Review: The Prince and the Player by Nora Phoenix*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Prince and the Player blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Prince and the Player
Author: Nora Phoenix
Genre: LGBTQIA+ Romance

Trigger warnings:  References to death of a parent, References to a car accident, References to drink driving, Brief references to a guy trying to take advantage of an intoxicated girl

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door) 

I’m determined to win over the one guy who hates me…but I never expected to fall for him

Being a prince may seem like a fairytale, but to me, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. That’s why I’m excited when I get permission from my uncle—the king of Norway—to go undercover as a student at an American college for a year. And I’m even more ecstatic to be selected for their football team. Soccer, I mean. The only problem? Farron, the team captain, dislikes me on sight. Determined to win him over, I start a charm offensive, but nothing works. He only hates me more.

Until the animosity comes to an explosive release…and we end up kissing each other. How did that happen when neither of us has ever been attracted to a guy before? Farron wants to let it run its course and get it out of our system, but I doubt that’ll work. I’m falling for him hard, but he has no idea who I really am. I fear that if he finds out, he’ll never speak to me again…

The Prince and the Player is the first book in the Prince Pact series and features an undercover, sunshiney prince and a grumpy, handsome soccer captain, two guys who mistake hate for attraction, a double bi-awakening, and two opposites who attract each other like magnets.

The royally romantic, enemies-to-lovers college romance for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder.

The Prince and the Player is the latest steamy M/M romance from author Nora Phoenix. This is an enemies to lovers, opposites attract, double bi-awakening royal romance set against the backdrop of college football/soccer.

This was my first time reading anything from Nora Phoenix but I was quickly hooked by her engaging storytelling and fast-paced narrative.

Farron and Tore had a fantastic grumpy x sunshine dynamic. Their enemies to lovers romance was brilliantly crafted, best summed up with the line “I don’t like you. But for some reason, I do like kissing you.” I couldn’t get enough of the story and was glued to my kindle throughout the book as the initial tension between the two of them quickly progressed into sexual tension. The way their relationship evolved was beautifully written and felt really real, which was great to see.

This bi-awakening romance is packed full of spice, which again was really well written. The way they gradually worked their way up through the different intimate acts felt authentic to people exploring their sexuality for the first time, which I really liked. The coming out scenes were heartwarming and beautifully crafted, particularly (*mild spoiler alert*) when they come out to the rest of their football team and receive a response quite different from the toxic masculinity fuelled response you might stereotypically expect to see from a sports team, particularly in a sport where there’s still so few openly queer professional players.

The college setting worked really well for the story, as did the chapters we had in Farron and Tore’s respective hometowns which allowed us (and them) to really get to know the both of them on a deeper level. Both of our protagonists were well crafted complex characters, particularly Farron who had a really interesting backstory with him becoming a father figure and having to provide for his siblings from a young age.

Overall, this is a brilliant royal M/M romance, which is full of heart. It’s one of my favourite bi-awakening stories I’ve ever read, particularly with it being a double awakening which was really well developed.

Review: Learning Curve by Max Monroe*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Learning Curve
Author: Max Monroe
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Narcissistic Partner, Gaslighting, References To Domestic Abuse, References To Abusive Parents, References To Neglect Due To Parental Alcoholism, References To Parental Alcoholism, References To Parental Abandonment

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)   

She’s the virginal cheerleader, and he’s the tortured bad boy. Their worlds are different, but college life at Dickson University brings them together in a passionate, angsty, fiery collision.

Finn Hayes is what girls my age would call “stupid hot.” He’s handsome, has brown eyes that remind me of warm chocolate chip cookies, and a tall, muscular build that makes marble sculptures jealous.

Green flag, right?

Wrong.

He’s also broody, closed off, and so complex that it feels like I need a decoder to crack him.

He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met and fights like he came out of the womb swinging, taking down both my ex-boyfriend and an ex-UFC fighter with ease.

But the underground society at our college known as Double C has nothing on him in the secrets department, and it’s that mysterious edge that keeps me coming back for more.

This is more than the story of how Finn and I fell in love.

This is proof that love has a learning curve. Sometimes you succeed, and sometimes…it destroys you.

Learning Curve is the latest book from author Max Monroe and the first instalment of their new Dickson University series. This is a truly brilliant college romance which is packed full of emotion, drama, angst and so many twists and turns alongside all of the steam, swoons and sweet moments you’d expect from a romance story. Scottie and Finn’s story will capture your whole heart and soul and you truly won’t be able to put it down.

Our story is told through a dual POV narrative, sharing the perspectives of both Scottie and Finn, and this worked so beautifully to tell the story. I truly fell completely in love with both of them over the course of the story and getting insight into both of their perspectives really aided that.

Finn was a brilliant MMC who you will just love if you like a broody male love interest who will (quite literally) fight for his girl. Did I squeal every time he referred to Scottie as “my girl”? Yep. Is he a sure candidate for book boyfriend of the year 2024? Double yep. He was definitely one of the most complex MMCs I’ve met in a romance book and he was extremely well-written in this way. His back story was well thought out, as was the impact it would have on his character which was consistently demonstrated throughout the book, such as how quickly he could get defensive.  One of my favourite things about Finn though what his character growth over the course of the story to someone who says “I’m not only worthy of love; I’m capable of giving it”. It was truly beautiful to read.

Scottie was also a brilliant FMC who equally goes on such a journey throughout the book. I want to avoid spoilers in my reviews wherever possible so don’t want to go into too much depth about Scottie’s character journey but one of the biggest twists of the story focuses on her character – which, side note, came completely unexpectedly so props to Max Monroe – and her growth following this was a great read.

The characters were all brilliant and their behaviours felt age-appropriate and realistic as college-aged young adults. As well as two brilliant protagonists, the supporting characters were all amazing and felt equally as complex and three-dimensional. Whilst still being mindful of avoiding spoilers, there’s also a lovely found family element to the story which was a great addition to the book.

Scottie and Finn had electric chemistry and great banter. I loved how the book navigated the first time Scottie and Finn had sex, especially with Scottie being a virgin and Finn being more experienced. The focus on communication and consent was brilliant to see portrayed in a romance novel, as how respectful Finn was towards Scottie.

At nearly 500 pages this is definitely a longer romance read but I loved that this meant that the book had the page space to carry on after they became a couple. Being a longer read also allows the book to delve into serious topics you wouldn’t typically expect to see from a standard romance novel, such as having an alcoholic parent and domestic abuse.

This book works brilliantly as a standalone book but many of the featured characters are from Max Monroe’s previous books within their Winslow Brothers series and Billionaire Bad Boys series. I hadn’t read either series prior to starting Learning Curve but it has definitely made me keen to read them. 

Overall, Learning Curve has been one of my standout reads of 2024 and is one of the books I'll be recommending to anyone who will listen. It was my introduction to the incredible writing duo that is Max Monroe and what an introduction it was, I'm now totally hooked on their books!

Review: When You Smile by Melissa Brayden*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: When You Smile
Author: Melissa Brayden
Genre: LGBTQIA+ Romance

Trigger warnings:  Death Of A Parent

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door) 

Have you ever had a crush on your babysitter? Taryn Ross sure did. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte was sophisticated, thoughtful, gorgeous, and fun. Taryn counted the minutes until they’d hang out. But Charlotte and her family moved away.

Now a transfer student at Hillspoint University, Taryn is ready to officially come out when she runs into a familiar face at a party. Charlie, now a grad student, insists on walking a drunk Taryn home. To the detriment of Taryn’s heart (and libido), Charlie has only grown kinder (and hotter) with time.

Charlie Adler has a five-year plan: finish her MFA without any hiccups, figure out a timeline for her engagement, and become an acclaimed fiction writer. Easy, right? That is until Taryn shows up at Hillspoint and shakes up her world like a snow globe. This Taryn is different: soulful, brooding, and all grown up. Charlie’s never been attracted to a woman before, and isn’t dating your one-time charge against the rules? If only their toe-curling, mind-dulling, body-aching chemistry would calm the hell down.

When You Smile is the latest sapphic romance novel from author Melissa Brayden. This was my first time reading anything from the author but I was very quickly hooked into the story and fell completely in love with both Charlie and Taryn.

Charlie and Taryn were an adorable couple who totally captured my heart and their romantic scenes had me smiling from ear to ear. The strong communication and openness between the two of them was also brilliant to see portrayed within romantic fiction.

Both Charlie and Taryn were wonderful quirky protagonists. Despite the age gap they were both mature and it was great to see their passions (writing and photography respectively) explored within the story too. The portrayal of Charlie’s grief following the loss of her mother, who was a single parent, was a particular strength of the book. The side characters were also a highlight for me, particularly Caz and Sasha who were absolutely hilarious. I also loved Taryn’s parents and the way they instantly welcomed Charlie in like she was one of their own, giving her the family she had missed since the death of her mother.

This was a great book to read in Pride month as it focuses on Charlie’s sexuality awakening when she finds herself attracted to a woman for the first time. It really felt like this topic was generally handled with care and I liked the fact that Charlie and Taryn took their relationship slowly. Taryn had already come out as a lesbian prior to the start of the story but she was also inexperienced in WLW relationships which created a nice dynamic between the two of them. When we got to them, the spicy scenes were also well written and felt really realistic, especially for inexperienced characters, which I really loved.

I will say that I would have liked a little more exploration into Charlie’s sexuality as it felt like it went from ‘I was straight and now I’m a lesbian’, which is ultimately bisexual erasure and my pet-hate in books exploring sexuality awakening.

When You Smile was an easy five star book for me until the final quarter or so of the book. There was a third act breakup which did feel misaligned with the rest of the book and the relationship Taryn and Charlie had. Miscommunication and not working issues out like adults didn’t feel true to the characters we knew Taryn and Charlie to be so the choice to add conflict in this way didn’t sit right with me. I also didn’t like the direction they took Danny’s mum in either, it didn’t fit the tone of the rest of the story and felt like a poor attempt to add a bit of angst to the plot. All of this reduced the book to a four star for me but it doesn’t take away from the many strengths of the rest of the book.

Overall, When You Smile is a sweet and easy sapphic romance. It was my first Melissa Brayden read but won’t be my last.

Review: Oar Than Friends by Lulu Moore*

 *I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Oar Than Friends
Author: Lulu Moore
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Death Of A Sibling

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)

She's rowing for Cambridge. He's rowing for Oxford. But they just can't keep one another at oar's length . . .

Arthur Osbourne-Cloud has his future mapped out for him – graduate Oxford and follow his dreadful father into politics. Except Arthur wants anything but that. He’d rather spend his days rowing for gold at the Olympics,.

And this year he has the Boat Race to win.

Kate Astley also has her future mapped out. Fly half-way across the world, and win a scholarship at Cambridge University to study medicine. Oh, and crew for the legendary Boat Race. Seems simple enough.

But then she meets Arthur.

For Arthur, this feisty American challenges everything he's been taught to believe, while Kate battles between what she's expected to do, and what she wants to do.

The bitter rivalry between their universities ought to destroy them. Or will it just be a matter of time before they surrender to the sizzling chemistry between them?

But In The Boat Race, there can only be one winner. Who will sink and who will swim?

 -

Oar Than Friends is the latest sports romance from author Lulu Moore and the first instalment in her new Oxbridge series. It is the love story between Kate and Oz, two athletes competing for rival university rowing clubs, set against the backdrop of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

I grew up around 30 miles from Cambridge so have followed the boat race for years and it was the perfect backdrop for a rivals to lovers sports romance. If you’re unfamiliar with the Boat Race, it’s a set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club which take place on the River Thames in London and has been an annual event since 1856. Lulu Moore nailed the blend between the story being focused on the romance but also including a good amount of rowing content leading up to race day.

If you’re a sucker for a romance story where he falls first and harder, you’ll absolutely love Arthur Osbourne-Cloud (or ‘Oz’ as he’s known). I very quickly fell in love with Oz’s charm and when he said he had known Kate for “fifty-six hours, and I’d thought about her for every single one” he awarded himself the award for my absolute favourite book boyfriend of 2024 so far. He was a swoon-worthy MMC and his nicknames for Kate and little romantic gestures throughout the story completely stole my heart. Hearing his girlfriend cry on the phone and instantly jumping in the car to drive two hours to see her? Now THAT is what we’re talking about! I was really rooting for Oz and Kate right from their brilliant meet cute scene until the end of the book; they were a brilliant match.

Our story is told through a dual POV narrative and I LOVE this in a romance story. Hearing the MMC’s POV adds something so special to the story, particularly when it’s a ‘he falls first and harder’ story, and this was perfectly illustrated by Oz who spoke about Kate in the sweetest way. Oar Than Friends does also have some fab open-door spicy scenes but these felt really realistic which I loved.

Kate was a brilliant strong FMC and it was great to see her grow in confidence as the novel progressed and begin to really advocate for her own needs and dreams. The loss of her elder brother was well explored, as was Oz’s difficult family dynamic.

Oar Than Friends also has a fantastic cast of supporting characters who brought so much to the story and I’m excited to potentially return to them later in the Oxbridge series.

In Kate and Oz we have an American FMC and a British MMC and I loved this dynamic. It does mean that we see Kate use American terms rather than British ones (e.g. dorm, campus) which could be a bit grating for a British reader but I didn’t really mind it at all.

Humour was woven into the story brilliantly and I particularly loved how British the humour was. Kate and Oz had brilliant banter and we had some fantastic flirty moments in the early stages of their relationship. I also loved the individual chapter titles and they often made me giggle.

Overall, Oar Than Friends is a fantastic rivals to lovers sports romance novel which is packed full of witty banter, charm and loveable characters.

Review: Girl Abroad by Elle Kennedy*

 *I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Girl Abroad
Author: Elle Kennedy
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Absent Parent, Drugs

Rating: ★★★ 
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(Open Door)

When nineteen-year-old Abbey Bly gets the opportunity to study abroad for a year in London, it's the perfect chance to finally slip out from under the thumb of her beloved but overbearing retired rock star father. She's ready to be free, to discover herself - but first off, to meet the girls she's rooming with. That is, until she arrives at her gorgeous new flat to discover those roommates are actually all boys. Charming, funny, insufferably attractive boys. And off-limits, with a rule against fraternizing between housemates after unwanted drama with the previous girl.

Abbey has never considered herself a rulebreaker. But soon, she's lying to her father about her living situation and falling for not one, but two men she can't have: her rugby-player roommate and a broody musician with a girlfriend. Not to mention, her research for school has gotten her tangled in a deeply hidden scandal of a high nobility family, surrounding her in secrets on all sides.

If there's any hope of Abbey finding love, answers, or a future in London, she'll have to decide which rules - and hearts - might be worth breaking . . .

 -

Girl Abroad is the latest romance novel from New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy. Our protagonist Abbey moves to London from Nashville for a year studying abroad, moving into the shared house she thinks she’s sharing with four female roommates who turn out to actually all be attractive guys. Abbey then finds herself in a love triangle with one housemate – despite a strict no flatcest rule – and one of their friends – despite him having a girlfriend.

This was my first time reading anything from the author but based on other reviews it appears this isn’t her usual style. The book largely read as a mature YA story with a few spicy scenes thrown in.

I tend to not actually go for the love-triangle trope but something about this book really intrigued me and the trope did end up working quite well, definitely supported by the focus on all three parties not expecting commitment. I was incredibly conflicted for the majority of the book as to which MMC I wanted Abbey to end up with but (being mindful of avoiding spoilers) she did end up making the right choice in my eyes.

I had a real love/hate relationship with Abbey as a protagonist. I liked the banter she had with her flatmates and particularly her relationship with Mr Baxley the librarian (who, aside from their demon pet cat, was my favourite character) but aside from this she felt like a largely two-dimensional character so it was at times difficult to see why she had half of England falling at her feet. Morally it was quite difficult to get on board with her too as she spent half of the book preaching that she wasn’t the kind of girl to steal another girl’s boyfriend but then went and did it anyway, using the technicality that nothing physical happened between them whilst he was still in a relationship.

It did also feel like all of the male characters were quite two dimensional also and based around stereotypes. Jack was a blonde, tanned, muscular Australian rugby player who spent more time shirtless than not, Jamie was a posh playboy and Nate was a free-sprit motorbike-driving musician. They did start to explore Jack and Nate’s characters on a deeper level as their relationships with Abbey blossomed but I would have liked this to have been developed even further. The character I was most disappointed with was Lee who was portrayed as your stereotypical 00s rom-com gay best friend when he had the potential to be so much more than that, had he been better written.

In terms of spice-level this is probably a low 3 out of 5. There are a couple of open-door spicier scenes which are largely well written, but the majority of potentially good spicy scenes, especially involving Jack, had a fade to black which was a shame. It was disappointing that there wasn’t more of an even split of spicy scenes between the two love interests.

I do, however, want to praise the positive portrayal of female pleasure that we have within one of the scenes between Abbey and Nate, one of the male love interests. During a spicier scene, Nate actually asks Abbey “what do you need to come?”, acknowledging that few women can climax from penetration alone and that most will require another form of stimulation. We love respectful lovers like Nate who prioritise their partners pleasure alongside their own and actually understand how the female body works! This was ruined slightly later in the scene when it felt like Abbey mocked him for saying this but this largely felt like a really important portrayal of female pleasure.

I was disappointed with the fact that it felt like the UK university experience hadn’t been very well researched at all, which feels like a fundamental flaw in a book about someone studying abroad in London. In Girl Abroad, Abbey starts her first semester in August when UK university academic years don’t actually start until at least mid-September. There were also language choices which were incorrect, such as use of ‘spring break’ which isn’t a thing in the UK, we have an Easter break. The idea of university students living in Notting Hill was also borderline ridiculous and implied that the author’s only understanding of British life comes from 90s and 00s British romcoms and the Taylor Swift song London Boy. There seemed to be few other references to British culture – aside from a few pub trips – so it just didn’t feel authentic to British student life which was disappointing and a real missed opportunity.

I did largely like the historical mystery element to the novel – as Abbey tries to uncover the identity of the woman in a mysterious painting she picked up at an estate sale, as part of her studies – and the way it mirrored the love triangle Abbey found herself in but at times it felt like it took away from the romance plot.

Overall, this was a largely enjoyable read it just lacked quite a lot of the substance I was craving. Those who want an easy romance read, especially fans of the love triangle trope, will like this book.