious to finally get all the answers, only to get them and find out that like none of it made sense? Maybe I’m just stupid and couldn’t piece everything together properly but literally none of it made any sense to me at all.
The entirety of this series felt like it was plot overload with no real direction or answers to anything. It’s like the author just had a bunch of ideas she threw together and didn’t bother to construct them properly. Everything felt like an afterthought.
Surprise! You have an entire family from your biological father! Oh, you want more information? Too bad, sorry. We’re just gonna announce to the entire world that you’re blood related to this huge, wealthy family empire and that’s the end of that.
Raven is.. I don’t even have words. I felt nothing for either of these characters, and after finding out what this huge secret was that was built up for damn near the entirety of this series, it’s so incredibly stupid. His dad couldn’t have thought of a single better lie than that one? I spent the whole time expecting the reveal to be that he had sexually assaulted her in one way or another.
The fact that she just.. refused to tell Nash the truth for so long is just so frustrating after finding out what it really was. Then, the way she went from being so distraught over watching him literally kill somebody and then at the end is like you know what? Murder is cool, if you guys are gonna kill whoever is behind this that’s perfectly fine with me, I don’t care. Hello?
Nash is somehow, my least favorite character. I love a good dark, morally grey man, but that is not Nash. He’s a man-baby. All of the chapters in his perspective are of him being so angry and not knowing how to deal with it, that he resorts to either violence, or surprise, hate-sex. The complete 180 from I hate Raven and this is some game for me to enact my revenge to oh my god I’ve never stopped loving this girl, is so completely sudden and poorly executed. I don’t even have words. Then, when he got ‘better’, he actually somehow managed to get worse.
I felt no connection to either of these characters, and I certainly didn’t feel a connection between them either. I’ll be honest and admit that I did a lot of skimming reading this trilogy, which I never do when reading, but I physically could not read it all. Which is saying a lot considering how minimal the page count is in comparison to what I normally read.
The only thing that kept my attention in reading any of these books, was the fact that I wanted answers so badly despite how little I cared about the plot or the characters.
Please do not even get me started on their stupid secret society. What was the point of any of that? What did it even achieve? It brought absolutely nothing to the story and I think you could skip literally every single thing about that stupid ass group and not miss a damn thing.
To keep an already long review from getting any longer, this entirely trilogy is poorly thought out and somehow, even more poorly written. Everything felt like an afterthought, like she had a plot idea when writing it down and intended to come back and touch more on it, and then never did. The writing felt entirely juvenile, and so did the characters. Not to mention, it felt like she was throwing a bunch of random words together to reach some sort of word count. You could probably remove about half of the words in this book and you’d still reach the end result the same. So much filler.
I feel no connection whatsoever to the main characters, let alone the side characters, I don’t see myself reading anything else in relation to this series.
I truly feel as though I’ve wasted my time reading this series. I blame TikTok for telling me this trilogy was absolutely amazing, and most of all I blame myself for not allowing myself to DNF a book/series. If any of the books or series I’ve read have ever deserved to be DNF’d, it would be this one. Unfortunately, I probably won’t learn my lesson and will continue to torture myself, but maybe if someone reads this they’ll save themselves from whatever this series was supposed to be.
2.5 ⭐️ (for every book)
And even that rating for the entire series is generous. The only thing I applaud about this trilogy was its ability to keep me reading even when I truly could not care about the story, I was so curious to finally get all the answers, only to get them and find out that like none of it made sense? Maybe I’m just stupid and couldn’t piece everything together properly but literally none of it made any sense to me at all.
The entirety of this series felt like it was plot overload with no real direction or answers to anything. It’s like the author just had a bunch of ideas she threw together and didn’t bother to construct them properly. Everything felt like an afterthought.
Surprise! You have an entire family from your biological father! Oh, you want more information? Too bad, sorry. We’re just gonna announce to the entire world that you’re blood related to this huge, wealthy family empire and that’s the end of that.
Raven is.. I don’t even have words. I felt nothing for either of these characters, and after finding out what this huge secret was that was built up for damn near the entirety of this series, it’s so incredibly stupid. His dad couldn’t have thought of a single better lie than that one? I spent the whole time expecting the reveal to be that he had sexually assaulted her in one way or another.
The fact that she just.. refused to tell Nash the truth for so long is just so frustrating after finding out what it really was. Then, the way she went from being so distraught over watching him literally kill somebody and then at the end is like you know what? Murder is cool, if you guys are gonna kill whoever is behind this that’s perfectly fine with me, I don’t care. Hello?
Nash is somehow, my least favorite character. I love a good dark, morally grey man, but that is not Nash. He’s a man-baby. All of the chapters in his perspective are of him being so angry and not knowing how to deal with it, that he resorts to either violence, or surprise, hate-sex. The complete 180 from I hate Raven and this is some game for me to enact my revenge to oh my god I’ve never stopped loving this girl, is so completely sudden and poorly executed. I don’t even have words. Then, when he got ‘better’, he actually somehow managed to get worse.
I felt no connection to either of these characters, and I certainly didn’t feel a connection between them either. I’ll be honest and admit that I did a lot of skimming reading this trilogy, which I never do when reading, but I physically could not read it all. Which is saying a lot considering how minimal the page count is in comparison to what I normally read.
The only thing that kept my attention in reading any of these books, was the fact that I wanted answers so badly despite how little I cared about the plot or the characters.
Please do not even get me started on their stupid secret society. What was the point of any of that? What did it even achieve? It brought absolutely nothing to the story and I think you could skip literally every single thing about that stupid ass group and not miss a damn thing.
To keep an already long review from getting any longer, this entirely trilogy is poorly thought out and somehow, even more poorly written. Everything felt like an afterthought, like she had a plot idea when writing it down and intended to come back and touch more on it, and then never did. The writing felt entirely juvenile, and so did the characters. Not to mention, it felt like she was throwing a bunch of random words together to reach some sort of word count. You could probably remove about half of the words in this book and you’d still reach the end result the same. So much filler.
I feel no connection whatsoever to the main characters, let alone the side characters, I don’t see myself reading anything else in relation to this series.
I truly feel as though I’ve wasted my time reading this series. I blame TikTok for telling me this trilogy was absolutely amazing, and most of all I blame myself for not allowing myself to DNF a book/series. If any of the books or series I’ve read have ever deserved to be DNF’d, it would be this one. Unfortunately, I probably won’t learn my lesson and will continue to torture myself, but maybe if someone reads this they’ll save themselves from whatever this series was supposed to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2023
I would say overall, it was a quick read where little to nothing was done in the 175-ish pages I read. THE PLOT has so much potential and it’s really interesting. However, the way the story is structured lacks clarity and tension. Perhaps it has something to do with the poor writing techniques and grammar or perhaps it has something to do with the confusing scenes.
THE WRITING isn’t horrendous, however, it could be better, so much better. Blackwood adds unnecessary information when you needn’t need one and skips over scenes that should’ve been expanded and written in a more sustained manner. There’s also this aspect of jumping suddenly into a next scenes or something like “a few minutes later” without a space to indicate to the readers that time had passed by. There were also a lot of grammar and structural mistakes but they weren’t too bad that you couldn’t ignore them so they didn’t bother me as much.
What did bother me was the way the story was written out. The supposed secrets would’ve carried more impact if they were revealed in a better way (the fact that Nash thought that Raven wanted to sleep with his father) not only was it completely absurd and out of nowhere but it also didn’t make sense. Whilst Nash’s anger was understandable as Raven not only left him without a letter only saying sorry but also with questions and false truths drilled into him by his father. So his hate towards Raven was completely warranted. However, Raven’s wasn’t. Are you telling me that you who left the guy who was madly in love with you, you who caused him pain, you who came back without as much as an explanation has the right to be angry?! Like what did Nash do to you again?
In a way, I think the author just wanted to add a premises of enemies to lover trope and from Nash’s POV it worked but with Raven’s it didn’t even make sense. It would’ve worked better if they both had misunderstandings and they both hated each other because of that.
I also don’t understand the whole “Devious Game.” What part in this story was a game, clearly I missed something because Nash calling Raven over multiple times and doing the snu was clearly NOT A GAME? Their whole relationship is so weird to me because they’ve just so easily accepted yet not accepted each other.
I think I like NASH more than Raven mostly because Raven has this self pitying persona that I just can’t seem to digest.
Not to mention this scene when Raven tried to be those self righteous main leads. Like girl, Nash just saved you from potentially being kidnapped and you can’t even utter a “thank you.” And then the whole VERY ANNOYING part where he tells her to stay out in the room and she just HAS TO come out and see him murder a clearly bad guy. Like girl are you sane? And then she runs out of the moving car? I just can’t seem to understand nor like this girl.
The Chevailers group seems sketchy yet cool, kinda excited to see why they are doing all this.
Also Landon? What’s up with you man? Are you the unknown number guy?
I just know the dad has something to do with Raven’s mum’s murder/accident
THE WRITING isn’t horrendous, however, it could be better, so much better. Blackwood adds unnecessary information when you needn’t need one and skips over scenes that should’ve been expanded and written in a more sustained manner. There’s also this aspect of jumping suddenly into a next scenes or something like “a few minutes later” without a space to indicate to the readers that time had passed by. There were also a lot of grammar and structural mistakes but they weren’t too bad that you couldn’t ignore them so they didn’t bother me as much.
What did bother me was the way the story was written out. The supposed secrets would’ve carried more impact if they were revealed in a better way (the fact that Nash thought that Raven wanted to sleep with his father) not only was it completely absurd and out of nowhere but it also didn’t make sense. Whilst Nash’s anger was understandable as Raven not only left him without a letter only saying sorry but also with questions and false truths drilled into him by his father. So his hate towards Raven was completely warranted. However, Raven’s wasn’t. Are you telling me that you who left the guy who was madly in love with you, you who caused him pain, you who came back without as much as an explanation has the right to be angry?! Like what did Nash do to you again?
I’d been determined to make this work when it was clear that she wasn’t. And she couldn’t even tell me this to my face.
In a way, I think the author just wanted to add a premises of enemies to lover trope and from Nash’s POV it worked but with Raven’s it didn’t even make sense. It would’ve worked better if they both had misunderstandings and they both hated each other because of that.
I also don’t understand the whole “Devious Game.” What part in this story was a game, clearly I missed something because Nash calling Raven over multiple times and doing the snu was clearly NOT A GAME? Their whole relationship is so weird to me because they’ve just so easily accepted yet not accepted each other.
This isn’t to say that I don’t like my parents. It was just that sometimes their focus on my father’s political career trumped things that were important to me.
I think I like NASH more than Raven mostly because Raven has this self pitying persona that I just can’t seem to digest.
Raven screamed next to me and grasped her seat belt. “You kidnapped someone!”
“Who was about to kidnap you, so it cancels out.”
Not to mention this scene when Raven tried to be those self righteous main leads. Like girl, Nash just saved you from potentially being kidnapped and you can’t even utter a “thank you.” And then the whole VERY ANNOYING part where he tells her to stay out in the room and she just HAS TO come out and see him murder a clearly bad guy. Like girl are you sane? And then she runs out of the moving car? I just can’t seem to understand nor like this girl.
The Chevailers group seems sketchy yet cool, kinda excited to see why they are doing all this.
Also Landon? What’s up with you man? Are you the unknown number guy?
I just know the dad has something to do with Raven’s mum’s murder/accident
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2022
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
I left Brentson in the dead of night and made a promise that I would never return. I was determined to leave my past behind, but here's the thing about it: It always has a way of hunting you down. Now, I am face-to-face with Nash Henson, my ex-boyfriend, heir to the Henson fortune, and crowned king of Brentson University. He'll never forgive me for what I have done. And when he's done playing his game with me, there won't be anything left. Because he's determined to destroy me.
This is the first book in the Brentson University Series from Bri Blackwood. This is a dark college enemies-to-lovers romance trilogy and may contain triggers for some readers. You need to heed the warnings in the beginning of the book. It will end in a cliffhanger.
This is the story of Raven and Nash. Raven and Nash have a past and we get to see that past and Raven has left town and never looked back. Until, she receives a mysterious message one day that tells her if she wants to find out more about her mothers death then she need to return home to Brentson right away. It s been two years since she left the town and Nash. Returning was never her intention and she is shocked when she gets there and she is met with some horrible hostility. The boy that she was in love with when she graduated high school in now this hostile bitter man that she doesn't even know anymore. She left without saying a word because she had to and maybe she should have explained everything to him if she could have but she couldn't and his hostility has had years to grow and is shocking to Raven. Now a man who is about to join a prestigious society known as the Chevaliers, he has been invite to try for the position of chairman but first has to complete a challenge that is laid before him. His challenge is to own his greatest enemy and weakness, Raven Goodwin. However just like he has grown into a young man, Raven has grown and changed too and is not longer the girl he knew in high school and she is going to need all of the feistiness she now has inside her to stand up to Nash since his is more than determined to complete the challenge and take his place in the Chevalier's.
There is so much going on in this book that you are going to be reading and turning pages as fast as you can. After all this is a fast paced book that sucks you in from the first chapter and you are fully immersed in the battle raging between Raven and Nash. I can promise you that you are going to want to slap Nash up the side of his head more than one time. I was a total Raven fan and was cheering for her the entire time. I loved that feisty personality that she had going on when she was standing up to Nash. I have to say too that the cliffhanger is going to cause you some major omg do not throw the kindle against the wall stress. Or your going to be sitting there with your mouth hanging wide open. Either way you react you will be wanting the next book, Devious Secret in your hot little hands right that second. Good thing it is only until September and that in the grand scheme of things will be here before we know it!! Thank Goodness!!! This is a book you do not want to miss.
I left Brentson in the dead of night and made a promise that I would never return. I was determined to leave my past behind, but here's the thing about it: It always has a way of hunting you down. Now, I am face-to-face with Nash Henson, my ex-boyfriend, heir to the Henson fortune, and crowned king of Brentson University. He'll never forgive me for what I have done. And when he's done playing his game with me, there won't be anything left. Because he's determined to destroy me.
This is the first book in the Brentson University Series from Bri Blackwood. This is a dark college enemies-to-lovers romance trilogy and may contain triggers for some readers. You need to heed the warnings in the beginning of the book. It will end in a cliffhanger.
This is the story of Raven and Nash. Raven and Nash have a past and we get to see that past and Raven has left town and never looked back. Until, she receives a mysterious message one day that tells her if she wants to find out more about her mothers death then she need to return home to Brentson right away. It s been two years since she left the town and Nash. Returning was never her intention and she is shocked when she gets there and she is met with some horrible hostility. The boy that she was in love with when she graduated high school in now this hostile bitter man that she doesn't even know anymore. She left without saying a word because she had to and maybe she should have explained everything to him if she could have but she couldn't and his hostility has had years to grow and is shocking to Raven. Now a man who is about to join a prestigious society known as the Chevaliers, he has been invite to try for the position of chairman but first has to complete a challenge that is laid before him. His challenge is to own his greatest enemy and weakness, Raven Goodwin. However just like he has grown into a young man, Raven has grown and changed too and is not longer the girl he knew in high school and she is going to need all of the feistiness she now has inside her to stand up to Nash since his is more than determined to complete the challenge and take his place in the Chevalier's.
There is so much going on in this book that you are going to be reading and turning pages as fast as you can. After all this is a fast paced book that sucks you in from the first chapter and you are fully immersed in the battle raging between Raven and Nash. I can promise you that you are going to want to slap Nash up the side of his head more than one time. I was a total Raven fan and was cheering for her the entire time. I loved that feisty personality that she had going on when she was standing up to Nash. I have to say too that the cliffhanger is going to cause you some major omg do not throw the kindle against the wall stress. Or your going to be sitting there with your mouth hanging wide open. Either way you react you will be wanting the next book, Devious Secret in your hot little hands right that second. Good thing it is only until September and that in the grand scheme of things will be here before we know it!! Thank Goodness!!! This is a book you do not want to miss.
August 11, 2022
She is a means to an end, the challenge he was dealt, he will conquer her and own her, and get his spot with the secret society... and definitely not fall for her again. Raven completely broke him when she left town in the dead of night without so much as a goodbye, and it has taken him a long time to come to terms with what she has done. His hate for her and what she has done just continues to grow with each passing day and now that she is back in Brentson, he is ready to exact his revenge and make her hurt the way she hurt him!
The pages of Devious Game play out like an intense game of cat and mouse, Raven hides from Nash at every turn, doing all she can to avoid interactions with him, only for him to always find her... she can't escape him. Nash is on a mission to crush her the way she did to him and exact revenge for all the pain she caused him and his family. And his quest comes with a handsome reward, he will earn the coveted spot with the society that he has been dreaming of since Freshman year. But what happens when it starts to become harder to hate her? He can't let his feelings cloud his judgment or it will cost him everything...
From the very first page this one had me addicted, I could not put it down, I had to see how it would all play out... which inevitably lead to a late night of reading, and let me tell you it was SO worth the lost hours of sleep! As I flipped through the pages I was hit with so many emotions, and left with so many questions... I cannot wait to see what the second installment holds for these two!! This first time read did not disappoint, the story line was unique and captivating, the words emotive and well written, and the characters perfectly drawn... I loved every minute of it!! Highly recommend!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
The pages of Devious Game play out like an intense game of cat and mouse, Raven hides from Nash at every turn, doing all she can to avoid interactions with him, only for him to always find her... she can't escape him. Nash is on a mission to crush her the way she did to him and exact revenge for all the pain she caused him and his family. And his quest comes with a handsome reward, he will earn the coveted spot with the society that he has been dreaming of since Freshman year. But what happens when it starts to become harder to hate her? He can't let his feelings cloud his judgment or it will cost him everything...
From the very first page this one had me addicted, I could not put it down, I had to see how it would all play out... which inevitably lead to a late night of reading, and let me tell you it was SO worth the lost hours of sleep! As I flipped through the pages I was hit with so many emotions, and left with so many questions... I cannot wait to see what the second installment holds for these two!! This first time read did not disappoint, the story line was unique and captivating, the words emotive and well written, and the characters perfectly drawn... I loved every minute of it!! Highly recommend!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
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