randomnessoftr's review
5.0
Lux is off to college, after a major trauma sidelined her for 2 years. She’s happy to be starting a new chapter in her life but is thrown for a loop when she notices a familiar face across the hall of her dorm suite. Hawk hates Lux, and Lux loathes Hawk, each has their reasons, but are all of the details that fuel that hate correct? Only one way to find out check this book out!
jenniwren's review
3.0
First time reading this author and while there were some growing pains for me overall I liked it.
Lux sees Hawk, her High school bf who she thought was dead. She spirals. Hawk sees rhe girl who ruined his life and seeks revenge. But all isn't as it seems
Triggers:
S.A
Rape attempt
PTSD/anxiety
Mild bullying
Lux sees Hawk, her High school bf who she thought was dead. She spirals. Hawk sees rhe girl who ruined his life and seeks revenge. But all isn't as it seems
Triggers:
S.A
Rape attempt
PTSD/anxiety
Mild bullying
tmanning710's review
5.0
I’m sitting here trying to figure out how to write this review without giving anything away. Because trust me, you do not want to have the plot twist for this book spoiled for you.
Oh man, these characters gave me such mixed emotions! I loved Lux from the beginning and really felt for her when she had an anxiety attack right at the beginning of the book, because been there, done that, and they are not fun. I also love, love, love her roommates Raven and Star. Raven is really sweet and totally there for Lux, and I love Star’s bluntness, probably because it reminds me of myself. It was so awesome that these girls just automatically stepped up and were there for Lux when she really needed friends even though they had all just met.
Now on to the guys…Kellan and Maddox have left me intrigued and I like how loyal they are to Hawk, even when he’s being an idiot. I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the future books. But Hawk…Hawk had to grow on me. He was giving me whiplash with the way he was acting and things that he was doing. I was seriously confused by some of his actions. Then there was a point in the book where I was really wondering if he was going to be able to make up for everything that he had put Lux through. Between what happened when they were in high school and what he puts her through in the present, I was really worried that I was going to absolutely hate him. But if Leila can make Aria from the Rosehaven series go from a character that I hated to probably one of my favorite characters of that series, then I knew that she could make me love Hawk.
I seriously loved this book. I had planned to read it over a few days but I ended up getting sucked into the story and I sat down and devoured the book in one afternoon. What I’m saying is grab some water, coffee, tea, wine, whatever your drink of choice is, and be prepared to hunker down and not stop reading until you’re finished. Then come back here and let me know what you thought about that plot twist!
*I received an arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Oh man, these characters gave me such mixed emotions! I loved Lux from the beginning and really felt for her when she had an anxiety attack right at the beginning of the book, because been there, done that, and they are not fun. I also love, love, love her roommates Raven and Star. Raven is really sweet and totally there for Lux, and I love Star’s bluntness, probably because it reminds me of myself. It was so awesome that these girls just automatically stepped up and were there for Lux when she really needed friends even though they had all just met.
Now on to the guys…Kellan and Maddox have left me intrigued and I like how loyal they are to Hawk, even when he’s being an idiot. I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the future books. But Hawk…Hawk had to grow on me. He was giving me whiplash with the way he was acting and things that he was doing. I was seriously confused by some of his actions. Then there was a point in the book where I was really wondering if he was going to be able to make up for everything that he had put Lux through. Between what happened when they were in high school and what he puts her through in the present, I was really worried that I was going to absolutely hate him. But if Leila can make Aria from the Rosehaven series go from a character that I hated to probably one of my favorite characters of that series, then I knew that she could make me love Hawk.
I seriously loved this book. I had planned to read it over a few days but I ended up getting sucked into the story and I sat down and devoured the book in one afternoon. What I’m saying is grab some water, coffee, tea, wine, whatever your drink of choice is, and be prepared to hunker down and not stop reading until you’re finished. Then come back here and let me know what you thought about that plot twist!
*I received an arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
shesbookedallday's review
4.0
**ARC PROVIDED FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**
OKAY CHRIST it’s hard to write this review without giving spoilers
Lux and Hawk are each other’s hidden secret - both shocked to see each other in the same Dorms’ at College. Seeing Hawk again after so many years brings back a ton of turmoil for Lux, and Hawk is no different.
My heart goes out to Lux - she’s been through so much and she thought she would have a new start at Shadow River but NOPE it was not meant to be
Hawk is the hot jock with a dark and painful past that is just waiting to catch up to him but Hawk’s plan for Lux is not straightforward and will have you on the edge of your seat, I have never wanted to lick and punch a character more
OKAY CHRIST it’s hard to write this review without giving spoilers
Lux and Hawk are each other’s hidden secret - both shocked to see each other in the same Dorms’ at College. Seeing Hawk again after so many years brings back a ton of turmoil for Lux, and Hawk is no different.
My heart goes out to Lux - she’s been through so much and she thought she would have a new start at Shadow River but NOPE it was not meant to be
Hawk is the hot jock with a dark and painful past that is just waiting to catch up to him but Hawk’s plan for Lux is not straightforward and will have you on the edge of your seat, I have never wanted to lick and punch a character more
grmbow21's review
5.0
I absolutely loved Hawk. Right from the beginning you could see he was broken and hurting and the first moment he saw Lux, you could tell he was going to make life hard for her. Lux is probably one of the strongest female characters I’ve seen, but she doesn’t realise she’s strong. She’s constantly looking at how damaged and broken she sees herself.
I loved the connection between them both and the twists and turns. Leila James has yet again bought her A game and at times had me in tears.
Add to that an epic, mind blowing plot twist.
If you love your boys bad and your girls strong then this is got you
I loved the connection between them both and the twists and turns. Leila James has yet again bought her A game and at times had me in tears.
Add to that an epic, mind blowing plot twist.
If you love your boys bad and your girls strong then this is got you
the_roaming_reader's review
5.0
Beautiful Nightmare doesn't even come close to describing this book yet fits it perfectly! Be prepared to not be able to put it down and buckle up because it's like no other ride. I can usually see twists coming a mile away but this one took me completely by surprise. Also don't forget an extra pair of panties cause the amount of angsty tension is through the roof.
wine_country_booklover's review
5.0
Leila James is the Queen of the chapter cliffhangers.
ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!
Once again, Leila James brings it. From page 1 you are submerged and taken on an emotional ride. If you’re expecting to read a few chapters here and there you are sadly mistaken. So do yourself a favor and start and end this in 1 day. This book is addicting.
It’s not easy to talk about this book without giving anything away. Hawk and Lux have a past. It’s a past that almost destroyed their lives. Neither was expecting to live across the hall from each other at college and now they have to face their past. Lux is getting her life back on track but Hawk is seeking revenge and has Lux in his crosshairs. And be prepared for a humdinger of a plot twist.
And for those of you who are fans of the Rosehaven Academy series those characters make brief appearances. But this book is a stand alone
This book is the first of the Shadow River Elite series of a new adult bully romance and is everything I could ask for in a college new adult romance.
*ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.
ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!
“I swear to God. All you want to do is keep stabbing at me, Keep inflicting all these wounds that will eventually leave me so scarred I won’t be able to function.”
Once again, Leila James brings it. From page 1 you are submerged and taken on an emotional ride. If you’re expecting to read a few chapters here and there you are sadly mistaken. So do yourself a favor and start and end this in 1 day. This book is addicting.
It’s not easy to talk about this book without giving anything away. Hawk and Lux have a past. It’s a past that almost destroyed their lives. Neither was expecting to live across the hall from each other at college and now they have to face their past. Lux is getting her life back on track but Hawk is seeking revenge and has Lux in his crosshairs. And be prepared for a humdinger of a plot twist.
“The only thing you should worry about protecting from me is your heart. Because I’m gonna fucking steal it. Even if you don’t realize it yet, you’re gonna be mine. Every piece of you.”
And for those of you who are fans of the Rosehaven Academy series those characters make brief appearances. But this book is a stand alone
This book is the first of the Shadow River Elite series of a new adult bully romance and is everything I could ask for in a college new adult romance.
*ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.
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