A young woman detests the popular and sexy football god at her college but soon finds her feelings in chaos when she's forced into close quarters with the arrogant young man. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Campus Heartthrob by Jennifer Sucevic, along with getting my impressions of it, then add this standalone New Adult romance to your bookshelf!
From USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Sucevic comes a sexy, new standalone novel. Brayden Kendricks might be God’s gift to the female species at Western University, but I want nothing to do with the dark-haired football player. The guy is an attention seeking you-know- what who soaks up fan adoration like it’s his due in life for being hot and talented.
Damn. Did I just say that?
All right, fine...I’ll grudgingly admit that Brayden is decent looking. I suppose if you’re into guys who resemble Greek gods with abs of steel and chiseled pecs, then sure, one could consider him attractive.
Am I guilty of having a tiny, practically non-existent crush on him freshman year?
I’d prefer not to answer that question.
Thankfully, I quickly came to my senses and have made a concerted effort to steer clear of Brayden ever since. It hasn’t been easy, considering that my bestie is now dating his roommate and we’ve been thrown together for an accounting project. You’d think after years of baring my teeth at him like a rabid dog, the guy would have gotten the memo that I’m not interested. Apparently not, since he’s spreading word around campus that we’re going out.
I mean, can you even imagine?
Me?
Dating Brayden Kendricks?
I have four words for him...
No.
All right, fine...I’ll grudgingly admit that Brayden is decent looking. I suppose if you’re into guys who resemble Greek gods with abs of steel and chiseled pecs, then sure, one could consider him attractive.
Am I guilty of having a tiny, practically non-existent crush on him freshman year?
I’d prefer not to answer that question.
Thankfully, I quickly came to my senses and have made a concerted effort to steer clear of Brayden ever since. It hasn’t been easy, considering that my bestie is now dating his roommate and we’ve been thrown together for an accounting project. You’d think after years of baring my teeth at him like a rabid dog, the guy would have gotten the memo that I’m not interested. Apparently not, since he’s spreading word around campus that we’re going out.
I mean, can you even imagine?
Me?
Dating Brayden Kendricks?
I have four words for him...
No.
Way.
In.
Hell.
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
BUY here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Not having read Ms. Sucevic's Campus Player had me concerned that I'd be feeling as if I was missing out on something with this story, but thankfully this book stood strongly on its own as a romance of frenemies-to-lovers who begin a fake relationship at the sexy hero's suggestion. With each turn of the page readers will become further invested in Brayden Kendricks and Sydney Daniels and their slow-burn relationship full of push and pull moments and surprising emotional depth that made this an enjoyable read.
Brayden's the proverbial Big Man on Campus, admired by the boys and desired by the girls in his senior year of college and a star football player. One girl in particular wants him and doesn't want to take no for an answer no matter how many times he says it. His answer to this problem has him reaching out to the one woman who wants nothing to do with him, his longtime frenemy Sydney, as he promises to help her with her art class needs in exchange for playing his girlfriend. It's an arrangement that not only helps deal with his stalker but also lets him finally be with the young woman he's been attracted to for the last four years. As they spend time together they find surprising connections, an intertwined past that led to some conflicts and heartbreak just as their feelings started to become more and more obvious. Mutual losses in their pasts gave them a connection early on and as they spent time together heartfelt talks brought them closer together, gave readers greater insight into each of them as individuals. Theirs is a slow-burn romance full of angst with moments of heartbreak that had me fearing their future while rooting them on every step of the way. Through all the ups and downs, through all the push and pull moments this was a couple who I liked a whole lot. Sydney's an athlete (which gave her a bit of tough girl to her personality), a sweet and kindhearted young woman with a strong love of family that warmed my heart. Brayden showed himself to be anything but stereotypical. While he enjoyed playing the field when it came to women, once he and Sydney connected he was definitely all in with her. He was a lovable and kindhearted hero, one with a tender side that I loved seeing him display. He too had a close connection to his family especially as seen through interactions with his younger sister, Elle, that utterly warmed my heart. He was also supportive of Sydney as she went after her dreams, while being protective of her feelings as they continued on their journey to HEA. Through it all they were a match made in Heaven!
This was an entertaining read from start to finish, a bit predictable at some points though too. When it came to Brayden and Sydney, I found them a delightful and realistic pairing with a slow-burn relationship that I couldn't wait to see flare up in scorching interludes. While watching them grow closer emotionally I loved seeing the layers of their personalities revealed as well. These reveals weren't always easy and, with some painful truths and a jaw-dropping reveal towards the end, made their journey to HEA a rocky one indeed. It's also a richly rewarding one that warmed my heart at times, keeping me on edge while I fanned myself from their scorching encounters. Alongside this wonderful main couple was an equally entertaining cast of secondary characters, some from the previous book and some I look forward to seeing more of in future books, friends and family members that played their parts in bringing this couple together. Fans of New Adult fake relationship romances will find surprising emotional depth and heartbreaking twists and turns in this charming and endearing tale of two people who tried to avoid love but fell into it when they least expected it! Add in a flawlessly romantic, and equally realistic depiction of their lives after finding love, and you'll find yourself clapping this perfectly crafted conclusion.
My rating for this is an B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Jennifer is a USA Today bestselling author who has published seventeen New Adult and Mature Young Adult novels. Her novels have been translated into both German and Dutch. Audiobooks are also in the works. She has a bachelor’s degree in History and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She spent five years working as a high school counselor before relocating with her family. Jennifer lives in the Midwest with her husband and four children.
No comments:
Post a Comment