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read_on_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Dear Eli,
I just knew you were a cocky jerk from Jake’s story and I wasn’t sure how I would be able to handle your story when you hurt my Jake for so long, but I did take note that if sweet Ava Callihan could find some redeeming qualities in you that I should be able to give you a chance. I am so glad I gave your story a chance because yes you were still that cocky high school kid walking around like big bad A, but you had many layers that you kept close to the vest except Ava got to see the real you. So, I would like to apologize for jumping to conclusions and judging you before I got to see you for who you truly are. Sincerely with love, this reader who is now a fan.
This book was so good as I previously typed out I had my hesitant moments when it came to Eli Bennett because it seemed all he cared about in life was setting out to make Jake Callahan’s life difficult and I even thought he was using Ava to do so, but he showed me that it’s not nice to make preconceived notions about others and what they are going through. Did I completely trust him and forgive him? not 100% yet because he was still a cocky jerk at times. The thing that some tend to forget is in high school a lot of us walked around thinking we couldn’t be stopped and were on top of the world when in reality we struggled with emotions, drama, and how to handle adult situations. Ava at first to me came off as a tad immature and hateful because she did say what was on her mind which wasn’t the problem the problem was how she lashed out at Eli only because he and her brother were rivals, it kind of made me think she was immature but we have all done this in high school too at some point. This does end in a cliffhanger, but I don’t think we have to wait very long for the next one and I can’t wait to see what will happen next.
I just knew you were a cocky jerk from Jake’s story and I wasn’t sure how I would be able to handle your story when you hurt my Jake for so long, but I did take note that if sweet Ava Callihan could find some redeeming qualities in you that I should be able to give you a chance. I am so glad I gave your story a chance because yes you were still that cocky high school kid walking around like big bad A, but you had many layers that you kept close to the vest except Ava got to see the real you. So, I would like to apologize for jumping to conclusions and judging you before I got to see you for who you truly are. Sincerely with love, this reader who is now a fan.
This book was so good as I previously typed out I had my hesitant moments when it came to Eli Bennett because it seemed all he cared about in life was setting out to make Jake Callahan’s life difficult and I even thought he was using Ava to do so, but he showed me that it’s not nice to make preconceived notions about others and what they are going through. Did I completely trust him and forgive him? not 100% yet because he was still a cocky jerk at times. The thing that some tend to forget is in high school a lot of us walked around thinking we couldn’t be stopped and were on top of the world when in reality we struggled with emotions, drama, and how to handle adult situations. Ava at first to me came off as a tad immature and hateful because she did say what was on her mind which wasn’t the problem the problem was how she lashed out at Eli only because he and her brother were rivals, it kind of made me think she was immature but we have all done this in high school too at some point. This does end in a cliffhanger, but I don’t think we have to wait very long for the next one and I can’t wait to see what will happen next.
shelbylovestoread's review against another edition
5.0
Ahhh Ava...why are good girls always drawn to bad boys? Ava and Eli’s relationship is just all sorts of rocky and angsty, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions. It sort of reminds me of Autumn and Asher that way. But for as much as Eli draws Ava in, she knows he’s bad for her, because he’s her brothers biggest rival and they hate each other. At first, I thought Eli was just playing Ava, and I was worried for Ava’s heart. She’s almost fragile in her way of thinking she’s in her older siblings shadows. I think Eli sees her for who she is, and that makes her feel special. But, Eli has his own demons to slay, and it’s not an easy path for these two to take to each other.
Honestly, it’s an uphill battle for Ava and Eli to be together, and I want it to work, I need the HEA for them, but there’s just so much drama, so much angst, so much heartbreak, how much can someone take?!
And that cliff hanger?! Ugh, where is book #2!!
Honestly, it’s an uphill battle for Ava and Eli to be together, and I want it to work, I need the HEA for them, but there’s just so much drama, so much angst, so much heartbreak, how much can someone take?!
And that cliff hanger?! Ugh, where is book #2!!
soniacantu26's review against another edition
2.0
More of a 2.5. I skimmed through the first chapters tbh. It was entertaining but unnecessary drama and stupid characters like her brother. Awful cliffhanger this should’ve been a complete book and not have a continuation. Ou and Eli has mayor anger issues so kinda toxic not gonna lie.
steph051815's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
miasboookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
0.5 ⭐️ “girls are interchangeable” no absolutely not. all the men in this book were absurdly misogynistic, and it was not enjoyable in the slightest.
profromance's review against another edition
4.0
Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I have to be honest. I’m not sure how to begin this review. I am a fan of New Adult romance. I have no issues with reading teenagers and romance. I’m a 49-year-old woman who thinks of herself, quite often, as her teenage self, so reading romance about young people can be as titillating as reading romance about older characters. This is my third book from Monica Murphy, and in general, I like reading her stories. Even though I struggled a bit with the last book, Falling for Her, mostly because the hero was not likable for much of the story, I was ready for Addicted to Him because I adore when a writer takes a character you love to hate and redeems them. In this case, we’re talking about Jake’s nemesis, Eli Bennett, from Falling for Her. And the strength of Murphy’s newest story is her ability to induce you to like a character whom you thought you wouldn’t like at the outset of the story. That is an indication of Murphy’s writing prowess.
Now, here’s my dilemma. I’ve read quite a bit of NA romance especially various stories with bully romance. Even with those stories, I never felt like I was reading teenage drama. It’s probably a criticism of that genre that the teeenage characters read like adults. However, with Murphy’s Addicted to Him, it reads as 100% teen drama, a veritable roller-coaster of emotions. For once, this reader wanted to get off that ride after a bit. I finished the book until the end, and I will definitely read the next book. Yet, I wasn’t bowled over by Eli and Ava’s story. Instead, it felt very immature. I liked Ava in Falling for Her because she was the voice of reason for her brother. In this book, though, she was unpredictable. It was clear that she was attracted to Eli (for God knows what reason…he does NOT make a good first impression). She’s smart, kind, and seemingly self-assured until Eli. Then, she second-guesses their relationship constantly and plays him to a certain extent. At some point, I began to feel sorry for Eli because Ava treats him poorly. Then, to a certain degree, he retaliates and treats Ava poorly. When these two [ALERT] tell each other that they love each other, it isn’t believable because they have acted like emotional vampires with each other. This becomes the roller-coaster ride of this book. When they finally come to a place of peace, Murphy blows it up and leaves us in pieces for the next book.
For me, I liked Eli’s evolution. I liked reading Ava’s story and seeing her insight on the Eli and Jake dilemma. I didn’t like the inconsistency of Eli and Ava’s journey, however. It tended to make the story tedious and petty. Quite frankly, I can watch TikTok in smaller doses for that.
Here’s my hope: a more placid book 2. I don’t mean boring. I don’t mean no angst or fireworks. I mean fewer highs and lows for Eli and Ava so that there happy ending feels charged. There is an adage that best elaborates on the real truth of Addicted to Him: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” If you want to know the reasons for Eli Bennett’s actions, it lies heavily in this adage, and Murphy has yet for Ava to really explore the consequences of this truth in Eli’s life. I’m hoping Book 2 will give us all the dreamy happiness that seems to be missing in Monica Murphy’s Addicted to Him.
I have to be honest. I’m not sure how to begin this review. I am a fan of New Adult romance. I have no issues with reading teenagers and romance. I’m a 49-year-old woman who thinks of herself, quite often, as her teenage self, so reading romance about young people can be as titillating as reading romance about older characters. This is my third book from Monica Murphy, and in general, I like reading her stories. Even though I struggled a bit with the last book, Falling for Her, mostly because the hero was not likable for much of the story, I was ready for Addicted to Him because I adore when a writer takes a character you love to hate and redeems them. In this case, we’re talking about Jake’s nemesis, Eli Bennett, from Falling for Her. And the strength of Murphy’s newest story is her ability to induce you to like a character whom you thought you wouldn’t like at the outset of the story. That is an indication of Murphy’s writing prowess.
Now, here’s my dilemma. I’ve read quite a bit of NA romance especially various stories with bully romance. Even with those stories, I never felt like I was reading teenage drama. It’s probably a criticism of that genre that the teeenage characters read like adults. However, with Murphy’s Addicted to Him, it reads as 100% teen drama, a veritable roller-coaster of emotions. For once, this reader wanted to get off that ride after a bit. I finished the book until the end, and I will definitely read the next book. Yet, I wasn’t bowled over by Eli and Ava’s story. Instead, it felt very immature. I liked Ava in Falling for Her because she was the voice of reason for her brother. In this book, though, she was unpredictable. It was clear that she was attracted to Eli (for God knows what reason…he does NOT make a good first impression). She’s smart, kind, and seemingly self-assured until Eli. Then, she second-guesses their relationship constantly and plays him to a certain extent. At some point, I began to feel sorry for Eli because Ava treats him poorly. Then, to a certain degree, he retaliates and treats Ava poorly. When these two [ALERT] tell each other that they love each other, it isn’t believable because they have acted like emotional vampires with each other. This becomes the roller-coaster ride of this book. When they finally come to a place of peace, Murphy blows it up and leaves us in pieces for the next book.
For me, I liked Eli’s evolution. I liked reading Ava’s story and seeing her insight on the Eli and Jake dilemma. I didn’t like the inconsistency of Eli and Ava’s journey, however. It tended to make the story tedious and petty. Quite frankly, I can watch TikTok in smaller doses for that.
Here’s my hope: a more placid book 2. I don’t mean boring. I don’t mean no angst or fireworks. I mean fewer highs and lows for Eli and Ava so that there happy ending feels charged. There is an adage that best elaborates on the real truth of Addicted to Him: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” If you want to know the reasons for Eli Bennett’s actions, it lies heavily in this adage, and Murphy has yet for Ava to really explore the consequences of this truth in Eli’s life. I’m hoping Book 2 will give us all the dreamy happiness that seems to be missing in Monica Murphy’s Addicted to Him.
mies_reads's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kfriend's review against another edition
5.0
Addicted to Him is EVERYTHING I want in a steamy YA romance- the drama and angst of being a teen, the nostalgic resonance of sweet first love, characters who are refreshingly young and figuring themselves out, and an emotional journey that had me, well, addicted to this story. Eli and Drew stole my heart!
This story can be read as a standalone- but fans will be happy to see this continuation of the Callahan family story. We met Ava’s parents in the very popular One Week Girlfriend series, and the prior two books in this story were the stories of Ava’s older two siblings. The events of this book take place concurrently with those of her slightly older brother Jake’s book, which preceded this, and it was so fun to get to see the happenings of that story from another lens.
Sweet Ava is the youngest daughter of Fable and Drew, the legendary football star who now adorably coaches high school football. Everything her family does centers around football- her brother is the star QB of his team, her sister a cheerleader who is in love with the prior team QB, even her baby brother loves football. Meanwhile, Ava feels like her entire identity is swept up in the passions and legacy of everyone around her- a sentiment only reinforced when she’s forced to go with her family to the team's summer football camp. And suddenly nothing is the same- because her path crosses with the notorious Eli Bennett- her brother’s rival, an arrogant, dirty talking, off limits boy- but after a few stolen moments, their magnetic pull is undeniable But Ava is unwilling to fall for the enemy, to disappoint the men she loves- too bad for her, Eli is unwilling to let her go. He’s struggling enough in his life- and he’s unwilling to give up the one thing that gives him joy- Ava. What follows is an angsty, swoony, delightful enemies to lovers story that broke my heart in places and had me smiling in others….all up until that jaw dropping cliff hanger!
Ava was just so charming- she’s different from everything and everyone around her. She doesn’t care about popularity, she doesn’t feed into her family’s football mania, she keeps to herself- in fact, she’s decidedly average when you look at her on paper. But she’s anything but average as a character- there are so many layers to her. She’s a bit sad and lonely, even though she never says so- and she’s desperately craving to establish her own identity and to make decisions that are not tied to her family or her last name. She’s sweet, innocent, and kind, but her relationship with Eli awakens her- her sass, her direct and proactive nature, and her boldness. She’s not as much of an open book as Eli, and I think we still have much to learn about her ambitions- but I loved her so.
And Eli- oh my heart. I wasn’t sure I could love him, but I loved him so hard. At first, he comes off as an arrogant jerk. He acts like a real teenage boy- self-important, overly confident, horny, impulsive, jealous. But he’s got so much heart- and he’s repressing so many feelings- anger, abandonment, frustration. When he finally moves past the bravado and we see into his soul, I just fell so hard for him. He’s still arrogant and smug, but he’s also so charming and lovable. I loved how vulnerable he gets, and his deep devotion to Ava despite her resistance.
And these two together? OH MY. young love magic. So much angst, that dramatic push-pull, the magnetic tug between them paired with the sweetness of opening your heart to someone for the first time. This is a slower burn- and it makes it all the sweeter when these two finally find their way to fully embrace their attraction and need, because it feels soulful once they do. They are simply adorable.
What I find so endearing and so fantastic about this book (and this series) is how Monica lets these teenagers be just that- TEENS. They are impulsive, at times hurtfully so, trigger happy and overly emotional and dramatic. This is what it is like to be a teen- to be so overwhelmed by all you feel that you can’t always process it all rationally, to not yet have the full emotional intelligence to make sense of the very adult feelings and cravings you are experiencing for the first time- which makes you erratic, unpredictable, and angsty. Monica lets them truly act like teens- especially Eli. And that is what makes me have all the feels- remembering the awkward but giddy stolen first kisses and the unfamiliar and consuming feelings of first love where everything feels like the beginning and end of the world. All while trying to figure out who you are as human. That’s what I love in a YA- that nostalgic magic of young love paired with an emotionally resonant character story. And Monica delivers on both. I really loved every moment.
Be warned- this one ends on a giant, and heart breaking cliffy. All the emotions, all the angst, all the tenderness leading up to it are truly YA magic- and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the second part of this story! Ava and Eli’s book is by far my favorite in this series thus far- and Ava sure is giving Drew and Fable a run for their money as one of the best MM couples of all time! I loved this book!
This story can be read as a standalone- but fans will be happy to see this continuation of the Callahan family story. We met Ava’s parents in the very popular One Week Girlfriend series, and the prior two books in this story were the stories of Ava’s older two siblings. The events of this book take place concurrently with those of her slightly older brother Jake’s book, which preceded this, and it was so fun to get to see the happenings of that story from another lens.
Sweet Ava is the youngest daughter of Fable and Drew, the legendary football star who now adorably coaches high school football. Everything her family does centers around football- her brother is the star QB of his team, her sister a cheerleader who is in love with the prior team QB, even her baby brother loves football. Meanwhile, Ava feels like her entire identity is swept up in the passions and legacy of everyone around her- a sentiment only reinforced when she’s forced to go with her family to the team's summer football camp. And suddenly nothing is the same- because her path crosses with the notorious Eli Bennett- her brother’s rival, an arrogant, dirty talking, off limits boy- but after a few stolen moments, their magnetic pull is undeniable But Ava is unwilling to fall for the enemy, to disappoint the men she loves- too bad for her, Eli is unwilling to let her go. He’s struggling enough in his life- and he’s unwilling to give up the one thing that gives him joy- Ava. What follows is an angsty, swoony, delightful enemies to lovers story that broke my heart in places and had me smiling in others….all up until that jaw dropping cliff hanger!
Ava was just so charming- she’s different from everything and everyone around her. She doesn’t care about popularity, she doesn’t feed into her family’s football mania, she keeps to herself- in fact, she’s decidedly average when you look at her on paper. But she’s anything but average as a character- there are so many layers to her. She’s a bit sad and lonely, even though she never says so- and she’s desperately craving to establish her own identity and to make decisions that are not tied to her family or her last name. She’s sweet, innocent, and kind, but her relationship with Eli awakens her- her sass, her direct and proactive nature, and her boldness. She’s not as much of an open book as Eli, and I think we still have much to learn about her ambitions- but I loved her so.
And Eli- oh my heart. I wasn’t sure I could love him, but I loved him so hard. At first, he comes off as an arrogant jerk. He acts like a real teenage boy- self-important, overly confident, horny, impulsive, jealous. But he’s got so much heart- and he’s repressing so many feelings- anger, abandonment, frustration. When he finally moves past the bravado and we see into his soul, I just fell so hard for him. He’s still arrogant and smug, but he’s also so charming and lovable. I loved how vulnerable he gets, and his deep devotion to Ava despite her resistance.
And these two together? OH MY. young love magic. So much angst, that dramatic push-pull, the magnetic tug between them paired with the sweetness of opening your heart to someone for the first time. This is a slower burn- and it makes it all the sweeter when these two finally find their way to fully embrace their attraction and need, because it feels soulful once they do. They are simply adorable.
What I find so endearing and so fantastic about this book (and this series) is how Monica lets these teenagers be just that- TEENS. They are impulsive, at times hurtfully so, trigger happy and overly emotional and dramatic. This is what it is like to be a teen- to be so overwhelmed by all you feel that you can’t always process it all rationally, to not yet have the full emotional intelligence to make sense of the very adult feelings and cravings you are experiencing for the first time- which makes you erratic, unpredictable, and angsty. Monica lets them truly act like teens- especially Eli. And that is what makes me have all the feels- remembering the awkward but giddy stolen first kisses and the unfamiliar and consuming feelings of first love where everything feels like the beginning and end of the world. All while trying to figure out who you are as human. That’s what I love in a YA- that nostalgic magic of young love paired with an emotionally resonant character story. And Monica delivers on both. I really loved every moment.
Be warned- this one ends on a giant, and heart breaking cliffy. All the emotions, all the angst, all the tenderness leading up to it are truly YA magic- and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the second part of this story! Ava and Eli’s book is by far my favorite in this series thus far- and Ava sure is giving Drew and Fable a run for their money as one of the best MM couples of all time! I loved this book!
larash's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0