The Play (Briar U Book 3)

There are many talented authors out there but for me Elle Kennedy is one of the best when it comes to College Romance/New Adult Romance/Sports Romance and I'll read anything, literally ANYTHING she writes. So when I started this one I read every free minute I had (which is a feat with school just having started again). In THE PLAY we finally get Hunter's story and boy, I was not expecting to love him the way I did. I was a little worried that he'd be bitter, the way he acted after Summer and Fitzy went behind his back. But no! He gave me Dean vibes with his goofy sense of humor. I tumbled into love with him. Hunter was the was the full package - smart, kind, hilarious, sweet, entertaining and honest. He gave me so many laughs and favorite scenes throughout the story. There is his handling of Pablo Eggscobar, the boiled egg the team was tasked to take care of, when he and Demi were locked up in jail and he took a picture of her and so many more! Demi is being introduced as a new character and the heroine of this story. In the beginning she can't help to think that Hunter is the stereotypical hockey player with puck bunnies lining up to get in his pants. She couldn't be farther from the truth because Hunter has been celibate for a couple of months after the disastrous ending of the team's hockey season, blaming himself for it. I have to say I was pretty impressed that he resisted as long as he did but that Demi had a boyfriend definitely helped. Anyhoo...Demi...her dad wants her to follow in his footsteps and go to med school but Demi has a completely different idea of what her future is going to look like. Her passion is psychology, she only needs to grow the cojones to tell her dad. When her boyfriend becomes her ex-boyfriend Demi is hurt and I loved Hunter for being such a wonderful friend. In that regard Demi really showed backbone and it was then, when her dad was taking her ex's side and she stood up to him that I fell in love with her too. Speaking of, I thought Demi's parents were jerks. I didn't think they had a lot of redeeming qualities when they defended a young man who hurt their daughter so deeply. Ugh. Demi and Hunter's connection is so palpable - their friendship is amazing, so laid back and natural and I loved how important it was to Hunter that he didn't want to ruin it. But there is also a spark, an explosive chemistry that is just waiting to be ignited. And when it does? Oh my! So good, so hot, so sweet. We get to catch up with most of the Off-Campus characters which was a treat and I loved to visit with them and see where they are in life now. There are also a couple of characters that have huge potential to get their own books and a front runner is Conor, the man-ho that actually reminds me even more of Dean. That guy begs to be brought down to his knees! I loved Summer and Fitzy, I worshiped Brenna and Jake but I think my favorites are Hunter and Demi. I'm walking on clouds after finishing this book and in my opinion Elle Kennedy did these two justice. I laughed, I giggled, I swooned - this story was so much fun. There was no unnecessary drama, only delightful banter, awesome characters and a sweet slow burn romance written in Ms. Kennedy's crisp, impeccable writing style. I think the author said that this would be the last installment in the Briar U series (for now) but there is potential for a new series. So let's see what happens!

3.5 stars ARC from the Author If you’re a New Adult reader, you probably don’t need this introduction, but being the responsible blogger I am, I’m giving it to you anyway. The Play is the third book in Elle Kennedy’s Briar U series, which is a spin off of her wildly popular Off Campus series. Every book in this series is so addictive and fun, and Elle Kennedy really shows she’s the queen of the genre with each new release. There was so much to love about this book, but unfortunately a few things got under my skin, so let’s break this up: What I Loved: Hunter: Hunter gets to be first because we already know him, and we’ve been waiting for his story for what feels like ever. (I know we haven’t, but when you love a character and want their book, time just crawls.) You know this is a man who, when things hit him, they hit him hard. We saw that from The Chase, and then even more in The Risk. But what we didn’t see was how damn sweet and charming Hunter could be. I mean, Elle Kennedy’s writing him, so you know it’s there; you just haven’t gotten a chance to see it yet. But we see it here, and man does it make me love him even more. Also, his past was pretty freaking devastating, and he’s done a fairly good job of not letting it affect him, though it’s something he can’t escape completely, but we see a lot of growth in him in this area. Demi: Ok - so you know that super cheesy saying that you sometimes hear - ‘all the guys want her and all the girls want to be her?’ That’s Demi in a nutshell; Elle Kennedy makes that abundantly clear without having to say it. Demi was so sexy and confident that I wanted to be this chick. That she was so hot and knew it, but then didn’t because she’d been with the same guy for so long she didn’t quite know how to use it (she got that down real quick, though,) was so hilarious. That her love for psychology hindered her dating life - I loved it! It left Hunter and I in hysterics. I just loved everything about Demi. The Conflict with Demi’s ex-Boyfriend: This one made me nervous. Would enough time pass for me to believe Demi could fall for Hunter? Would too much time pass, and the pacing of the book falter? No to both of those things. There was a cooling off period for Demi (kind-of) and I felt her starting things up with Hunter happened at a believable rate. The Camaraderie: As much as I love the steam that Elle Kennedy writes, there’s something about the camaraderie between the people she pairs up that just hits me right in the feels. Hunter and Demi had a lot of fun together, they were fun together, and their friendship was just so damn sweet. How Much Fun These Love Scenes Are: Look, I know this author writes fun love scenes, OK? I never forget that. But even though my re-read of The Risk was like last week, I forgot how fun they are. The witty dialogue and endless teasing are sexy in and of themselves. That they are so damn steamy is just the ‘icing’ on the cake. The Female Friendships: This angle of the story has been knocked out of the park from book one with Summer and Brenna’s friendship, and that doesn’t change here. As soon as they meet Demi, she’s in, and I continue to love them for that. No cattiness with these girls. Hey, hey, the gang’s all here: We get to see a lot of the people from the Off Campus series, and I, of course, loved every second we spent with them. Though I have a serious soft spot for Dean anytime he is mentioned with the girls he coaches. It’s a facet of his character that I love, and I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of it. And I love that, as always, the newest female to crash the group gets pulled right into the friend fold. Also, Rupi and Hollis were here and oh. My. God! I love them as much as ever! There’s also a particularly hilarious Jake and Brenna scene where they’re skyping that had my dying! None of the Briar U characters were left out, and I loved seeing them. The Newbies: There are a lot of new people in this installment - Pablo and Conor were my favorites for sure, though. And I’m telling you right now, if Conor doesn’t get his book, I will be throwing a tantrum of epic proportions! (Not really...probably.) OH! And bonus points if you can spot the Sarina Bowen character in the book. That was a fun surprise! Now Here’s What I Didn’t Like: The Last Conflict: I had to remove this due to it being a spoiler, but it can be found on my blog, Books & Beauty Are My Bag but here's the non-spoilery gist - The last major conflict in this book wasn't even between Demi and Hunter, and it led to something that I can never buy in a story. It also made me reflect more on the events of the story, and I felt like, at the end of it, Hunter was doing all the giving. To be clear, this didn't make me like Demi less. I still loved her. I just struggled to see what she brought to the relationship that none of Hunter's other lovers did. Even with that frustration, I still loved this book. And as for whether or not you could start here? I really don’t think it matters. I think you could pick up any book in this series, and you’re going to be so hooked you have to read the entire thing. Even if you start here, you’ll go back to book one and by the time you cycle back to book three, you’ll already be thirsting for a reread. These books are just that good. Still wondering if you should read The Play? There is only one answer to that question: Yup yup.

The Play I have literally pages upon pages of notes on this book to help me write this review - more notes than I have ever taken for any book to write the review - and yet, it was so good I still don’t feel I have the right words to do it justice. Like I am still in a little bit of shock over how good this book is. If you’ve read either of my reviews for The Chase or The Risk, you know that I’ve put off the Briar U series way to long after falling head over heals in love with the Off-Campus series. However, I am finding these series to be a little different. In the Off-Campus series, Garrett Graham came out swinging and while Logan, Dean and Tucker were all amazing, none of them could quite top Mr. Graham. Briar U has been a completely different experience - each book has been phenomenal, but each book in this series has been better than the last. I liked Summer and Fitz, I LOVED Jake and Brenna, but I absolutely ADORED Hunter and Demi. I didn’t think it was possible for Jake and Brenna to be topped, but Elle said hold my beer and watch this, because here comes Hunter and Demi and they did just that. And in typical Briar U captain fashion, the captain of the Briar U hockey team has yet again stolen my heart and ran away with it and I’m not mad about it in the slightest. Forewarning: this review is going to be very, very long. Proceed at your own risk and buckle in because I’m about to gush about my love for Hunter, Demi, this book, and Queen Elle Kennedy. We’ve known Mr. Davenport for awhile now. He was a freshman back in the Off-Campus days, he was majorly screwed over by Summer and Fitz’s miscommunication which caused him to go a little wild and on top of that ended his season last year with a broken wrist. To say Mr. Davenport has had an epic journey before his book even started would be an understatement. But can we talk about how we finally get to Dean Hayward-DiLaurentis’ protégé’s book and he’s celebrate?!? Let’s all laugh together. But Hunter has come a long ways from when Dean took him under his wing all those years ago, and he’s come a long way from where we saw him at in both The Chase and The Risk too. I honestly wasn’t expecting to love Hunter because we had known him for so long, but I do. I love Hunter Davenport. I LOVE Hunter Davenport. I LOVE HUNTER DAVENPORT. If it hasn’t been conveyed how much I love this man, someone grab Opera and a couch, and I’ll express my love for this man Tom Cruise style because it needs to be heard. He is on the same level as Garrett Graham and we’re not just talking about on the ice. First things first, how did I miss the fact that Fitz and Hollis were also seniors last year?! Because I somehow I did. And because of this, and so many other things, I really, really feel bad for Hunter. He is kind of taken advantage of a lot and just rolls with the punches. First with Fitz and Summer (which thank GOD this went down the way it did, but it still hurt and wasn’t fair to Hunter), then with the fact he now lives with three girls instead of being able to live like an actual guy and captain of the hockey team would like to with his friends and teammates. I do love Hunter and Brenna’s friendship, and I will never not love blunt Brenna Jensen (future Connelly). But when she joked about her and Jake being in an open relationship I was ready to throw hands! I have never been so relieved from a joke in all my life. I loved the friends elements of this book. While it wasn’t anything like Off-Campus, watching the friendship between the team and the girls was one of my favorite parts. I love Hunter’s cocky confidence and his never ending humor. I love watching him step into the roll of captain, and him learning what it takes to be good at it. I love (and honestly sometimes hate) how dedicated he is to hockey and the team through his vow of celibacy - but the angst and frustration this caused were top tier. But I don’t think I have ever willed someone’s restraint to snap more than I did with Hunter. I hated how Hunter felt like he had to hold himself back from what he really wanted out of fear. I love that he let Demi in enough to get to the bottom of that fear and help him work through that. I guess, as shallow as it sounds, I was not anticipating the complexity that is Hunter Davenport, but I loved every single layer were learned about this man. And I love, love, love, LOVE how patient, honest and transparent he is with Demi always. I also really loved Demi. Usually, when I’m reading, I prefer that chapters in the male characters POV. But this book, similar to The Deal and The Risk, I LOVED Demi’s POV as much as I did Hunter’s. She’s such a breath of fresh air. I love how she says exactly what she’s thinking and goes for exactly what she wants. I love how possessive, protective and jealous she can be. Her loyalty is inspiring. I loved seeing the inner workings of her head, especially with everything she went through in this book. I love how we uncover things about Hunter through her eyes. I love how feisty she is. I love how she hated beer, because girl same, and I feel Demi and I could hang out for hours. Now, can we all take a moment to thank Professor Andrews for the project and for assigning partners by last name. You, ma’am, are the real MVP. From the word go, I loved Demi and Hunter’s dynamic. She had a boyfriend, he was celibate, and their friendship was perfection. I loved how this friends-to-lovers book started with them as strangers, to friends, to lovers. There was an ease of their friendship that was addictive. I love the trust these two develop so early on through their friendship, and how Demi is able to talk to Hunter about things she isn’t able to tell anyone else. But, as soon as the famous ‘promise you won’t fall in love with me’ or in this book’s case, ‘promise you won’t ever want to sleep with me’ was uttered, we knew their friendship was destined for failure, and that being in the sense that friendship was never going to be enough for these two. But the friendship between these two was one of my favorite things, along with all the texting that his highlighted in Chapters 18 and 19. This book was also one of the funniest books I have EVER read. Don’t get me wrong, there are some series topics covered in this book, and be sure to check the trigger warnings, but for the majority of it, I was straight up cackling. Lying on my bed, kicking my feel, tears running down my face so hard I could barely see from laughing so hard. I cannot remember another book that had me laughing this hard and this consistently. Like the end of Chapter 20 and Chapter 21, I. WAS. ROLLING. And when Hunter calls Coach Jensen and asks him to “do his thing and yell at people.” I cannot, pure gold. I love how supportive he is for her through her breakup. I love how he, all be it unintentionally, but was there to save her from herself when the breakup went down. And then he stayed to help her piece herself back together. I love him helping her set up her Tinder and then going to the date with her to make sure she’s okay. I also love how disastrous this date was and how it ended up being a great time for them to hang out. And then we get to the end of Chapter 24 where I was equal parts impressed and irritated with Hunter’s commitment to the cause but the words Demi utters to him at them end…cue Monica Geller’s “This. Just. Got. Interesting.” Now, we just have to talk about one of my FAVORITE parts of the book. The scene where Hunter and Demi go to Dean’s hockey game and then hit the club with Dean, Logan, Garrett and Hannah. This was kind of the big turning point for Hunter and I am so here for it, especially considering the cameos from some of my all time favorite fictional characters. I loved watching how amazing of a coach Dean is, especially through Hunter’s eyes after he took him under his wing and worked with him. I also could not get over the crush Demi had on Dean and how jealous it made Hunter. This where the tables began turning, and then enter Conor Edwards to finish it off with operation jealousy…which I fully support by the way. I just loved everything about these two, obviously. I loved their chemistry. I loved how funny they both are and how even in serious situations, their humor found a way to shine through. I love how they helped heal each other. I loved how supportive they are for each other. I love the banter, the patience, the angst, and the arc these two’s relationship had. I love how she pushes him to go after what he really wants, even though he’s to afraid to want it for himself. I also love when he realizes it is a real possibility, he tells her he would want to play wherever she is accepted to grad school. Also, the way that she tells him she loves him…I love it so much. There is nothing, and I mean, NOTHING, I don’t love about these two. I freaking LOVE that damn egg. When Coach Jenson first tasked the guys with that I had not anticipated it to be that big of a part of this story and holy moly, watching how serious all of the guys took it. Before I read Briar U, I never understood why the last book in this series or at least one of the books wasn’t Hollis and Rupi’s. But now, now I don’t question that any longer. I understand entirely. Hollis and Rupi are 🙆🏼‍♀️ in the best possible way. But their book would have been way too exhausting to read and probably to write. 😂 Their relationship will never cease to amaze me and confuse the hell out of me at the same time. But I wish these two nothing but the best and thank them for always keep everyone on their toes. But I am really excited for Conor’s book. He was new to the crew, but he fit in seamlessly. And for someone who doesn’t want a relationship, he gave Hunter some pretty sound relationship advice. So I am so here to see how his journey plays out next. Gahh, okay, okay, okay my rant and obsessive gushing for this book is over, but really, it is amazing. One of the BEST books I’ve read in 2023 hands down and one of the best books I’ve ever read period, no question. I am so sad it has taken me this long to read this book, but I loved it. Garrett Graham will forever and always hold the #1 spot in men written by Elle Kennedy for me, but Hunter freaking Davenport is as close of a number 2 as you can get. He might have to be #1.1 because this man…this man is that good. Cannot wait to conclude the Briar U series with Conor and Taylor before diving into the Graham Effect next week. Until next time, Briar U. 🖤🩶 Tropes: -Friends to Lovers -Sports Romance -She Falls First, but He Falls Harder -No Third Act Breakup

Synopsis and Content Warnings Determined to solely focus on hockey after last season's disastrous ending, team captain Hunter makes a celibacy vow. After last season, he's through with distractions. Although, as soon as Hunter gets paired up with Demi for a yearlong project, he realizes this vow may be harder to keep than he thought. Demi is intelligent, driven, sarcastic, and right up Hunter's alley. So when she makes a play for him, his resolve is tested in more ways than one. CW: attempted suicide The Play is for fans of: - sports romances, hockey in particular - characters who are college-aged/collegiate settings - romance with comedic elements Review What I liked: I just love living in the universe that Elle Kennedy has created. The collegiate atmosphere, college campus, hockey teams, and cast of characters are what make this series (and this book) great. I love her writing style and think she has such a talent for creating unique character voices. Hunter was one of my favorite characters to read about in her series. He felt like such a different take on an alpha-type hero. There weren't silly miscommunication issues that drove the plot. He was honest and upfront about what he wanted and his intentions. It was so (!!) refreshing. The miscommunication-style plots usually have me yelling at the book in pure frustration. There was none of that here. Also, it's worth noting that a celibate hero is certainly a divergence from the norm in romance. What I didn’t like: I normally wouldn't categorize this as a spoiler because you find this out at the very beginning (and in the official synopsis), but I know everyone has different definitions on what a spoiler is. Demi is in a relationship (not with the main hero) at the beginning of the book. This lasts until about the 40% mark. I did not like this. I just personally don't enjoy OW/OM plot points in my romances. I know for some this is no big deal, but for me I kept wanting to rush through it so we could see more interactions between the couple. This always brings a romance down a bit for me. (Again, personal preference! You may not mind this at all.) (view spoiler) Something that also bothered me is the tag line for this book, "She's the Player He Didn't See Coming." It is inaccurate. Demi has only had one boyfriend in her life before she meets the hero and they had been dating for eight years. I truly don't understand where the tagline came from, and I believe it's very misleading. This really isn't an issue with the book itself and it didn't affect my rating. I just wanted to throw this out there just in case you read the tagline and get intrigued because it's just not true. I also included a content warning of attempted suicide. I didn't love this plot point and it felt like it just missed the mark for me. (view spoiler) Overall, I still enjoyed the book. I think one of the reasons I felt more critical in my review is because I love Elle Kennedy and nearly all of her books are 4 or 5 stars for me. I have read eleven of her books, so I know I have high expectations when it comes to her writing. This is easily my least favorite Elle Kennedy book. However, I still love her writing. The Play gets a 3/5 from me. Ratings: My overall: 3/5 Steam: 3/5 Romance: 3/5 Friendship: 3.5/5

Elle Kennedy always brings the wonderful boys of Briar U right when I need it. I had totally forgotten that The Play was coming out until the night before when it downloaded onto my Kindle app – then I stayed up until about 2 am reading the entire boo because I just can’t resist a good romance from Elle. She’s one of my favorites because she’s all my favorites from NA – romance, college, sports. Hunter felt super unlikable in previous novels – I just couldn’t get behind him. To be fair, the most we get of him is in Summer’s book and Summer and Fitz weren’t exactly super kind to him so I understand. But I think because I love Summer and Fitz so well together, it was hard to feel for Hunter. Then in the next book, he (unknowingly) hooks up with a rival player’s girlfriend and gets his wrist broken, when he’s a major part of the team. It just was kind of hard to feel bad for him. But The Play really made you love him. He’s not my favorite Harkness boy but I definitely adore him a lot now that I’ve been in his head. The fact that he realized his playboy ways had an effect not only on himself but on his friends, on his team, was a really mature thing to do and while the forced celibacy was just hilarious, it was still kind of awesome to see him step up, take responsibility for his actions and be a captain. I really loved that – it made him seem like an even better fit for Demi and I think that’s even why she ended up liking him more. Honestly though, I think Demi is the real heart and center of the novel. First off, I love that she is a woman of color – my god we need more of those in romance, in books in general – and that she was biracial on top of that. I am biracial as well – half white, half mexican – so I super appreciate a biracial character – I always feel so connected to them. But I just loved her as a person. She was strong and confident the entire time and I really loved that. Even when she breaks up with her boyfriend of SO many years, she’s so strong and she works so hard to move forward. I love her confidence in her sexuality and I really love that she had the confidence and bravery to reach for the career path she wanted, not what everyone else wanted. The two characters have a really great friendship and I love friendships that blossom into relationships (says the girl who fell in love with her best friend and has been dating him for nearly 3 years now!). I just think that the build up is great, its a slow burn that just leaves you absolutely PANTING for more. Their chemistry is hot as hell and I’m almost glad my boyfriend was asleep while I was reading it so he didn’t see my face all red and hot haha! There was one small part I wasn’t a huge fan of – a friendship between Demi and a guy friend of hers. I just…I wasn’t a fan of it and even though the culmination of what happened with that friendship is a serious situation and worthy of conversation, I just wasn’t a fan of the build up at all. That was probably my only dislike and it didn’t ruin the novel as a whole. I think my favorite part of the book was the egg though. I won’t say more than that because no spoilers but oh my god, that egg was hilarious as hell. I am still laughing my ass about it.

The Play by Elle Kennedy is an absolute touchdown! This book had everything—swoon-worthy romance, laugh-out-loud banter, and characters so real, I wanted to befriend them. Hunter was such a refreshing hero—his journey of self-discovery, discipline, and unexpected love had me hooked from page one. And Demi? She’s smart, confident, and the perfect match for him. Their chemistry? Off. The. Charts. What I loved most? No ridiculous, over-the-top breakups! And when there was a misunderstanding, these two actually talked like grown-ups. Shocking, right? But seriously, their communication made their relationship feel even stronger and more real. Elle Kennedy once again nails the perfect mix of humor, heart, and heat. If you love college sports romances that are equal parts spicy and sweet, The Play is a must-read. Trust me, you’ll be grinning from start to finish!

Like the others in this series, the writer is rather explicit in details which kept me captivated. This was a good read

I enjoyed this book about Demi and Hunter. It is well thought out and written. The characters are developed and you can picture them and their actions. Demi is a true love type of woman that deserves a great story. Demi has been in love with her boyfriend since she was thirteen years old but they have been together since Demi was eight. Nico has always been her forever love and her parents and his have celebrated Christmas together since she was eight. Demi's dad is a Neurosurgeon and he expects Demi to follow in his footsteps. He has always had high expectations of her and he pushes her to do her best in all things. But Demi wants to be a Ph.D. and not go into medicine. She loves counseling people and her true love is there. She meets Hunter in one of her classes and he is the "Patient" to her "Doctor". They met once a week to do their homework and they become friends. It's not a problem since he is celibate right now. One night Hunter sees Nico in a compromising position and he feels like he has to tell Demi about it. It might end the friendship but he can't live with himself if he doesn't tell her what's happening. This book has twists that will keep you turning the pages to the end. And the sexy times are HOT.

Libro ho letto in lingua originale, ma non potevo aspettare per la traduzione. Quando si parla di Elle Kennedy ogni libro è meraviglioso; con The Play si torna alle stesse emozioni del primo: The Deal. Demi e Hunter si fanno amare dalle prime pagine nonostante tutto, nonostante lei sia fidanzata e lui debba rispettare il suo "voto", ma forse per questo si fanno amare un po' di più. Che dire poi, i libri della Kennedy sono sempre freschi e le battute esilaranti, da un personaggio come Demi poi... Aspetto la traduzione in italiano per rivivere tutte le emozioni!

The Paly is the third book in Kennedy's Briar U series, which is a spin-off series to the amazing Off-Campus series. Both are amazing college hockey romances and I am telling you that YOU MUST READ THEM. Obviously, this book is best enjoyed after reading at least the previous books in the series but the bestest is when you read the prequel too. So... The Play... Hunter and Demi... I think I am not alone when I say I was waiting for Hunter's story since he appeared as a freshman. The heartbreaker was Dean Di Laurentis's padavan from day one and he took it very seriously. But after a not so stellar hockey season he is certain that the only way he can succeed as a captain and lead his team to victory if he breaks his habit of sleeping with every puck bunny out there. Demi is happy in her long term relationship and she and the celibate Hunter became fast friends during a psichology project. None of them wants anything from the other except friendship and support. Until Demi's realtionship comes to a screeching halt ans she's in a desperate need for a rebound. But Hunter is determined to stay away from girls until the season's end. . Demi and Hunter has their own insecurities and fears from the real life after college and they seem to be the perfect support for each other. Their whirlwind friendship is full of crazy ideas and crazier consequences. Demi is a half insane and half normal and her personality is funny and sweet. Hunter is stubborn and talented with a family baggage that is hard to loose. But maybe they can be the one for each other... if Demi plays it right. This book was so funny both because the MCs' crazy friendship and because the even crazier side characters and hilarious story of being a captain of a college hockey team. Pablo Eggscobar was the funniest most random twist in the story and I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe normally sometimes 🤣 Hollis's insane lovestory continues and it's lovely and weird but who cares? It's Hollis! The pros and cons of living with three female roomates is just the cherry on top.

4.5 solid stars! My favorite so far in the spinoff. We had it all. A great friendship. Fun banter. Great chemistry. Good plot. Hockey. A feisty Latina. An ex playboy. Relationship drama. Good spice. I was so happy reading it. I ate it up.

Oh my god Hunter Davenport and Demi Davis. They were the best couple so far in Briar U series. They understood each other perfectly, there was no miscommunication, it was fun ,it was emotional, there was romance and all the side characters were chefs kiss. A definite 5 star read.

I started reading this book expecting to be disappointed because I saw many reviews saying that it was the weakest one in the Briar U series and many of those comments were also saying negative things about Demi. I am so glad I was proven wrong! I finished the book in a day. That’s how much I loved it! I was already in love with Hunter based on previous books and I’m so glad this book brought out different aspects of him that made me love him even more. And Demi was the perfect heroine for him. She’s the perfect mixture of sweet and devilish and can consistently keep Hunter on his toes, which is exactly what he needs. Their book is more of a slow-burn compared to the other ones. It can get a bit frustrating in the beginning because the previous couples had it all much faster (except perhaps Summer and Fitzy, but they were hot for each other since the beginning so it doesn’t count). But this kind of relationship is just what Hunter needed. He needed to get to know Demi on a purely platonic level first, learn to trust her, be her friend and then move on to something else. And Demi needed it even more considering her previous experience. They were there for each other when they needed each other the most and the development of their relationship felt so genuine and natural. Love them! Can’t wait to jump to Connor’s book next. I already have a feeling he’s gonna join the top position of my favorite Elle’s boys alongside Garret and Jake. But love them all, really and can’t really choose.