Walking away would be the smartest decision, but no oneโs ever accused me of being smart. Cold, determined, brutal, but never smart.
Willaโs mine from the moment I rescue her. I protect her from a brawling crowd and she stares up at me like Iโm her prince charming. No oneโs ever looked at me like that. No one has ever dared to come that close.
I didnโt know she was the little sister of one of my biggest rivals. Her brother and I have both drawn blood on the field, dislocated joints, broken bones, but Iโll never want to show her that side of me.
I long to be the man she believes I am, but thereโs only one way I know how to winโhow to surviveโand thatโs ensuring my enemies lose.
Once he finds out who his sister has been dating itโll be all-out war, and I might lose the only woman whoโs ever looked at me like Iโm not built only for destruction.
Changing my ways wonโt be easy, but Iโm willing to risk it all for her.
Title: | A Rival’s Kiss (at one point this book was to be titled Every Little Kiss) |
Author: | Maya Hughes |
Narrator(s): | Stephen Dexter Desiree Ketchum |
Series: | St Francis U / STFU (Book 3) |
Length / Pages: | 12hrs / 418 |
Genre(s): | Contemporary New Adult |
Trope(s): | Sports Romance (American Football) Opposites Attract |
Point of View: | First person, past tense, dual viewpoints (H & h) |
Narration Type: | Dual |
Location: | Philadelphia, US |
HEA: | โ๏ธ |
Release Date: | 21st July, 2022 |
Brings Ezra and Willa to life
Having read and very much enjoyed Ezra and Willaโs story in ebook, I couldnโt wait to get stuck into the audiobook as it always adds another dimension to any story. Once again, Stephen Dexter and Desiree Ketchum are the narrators who will bring the story to life.
If this is your first Maya Hughes or STFU / Fulton U Rivals book, youโll be happy to know that you donโt need to have read any other book to understand and enjoy this one. Sure, there are plenty of cameos from other characters in the series, past and future, as well as from other series, but itโs not confusing and you donโt even feel like youโre missing out on in-jokes. Long story short, youโre good to go with this book even if youโre a Maya Hughes virgin.
Our hero, Ezra, is a big, gruff and silent type. Heโs a beast on the football field and due to his childhood experiences, has severe trust issues. Heโs my favourite type of hero – a big guy who doesnโt feel he deserves love – but all but yearns for it. Basically, a guy I just want to hug and hug. I liked how, even after meeting Willa, he still repeated patterns to push her away or self-sabotage. He just felt like a real person and he was easy to root for. And if the cover model is Ezraโs image to perfection, Stephen Dexter is equally his voice. Stephen has a delicious smoky, gruff quality that just emotes. He really acts his part and there was no question – he was Ezra for me.
Willa could be described as something of a sunshiny character – but she does have a little sass to her that keeps her from being too bubbly. Sheโs friendly and kind but I could definitely feel her frustration over the way she was coddled by her family. Willa was hugely likeable and completely relatable and Desiree Ketchum did a perfect job of portraying her and putting every bit of emotion into her narration.
As a couple, Ezra and Willa were realistic perfection. Ezra was learning about what love really is, while Willa was finding her freedom. There was a lot of running and hugging, must-have-you-now moments and Iโve missed you after 2 hours, type of things that make my heart happy. Sweet heat as there was definitely an emotional as well as sexual connection.
Ezra had a difficult childhood and that story comes to a conclusion throughout the book. It was a little brutal and, well, I didnโt like it for Ezraโs sake. It made me sad. Willa has a different trauma in her past and while that was discussed more in the book, and was sad, too, I wasnโt broken by it which is always a good thing. I prefer my angst to be a simmer rather than a full-on boil!
As always, when you read or listen to a Maya Hughes story youโre in for a delicious, emotional treat. This book has all the elements that make her one of the best writers of new adult, college romance – the heat, the heart, the relationships, a little angst and a lot of romance and redemption. I loved every minute of it – definitely a worthy addition to the STFU series and deserving of the full 5 stars.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review *
Maya Hughes can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids! ๐ Iโm a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.
Iโm the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I canโt breathe and traveling with my family.
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