The Quick Cut: A soccer star girl and a deaf guy who can't get along end up partnered together on a project for a college Business mathematics class.
A Real Review:
Thank you to Chloe Liese for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you've ever been in a college course, there is a very good chance that you've been partnered up for a project. Its one of those requirements that they use to teach you how to work as a team, even when your partner isn't somebody that you like. However, how would you react if you found that the tension between you and your partner were in actuality something much more than disagreements or stress? This is the case for Ryder and Willa.
Willa is the star player on the college's womens soccer team, but she's terrible at making it to class. While most professors have no issue with bending to the stresses of college athletics, her Business Mathematics professor refuses to do so. Forcing Willa to ask fellow classmate Ryder for the lecture notes, she becomes furious when he seemingly ignores everything she says. Even when she finds out that Ryder is deaf, these two continue to butt heads... until they find out that their professor has teamed them together for the class final project. Will they find a way to work together or tank one another's grade?
College tinged romance novels are not a new concept, but I thoroughly enjoyed the way this one was written. The chapters are narrated back and forth between Willa and Ryder - and their differing perspectives is essential to truly capturing the story. One of the reasons this story stands out in a unique way is because the story may have some unbelievable elements to it, but the ending isn't that ridiculous picture perfect happily ever after that you see with these types of books. It has that element of reality to it where love doesn't necessarily conquer all and not everybody gets what they want.
Willa and Ryder make an excellent pair because they understand the demands of an athletic focused lifestyle. While Ryder's athletic hopes were taken away by his sudden deafness (which you are given a clear indication of what that is like, emotions and all), Willa's are brighter than ever. However, she has her own health problems that complicate her relationships. Their pasts have enough entanglements that they on a deep level understand what one another is going through. That, along with the patience that Ryder uses to meet Willa at where she is comfortable, is a road they use to connect again.
A memorable tale that connects two college athletes, right when they need it.
My rating: 5 out of 5