This is the 5th book in the Ritter University series.  This book can be read as a standalone novel.  For reader understanding and enjoyment, I recommend reading it in order.

 

Savannah & Joe are serious.  Even while her ex is trying to win her back, there are secrets that come between them, and her family just plain does not understand.  How do you keep love alive with so much against you?

 

Joe just knows that Savannah is everything to him.  Should they break up?  Can he love without her?  What is it that she won't tell him?  So many questions with very few answers.  Sorry folks, I do not do spoilers.

 

This is a great part of the series, as we finally get Savannah's story.  Many of our favorites return for cameos in here also.  My only complaint, if I actually have one - is that there were times the story felt forced.  The characters were strong, they have a lot of spark, and the basics here leave you happy with a final HEA.  I give this story a 3/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

 

 

***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

Sophomore Secrets - Elaine Ashford It was so typical. But the sexy times certainly didn't hurt. :)

Blurb Mistake 101: Do not make comparisons that you can’t live up too.  Comparing yourself to Meg Cabot falls in the same category as comparing yourself to JK Rowling-but for fluffy books not fantasy.  Add the fact that your blurb compares it to such titles as Anna and the French Kiss and you’ve set the bar probably too high for yourself.  Unless, you are like the second coming of fluff.

 

 

And I really doubt that’s possible.

 

It might be though.  Who knows.

 

The thing about Sophomore Year Is Greek to Me, is that it’s not a bad book.  It’s actually an enjoyable book if you force yourself to take the time to get through it.  Because it takes a good sixty some odd pages just to get to Greece.

 

Which for a book claiming to take place in Greece, this isn’t entirely a good thing.  Add to the book that it doesn’t really feel like you’re in Greece, until the book shifts from being in Athens into Crete…well, there’s some issues there.

 

I will credit the Crete scenes though.  Once the book moved there, I really started getting into it and Greece became a character of its own.  Much like Paris became a character in Anna and the French Kiss.  But unlike Anna, it took such a long time for Greece to develop into its own thing in this book.

 

And I really didn’t feel the Meg Cabot here.  For one thing, there really wasn’t much  swoon.  And I was okay with that.  There is mentions of dating and a nice guy that Zona finds while in Greece, but romance wasn’t (and shouldn’t) have been the focus of this book.  It was really more or less about family which was nice for a change for a YA book.  Just not, you know, very Meg Cabot-y.

 

I think my biggest problem with this novel, besides not utilizing its atmosphere to its fullest, was that there were just some of the books that felt like filler melodrama.  There were actually two extremely melodramatic moments that I just rolled my eyes to.

One of them felt extremely disjointed and out of place, while the other just came out of nowhere.  No build up.

 

Additionally, the use of newspaper clipping throughout the book felt a little jarring .  While a nice addition (at first) there ended up being too much of them and it just interrupted the flow of the novel.

 

If you want something light, but with little to no romance totally pick this one up.  It’s highly memorable or anything, but it did make for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

Overall Rating: A solid B.

 

not much to say that I didn't say about the first one. short, not very meaty, not much to engage with. but hot, and one of my fave tropes, so worth a couple hours of my time.

ALERT: overuse of the word baby. not a problem in the first book, but got a lot of play this time. I personally don't mind but I know that's a pet peeve for a lot of you, so fair warning.

3.5 Hearts

Review written for MM Good Book Reviews

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/


These books are best read in order, since they chronicle the evolution of one couple through four years of college.

And Shane and Angel are back. Damn I missed them and I’m so glad that their comeback was just as good as the first book.

Here Angel and Shane have been together for over a year and the time for Shane’s graduation is approaching fast. Their relationship has slowly gone steady and solid, even if things still remain unsaid.

I think this couple had this particular problem from the start, they don’t communicate well and that makes for some frustration. So much trouble could be avoided, you know?

Anyway, while their relationship grows and their feeling along with it there is a whole different kind of tension lurking around and spoiling the mood. By spoiling I literally mean it as some very hot and seriously sexy scenes were interrupted by Angels insecurities and fears.

The title says it all: Undeclared. Shane gets a job for next year on the East Coast and the things that have been left unsaid between the pair are making an appearance. Angel is not sure where they stand as a couple, if they’ll still be together, if that means they’ll break up, and being the little tongue-tied that he is he fails to broach the subject, instead venting a different way and causing unnecessary fights. As for Shane, he too doesn’t know how they’ll play out. Angel being a Sophomore and glued with him from the beginning (not mentioning Shane being his first) has Shane thinking that his lover will be missing out, yet he doesn’t want to lose him. Still, right know Shane can’t see how they’ll work out what with Shane in New York and Angel still in California.

A weekend apart though solves all that for our couple. A bit of drama, a bit of angst and too much love make this lovely pair see a path and wave through.

So writing wise I liked it again. Nothing has changed from the previous book. The author still manages to take you with you and put you right in the middle of the story. The passion, the chemistry, the fears and insecurity of the young men are all felt and lived through the words written. And just like in the first book, their intimate scenes are so freaking hot, if not better, I was bouncing on my seat waiting for them to come, while still enjoying the rest of the plot and not losing interest. I’m not big on drama, but the guys here were fortunately balanced on the, nothing over the top. It was one of my fears because Angel has a penchant for brooding and making a big deal out of things after having let them boil and boil.

Conclusion, this book was just what I expected it to be and thankfully I was not disappointed. It was fast, it was fun, it had intensity, it was catching and mostly it was an enjoyable light read. If you fancy any of the above, go ahead and grab it. Recommended.

Thommie