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profromance's review against another edition
4.0
Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Is it possible for Caleb to be redeemed? The resident unattached playboy of the College Years crew is seemingly unable to settle in with one girl. Even Baylee, his ongoing f-buddy, was unable to tame the wild beast. Yet...on the horizon, there is Gracie, the woman who seems to catch his eye. In true Kindergarten fashion, though, Caleb lives to taunt and irritate Gracie. This is all a ploy, however, because Caleb is intrigued by Gracie, and Gracie is intrigued with Caleb.
One of my favorite parts of The Junior is Monica Murphy’s ability to humanize Caleb using Gracie as the impetus for it. Gracie sees through his base outer person to his vulnerability. Caleb is afraid of mediocrity, of being like his very normal mother and father. For him, chasing women and keeping them at arm’s length allows him to live a life that isn’t too predictable. Until it is, obviously. When Gracie moves into the apartment with Eli and Caleb, he gains access to more of her. When she finds a job on the lake with him, he sees more of her, and he realizes that she is MORE than the women before her. He becomes almost obsessed with her, and it’s there when you finally begin to adore the guy.
As we saw in The Sophomore, Gracie is an independent and insightful woman. She and her friend, Hayden, are mostly responsible for helping Ellie find her way to Jackson. She brings those same skills into The Junior. However, she struggles with becoming vulnerable with Caleb. Interestingly, Murphy crafts Gracie and Caleb as the same person with gender as the difference. In doing so, Murphy takes the space of this story to illustrate the double standards of $exually active men and women. Gracie and Caleb are the same, and yet, they are different. Even more, we find that they are both afraid of allowing love into their lives.
So what is there to love about this story? Well, using the rubric of a typical romance, this one is steamy. Secondly, the evolution of Caleb from unapologetic man-whore to devoted boyfriend makes you fall in love with him. And lastly, when Caleb and Gracie finally allow their friendship to morph into a love relationship, it makes you swoon.
Now, one of the more important components of The Junior is the set-up for The Senior, Eli’s story. Murphy has carefully crafted The Junior to prepare us for the problems between and Eli and Ava, and your guess is as good as mine if they will find their happy ending. By the end of The Junior, Caleb and Gracie have found theirs. We will just have to hope and pray that everything ends as it should when The Senior concludes Monica Murphy’s The College Years series.
Is it possible for Caleb to be redeemed? The resident unattached playboy of the College Years crew is seemingly unable to settle in with one girl. Even Baylee, his ongoing f-buddy, was unable to tame the wild beast. Yet...on the horizon, there is Gracie, the woman who seems to catch his eye. In true Kindergarten fashion, though, Caleb lives to taunt and irritate Gracie. This is all a ploy, however, because Caleb is intrigued by Gracie, and Gracie is intrigued with Caleb.
One of my favorite parts of The Junior is Monica Murphy’s ability to humanize Caleb using Gracie as the impetus for it. Gracie sees through his base outer person to his vulnerability. Caleb is afraid of mediocrity, of being like his very normal mother and father. For him, chasing women and keeping them at arm’s length allows him to live a life that isn’t too predictable. Until it is, obviously. When Gracie moves into the apartment with Eli and Caleb, he gains access to more of her. When she finds a job on the lake with him, he sees more of her, and he realizes that she is MORE than the women before her. He becomes almost obsessed with her, and it’s there when you finally begin to adore the guy.
As we saw in The Sophomore, Gracie is an independent and insightful woman. She and her friend, Hayden, are mostly responsible for helping Ellie find her way to Jackson. She brings those same skills into The Junior. However, she struggles with becoming vulnerable with Caleb. Interestingly, Murphy crafts Gracie and Caleb as the same person with gender as the difference. In doing so, Murphy takes the space of this story to illustrate the double standards of $exually active men and women. Gracie and Caleb are the same, and yet, they are different. Even more, we find that they are both afraid of allowing love into their lives.
So what is there to love about this story? Well, using the rubric of a typical romance, this one is steamy. Secondly, the evolution of Caleb from unapologetic man-whore to devoted boyfriend makes you fall in love with him. And lastly, when Caleb and Gracie finally allow their friendship to morph into a love relationship, it makes you swoon.
Now, one of the more important components of The Junior is the set-up for The Senior, Eli’s story. Murphy has carefully crafted The Junior to prepare us for the problems between and Eli and Ava, and your guess is as good as mine if they will find their happy ending. By the end of The Junior, Caleb and Gracie have found theirs. We will just have to hope and pray that everything ends as it should when The Senior concludes Monica Murphy’s The College Years series.
kerasalwaysreading's review
5.0
By far my favorite or the series because of the duo of Caleb and Gracie! They were absolute fire. The two had so much in common when it came to the kind of person they are. They both love them and leave them and are not looking for anything serious… but they both also carry a bit of a torch for one another!
When Gracie decides to take the offer to become the third roommate to Eli and Caleb, AND THEN gets a job at the same place Caleb works, it seems like it is going to be too much. The two are always getting on each other’s nerves, but the chemistry is electric.
Soon, they realize that staying away from each other will be near impossible and they both want to act on their desires. But will who they both are get in the way of that? Will Caleb get bored of her liege he has every other girl? Will Gracie lose faith in him and give up in him?
When Gracie decides to take the offer to become the third roommate to Eli and Caleb, AND THEN gets a job at the same place Caleb works, it seems like it is going to be too much. The two are always getting on each other’s nerves, but the chemistry is electric.
Soon, they realize that staying away from each other will be near impossible and they both want to act on their desires. But will who they both are get in the way of that? Will Caleb get bored of her liege he has every other girl? Will Gracie lose faith in him and give up in him?
kfriend's review
5.0
With every passing “year” I fall more in love with this crazy, endearing, and complicated group of unexpected friends. The College Years continues to charm me with its equal heart and heat coming of age sincerity - and the Junior finally gives our resident, troublemaking playboy his HEA.
It wasn’t until the college years series that Caleb really started to shine for me-and with each passing story, I’ve become more desperate for him to find a lady to tame him - or, rather, match him. Monica has steadily been giving him more substance as the college years have progressed- giving his bravado and f-boy persona more heart and more sincerity. And, as she tees us up for what might be the angstiest story yet in the Senior, we get Caleb, the light, comedic, unexpected charmer just when we need him most. I’d already had a soft spot for him, but the Junior made my heart all squishy for our fun loving hero.
Caleb is every bit as fun as I expected- sarcastic, humorous, crass and overly honest, and, of course, a dirty talker. He’s always been wild and unpredictable, sometimes a bit selfish and immature- truth be told, he’s a bit much, so really a perfect supporting character. But a leading man? Well, I was curious to see if Monica could take what made him great comedic fodder as a secondary character and transform him into a compelling and substantive leading man. And in this she really succeeds. She gives Caleb depth- fears, ambitions, insecurities, and a whole big giant heart. I expected for him to charm and make me laugh, I wasn’t expecting for him to have so much swoon in him, too.
I loved how Monica gives us a female character that is basically a playgirl herself. Even though she’s older, she’s not into commitment, and she’s also got no patience for any relationships, friendship or romance, that don’t enrich her life. Thus, why she and Caleb are on the outs. But, them living together to re-open that door- and more importantly, forces her to confront the real reason she closed it. It’s refreshing to see a heroine that is so against archetype- she likes to have a good time, she’s super focused on her future, she’s sassy and cool. I found her to be a bit level/even keeled, and it’s hard for a heroine to truly shine in the face of a character like Caleb, so it took me a bit longer to invest in her as deeply, but I felt more and more connected to her as the story progressed.
So playboy meets playgirl- and we have lots of fun chemistry. Spicy banter, a love-hate contentious beginning that transforms into a truce and then a substantive connection, lots of sexual tension, and two fun loving characters. Surprisingly given these two’s propensity for hook ups, it's a slower burn than I expected, but I really appreciated getting to see these two become friends, and to support each other as they figured out more about what they wanted in life. The sexy times are delicious, but I found myself most loving their one-on-one conversations- the moments where they’d be surprisingly honest with each other.
One of the things I find most compelling about Monica’s young adult/new adult stories is how unapologetic she is about her characters flaws- she lets them be young, she lets them make mistakes and do boneheaded things, she lets them be jerks or immature. Because they are GROWING UP- and I think Caleb is such a perfect example of this strength- he’s got past and present character traits that stay true to what he is - a college guy living it up. But she also helps them grow up. The College Years has also been about maturing- taking these dynamic but at times immature kids who wanted to act like adults and now actually growing them into real adults. Figuring out who they are, taking responsibility for their choices, being better versions of themselves, finding direction, and most importantly, figuring out what matters in life - and I loved seeing Caleb and Gracie figure that out together, to help each other be their better selves.
Of course, now I’m DESPERATE and anxious for the Senior, especially now that Monica is going to throw it back to my favorite couple of all time. Hopefully all these HEA couples can help those two keep it together- but I know this, I’m not ready to say goodbye to the College Years.
4.5 stars
It wasn’t until the college years series that Caleb really started to shine for me-and with each passing story, I’ve become more desperate for him to find a lady to tame him - or, rather, match him. Monica has steadily been giving him more substance as the college years have progressed- giving his bravado and f-boy persona more heart and more sincerity. And, as she tees us up for what might be the angstiest story yet in the Senior, we get Caleb, the light, comedic, unexpected charmer just when we need him most. I’d already had a soft spot for him, but the Junior made my heart all squishy for our fun loving hero.
Caleb is every bit as fun as I expected- sarcastic, humorous, crass and overly honest, and, of course, a dirty talker. He’s always been wild and unpredictable, sometimes a bit selfish and immature- truth be told, he’s a bit much, so really a perfect supporting character. But a leading man? Well, I was curious to see if Monica could take what made him great comedic fodder as a secondary character and transform him into a compelling and substantive leading man. And in this she really succeeds. She gives Caleb depth- fears, ambitions, insecurities, and a whole big giant heart. I expected for him to charm and make me laugh, I wasn’t expecting for him to have so much swoon in him, too.
I loved how Monica gives us a female character that is basically a playgirl herself. Even though she’s older, she’s not into commitment, and she’s also got no patience for any relationships, friendship or romance, that don’t enrich her life. Thus, why she and Caleb are on the outs. But, them living together to re-open that door- and more importantly, forces her to confront the real reason she closed it. It’s refreshing to see a heroine that is so against archetype- she likes to have a good time, she’s super focused on her future, she’s sassy and cool. I found her to be a bit level/even keeled, and it’s hard for a heroine to truly shine in the face of a character like Caleb, so it took me a bit longer to invest in her as deeply, but I felt more and more connected to her as the story progressed.
So playboy meets playgirl- and we have lots of fun chemistry. Spicy banter, a love-hate contentious beginning that transforms into a truce and then a substantive connection, lots of sexual tension, and two fun loving characters. Surprisingly given these two’s propensity for hook ups, it's a slower burn than I expected, but I really appreciated getting to see these two become friends, and to support each other as they figured out more about what they wanted in life. The sexy times are delicious, but I found myself most loving their one-on-one conversations- the moments where they’d be surprisingly honest with each other.
One of the things I find most compelling about Monica’s young adult/new adult stories is how unapologetic she is about her characters flaws- she lets them be young, she lets them make mistakes and do boneheaded things, she lets them be jerks or immature. Because they are GROWING UP- and I think Caleb is such a perfect example of this strength- he’s got past and present character traits that stay true to what he is - a college guy living it up. But she also helps them grow up. The College Years has also been about maturing- taking these dynamic but at times immature kids who wanted to act like adults and now actually growing them into real adults. Figuring out who they are, taking responsibility for their choices, being better versions of themselves, finding direction, and most importantly, figuring out what matters in life - and I loved seeing Caleb and Gracie figure that out together, to help each other be their better selves.
Of course, now I’m DESPERATE and anxious for the Senior, especially now that Monica is going to throw it back to my favorite couple of all time. Hopefully all these HEA couples can help those two keep it together- but I know this, I’m not ready to say goodbye to the College Years.
4.5 stars
sandizzlereads's review against another edition
5.0
My God I love this series !! Just when I think I know what to expect Monica Murphy does her thing and flips the script. She just knows how to write a story that grabs you so hard you don’t even realize you have been grabbed until it’s after midnight and your eyes are tired and you just can’t stop til the end!!
Caleb and Gracie’s love to hate relationship is one for the books, I loved watching these two players slow down and realize what everyone else knows.
Take this journey with these two, listen to them bicker, watch them become actual friends, and witness their relationship grow. This story has all the good stuff, don’t miss out !!!
Caleb and Gracie’s love to hate relationship is one for the books, I loved watching these two players slow down and realize what everyone else knows.
Take this journey with these two, listen to them bicker, watch them become actual friends, and witness their relationship grow. This story has all the good stuff, don’t miss out !!!
bookandginuk's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’ve been dipping in and out of this series and after looking for something a little lighter to read decided to pick up the junior.
I was not disappointed , Caleb and Gracie are both after a college experience. Grace wasn’t the popular kid in high school and after getting dumped senior year by her first series boyfriend decided that college was the time she was going to have fun. Caleb took a conversation with his dad way to seriously and decided he wasn’t going to look for anything meaningful.
Caleb and Grace have been bickering and agrivating each other since they met but agree to try and be friends when they end up sharing an apartment and working together.
I really enjoyed the interaction between the characters as their relationship grew. How Grace sore past Caleb’s crass comments and saw how sweet and caring he could be.
I was not disappointed , Caleb and Gracie are both after a college experience. Grace wasn’t the popular kid in high school and after getting dumped senior year by her first series boyfriend decided that college was the time she was going to have fun. Caleb took a conversation with his dad way to seriously and decided he wasn’t going to look for anything meaningful.
Caleb and Grace have been bickering and agrivating each other since they met but agree to try and be friends when they end up sharing an apartment and working together.
I really enjoyed the interaction between the characters as their relationship grew. How Grace sore past Caleb’s crass comments and saw how sweet and caring he could be.
reading_with_2_book_lovers's review
4.0
Oh Caleb and Gracie this story is very well written. I like seeing all the other characters. Highly recommended
rachael_45's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I just didn't connect to either of the characters but the writing was enough to keep me going 🙃
I'll check something else out by this author to see if she's for me or not
I'll check something else out by this author to see if she's for me or not