Return

Stratham Knights #1

by N.V. Roez

They say there’s beauty in broken things… I don’t agree.

My past broke me, nothing beautiful about it.

I buried my past and my secrets to live a normal life at the prestigious Stratham University.

School of dreams… with new friends and a fresh start.

But I didn’t bury my past deep enough.

The boys that betrayed me are now the men of Stratham’s elite.

They will do everything in their power to make me suffer, even if they don’t know all my secrets.

I’m tired of playing games.

I just want to live a normal life, but someone knows my secrets and I’ll learn…

The devil isn’t done with me yet.

Return is the first book in Stratham Knights, a new adult/college age dark romance with enemies to lovers/hate to love themes that cannot be read as a standalone. This is a reverse harem, #whychoose series that contains material that may be difficult or troubling for some readers. Please see the author's disclaimer at the front of this book for more details.

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, College, Why Choose, Dark Romance, Dark, Abuse

248 pages, ebook

Published March 12, 2021

About the author

NV Roez is a dark contemporary romance writer who thoroughly enjoys all things dark and firmly believes that there is something beautiful in broken hearts and damaged souls. The most monumental stories are born rising from the ashes.

Outside of writing, she’s obsessed with spending time with her family, drinking coffee and reading books. Does not converse before coffee, has an inappropriate sense of humor and has complete conversations with the voices in her head.

Reviews

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is packed with betrayal, secrets and tension building to be something great.
It's also filled with flashbacks of abuse and there are instances real time that could possibly be triggering to some.

Evelyn is trying to live her life and comeback from a very traumatic childhood. She deserves it after all she went through. She's accepted into her dream college, she has a roommate that is quickly turning into her ride or die - but guys from her past have poked holes in her almost perfect bubble.

She can't believe it. The 3 who were her world could very well burn her new life to the ground. There will be hell to pay, but by who. She refuses to cower again and will fight for her survival.

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great thriller plot, and it may have merited 4 stars, but there was absolutely no sex in this book. What it did have was lots of character development, bullying, other woman drama (“played out” but sadly no on-screen other man intimacy), intrigue, secrets — basically, what I usually enjoy in my dark romances. It showcased sexual tension, the revival of attraction and depth of feelings for former guy friends, now turned enemies, but no sex. Not fan of clean romance. This is the type of content warning I would have liked. Oh and the fact that the phrase “rolling my eyes” appears 1000 times.

Having stated all that, the plot does draw you in: best friends’ betrayal, living with the death of a twin, horrific past, elites and the Knights fraternity, crime world, trafficking. Evelyn “Evie” is a badass, and she’s attending an Ivy League school as she promised her deceased sister, and no one is going to get in her way. When Micah, Caleb, and Elijah come face to face with their former friend now enemy, they push her to leave. They bully her, disparage her. But more is at play than they all realize; people are not who they portray themselves. This mystery, these clues, were very visible from the eyes of the reader, but not for the characters in the story where misdeeds were often misplaced. And that was also part of the appeal, wonder when little truths would reveal.

Dark, the depicted flashbacks of child abuse may be uncomfortable. Slow burn and single, first-person point of view, the story is recounted in the perspective of the heroine. Perhaps on purpose to retain the mystery and disconcertedness. And these are what draw me to book two where, hopefully, more romance and sex between the main character(s) appear.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t get behind a h who falls for her abusers.

These guys did some pretty effed up stuff or stood around while others did horrible things to the MC. This book is dark, its not labeled as dark with a few incidents of depraved behavior... its actually some seriously forked up stuff happening.

After reading the first book, I started to skim through the 2nd to see if there was any groveling or whatever to see if I could tolerate her guys. I wasn't surprised to find out that there wasn't.

The writing was good, but the story wasn't for me.

This is really a dark bully story.. not so much romance, though. If you're into that and don't have many triggers, then you'll probably like this book. Me, not so much. I don't have a bunch of triggers, but I just really don't like when the MC has a group of unredeemable MMCs who were behind the majority of the abuse, and that is definitely the case here.

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book tore me to pieces. Return is the story that I never knew I need in my life. This story is angst and you need the tissues as I was nearly balling repeatedly as I read this book. Evie/ Evelyn isn’t the girl she used to be and is trying

to move on. Whispers of her past trickle through as she goes through the motions of trying to start over
Until it crashes in a second and the guys return
Her past and her torment role into one

They hold the power it seems or do they?
Return is explosive and tore me right up. I wants more and devoured this book wanting to see who would break. Would unlock the door and send things spiralling. Return isn’t a warm fuzzy book. It’s dark and delicious and Evie is only just getting started

[L. Starla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This page-turning dark romance is gritty and raw. Evelyn’s attempt at a fresh start in life is blown out of the water when she is reunited with the three guys who betrayed her. She loved them once but hates them now. Problem is, they are the elite at her new college, the knights who are anything but noble. They look down at Evelyn, treating her like trash and inciting vicious bullies to attack her.
I loved this story. It kept me up all night reading. Evelyn’s plight is tragic, and I really felt for her, which is a testament to how well Roez brought the characters to life. It should be noted that while the series is marketed as reverse harem, there are not any real “why choose” elements in the first instalment, but I suspect this is due to the slow burn nature of the overall romance arc unfolding across the series.
After such a thrilling read with a cliff-hanger ending, I’m dying to get my hands on the next novel. I highly recommend this one for lovers of dark romance.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Cheria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uh, OK, I struggle with my rating on this one, fluctuating between 2 and 3 stars. I enjoy dark contemporary romance and bully romance, RH is my jam, and I have no triggers that I've found aside from a sensitivity to OM/OW drama (which this is chock full of, but that's not why I'm torn). I really wanted to like it, and it was hard to tear myself away from, like I had to know what happened next, but it felt like a bad soap opera that I binged against my better judgment. The FMC felt inconsistent and was hard to rally behind, and that was my main drawback. If you enjoy dark bully RH and have no triggers (there's a whole page of TW at the start of the book), then maybe give it a try and see if you enjoy it? If you're on the fence, I'll try to share more on my reading experience with it while keeping as spoiler free as possible.

This story has former best friends turned enemies unexpectedly reunited to face lies, secrets, and palpable hatred. Just seeing this, I'm like "Oooo, tell me more! 🖤" But then the story is like trying to pack too much in it while leaving the characters under-developed. The story is only told from the FMC's POV. The FMC is so zeroed in on her pursuit of "normal life" that she pulls back on her fight or interest in what's going on in her own story. There's not much insights on the guys, in part due to their interactions are mostly bully or hate-filled threats or accusations, but there's enough to tell that there's more going on. It's only book one, so maybe the character growth arc is coming, but I needed something more to hold onto for the ride.

"Today, I don't want to think any more about a life that was never mine, that died years ago... of beautiful boys who lied."

"....vivid memories that won't stop playing in my head of beautiful boys shredding my heart when I needed them most. I don't need anyone."

"This is my life. I fought for this life every day since [redacted event], and I'll be damned if I let them take away everything that I've worked for again."

The FMC -- Evelyn (Evie, Eve), the FMC, has a tragic backstory with past abuse, torment, betrayal, abandonment and has worked hard the past 2-3 years (I'm not sure the timeline adds up, but I just tried not to think about it too hard) to earn her place at this ivy league university - and it *has* to be this school because of some promise she made to her sister that has yet to be explained but it serves as the reason that she's there and refuses to leave or take another path, even when her life is in danger. She's surprised to see the three guys from her past who were once her everything before they betrayed and abandoned her. The guys are just as surprised to see her, and their anger/hate has not softened in the least from their time apart. The FMC confuses me .... She's got that tough survivor spirit and attitude of giving zero f**ks paired with not afraid to cut a b**ch ... But then she fluctuates between showing that she might just deliver on that attitude when she's in rage mode (like in response to one of the b*tch crew) and completely ignoring and dismissing things. She's not dumb, but I struggle to reconcile so many things she just takes zero action on in favor of ignoring it. There's nothing particularly calculated or thought through. It's like she exists and sometimes she reacts, sometimes she doesn't, and other times she chooses to ignore things. She shows that she's got a fighter in her ... but then she doesn't fight. She has these "oh, that's weird" or "this doesn't feel right" experiences ... but then shrugs it off. She witnesses a guy setoff a massive explosion ... but then cannot conceive that he would be involved in criminal activity. Towards the end of the book, the reader learns one of her secrets and she's reluctant to revisit that part of her old life .... but she just thinks "what else can I do?" -- For real?!? You can't think of a single other option at your disposal at this very moment?? On top of that, I'm not even sure what to make out of the revelation. I should be intrigued, but I mostly find it unbelievable. Even if I take it at face value, I don't see her doing anything and it's driving me crazy. Learning something new to her resume doesn't do much for me when it's not rooted in anything else I've seen from her.

The Bullying - This story goes beyond love/hate themes and has some of the harshest bullying that I've ever read. The bullying is by the Hs and the mean girls b*tch crew, who are also the hanger-ons / girlfriends of the Hs. There's the expected verbal insults, name-calling, dumping of food/drink on the h, and other pr**kish behavior. There's the stealing of clothes in locker room paired with phone recordings for added humiliation. There's physical assault (more than once) -- like extreme the h could have died and they didn't give a f**k. Her recoveries are actually pretty unbelievable, but it's fiction and I'm not pressing hard on that. To be clear, I did not downgrade my rating over this, but calling out as it may be too intense for some readers, even those who enjoy dark bully romance. What did affect my reading enjoyment was in (1) how the FMC handled and responded to these encounters, (2) whether there was the impression of the Hs having a reason behind their bullying and not just "bully to bully", and (3) whether there was some ember of a redemption possibility for the Hs.
- On the first (1), the heroine is tough chick survivor - she essentially rolls her shoulders back, gives the middle finger, and yells at the pr**ks to leave her the eff alone. She's not meek and she absolutely stands up for herself ... but she also doesn't seek retribution. Sometimes she feels like a fighter, but other times she doesn't and it's confusing. While I did like how she stood up for herself, tells off and calls out the Hs and the b*tch crew, it's like she sticks her head in the proverbial sand and ignores stuff in her quest for "normal life", and I find that hard to rally behind. When she's not yelling at the Hs to "just leave (her) alone", she's getting turned on by their nearness or having conflicting angry/horny voyeur moments of them with OW. With the b*tch crew, she gets some hits in and makes some threats when her anger takes over, but then the same damn thing happens again and I'm reading thinking that this h is going to die before any of those a**holes so much break a nail let alone several bones or crushed spirits.
- On the second (2), to me it felt like both ... I suspect the Hs have some misguided reasons and justifications for their treatment of the h, but they also come across like total bullies who would treat another person like this or be a bystander to it if it served them. There is no flicker of pain or remorse; they look at her like she deserves this and worse. And while my brain scrambles for "WTF is going through their heads?!", I also find myself not giving a sh*t because there's nothing built aside from curiosity. The Hs also encourage and reward the b*tch crew's bullying, which just turns my stomach (tied to my OW sensitivity, I'm sure).
- On the third (3), I'm sorry to say that I don't see it, but I also acknowledge that it's only book 1 and maybe their redemption arc has a long road of needing to hate them more before starting to understand them (shrug). I suspect that the truth is going to come out and the Hs will be all "oh geez, we didn't know that ... we thought ..." and I'm going to be all "too fng bad, m****rf**kers".

The OW drama -- Oh my word ... There is so much OW, I was choking on it. The Hs and h are still firmly in "hate" territory during this book, so there's absolutely no expectation that either have any sort of fidelity duty. But if you're sensitive to it as a reader like me, this is a warning that it's there -- everything from using the girls to incite rage/anger in the h to public sex acts (which the h is a voyeur with anger/lust feelings). The Hs treat the OW like trash, which, yeah, they are the b*tch crew and they suck, but also that's who they choose to get their d*ck wet with and that's on them. As much as I have a low tolerance for OW drama, it's so much harder for me when the Hs treat the OW like dirt. I just don't find it to be an admirable quality in book boyfriend characters.

The Secrets -- This is the main thing that kept me reading, but it's also something that left me feeling unfulfilled because the FMC takes so little action with any of it. She would rather ignore it all and wish it away, while also insisting on not leaving herself because she insists she has to stay at this ivy league university out of some promise to her dead twin sister (this is revealed really early in the book, so I didn't feel like it's a spoiler). She has a genius IQ (main draw for the university accepting her) and hacking skills, but doesn't use them to look into or learn more about anything. Not the Hs who are back in her life (beyond hacking into the school system for their schedule), not the Kings and why they think they rule the school and town, not the faculty who are being creepy AF, not whoever is taunting her with her own past secrets.... And I struggle with the 'why' - why is she characterized as capable but just doesn't bother. She'd rather ignore it, dismiss it, and not think about it. Not every scorned heroine needs a revenge or vengeance plot (though that is my preference) - but I do like them to act with more self-preservation than what I saw here. And only having the FMC's POV for this story, if she doesn't give a sh*t about uncovering secrets of others or keeping her own buried, or at least I clearly care more than she does, it inevitably leaves me feeling unfulfilled.


Thoughts on the 'best friend' Celeste -- I love it when the FMC has a best friend who I like just as much. In this case, I'm kind of neutral to the roommate, with dislikes offsetting the likes, but it's really hard for me to even consider what they have as friendship. I liked that roommate seems to genuinely care for the FMC, but their friendship felt so superficial - more like co-existing in a friendly state than something healthy and supportive. The FMC doesn't open up to anyone, even her one friend, and avoids getting close to people, so I get it to a point. But then the roomie's always pushing the FMC to go to the frat parties or go shopping or things she wants to do instead of trying to get to know the FMC. She is not aware of the extent of every bully incident or assault, but she also adopts a "don't let a few a**holes ruin your fun" mentality, which the FMC latches onto because she's also got her quest for "normal life" going on. They each have protective instincts for the other but fall way short of what I'd consider for a friendship badge/bracelet in that area. The FMC takes no actions to investigate or even follow through on "weird vibe radar" after something happens and her roomie/bestie refused to talk about it (and she has other avenues at her disposal to pursue). The roomie/bestie endangers the FMC by staying silent when she sees someone she now fears hanging around the FMC.

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am blown away by how well this book was written and how fast it sucked me in! Never before have I read a book with so much hidden backstory, pain and trauma that was so intriguing that I just couldn’t stop reading! NV Roez most definitely knows how to spin a story and create some compelling characters.

The story centers around our beautiful heroine Evelyn, Evie to her friends, and lets just say that while the pain and horrors in her tragic past only slightly trickle through in some flashbacks—you know right out of the gates that she is a fierce kick ass heroine that has overcome so much tragedy and a true force to reckon with! A true survivor that your instantly in her corner rooting for her.

Right away you see that life has not been easy for her, but when she suddenly encounters 3 young men from her past you’ll soon realize there’s so much more to her story—then and now. The loss, treachery, deceit and all the continued harassment this girl ensures is heartbreaking to read at times but you can’t help not fall in love with her strength and perseverance. And just when you think you’ve finally got a grasp on who she is as a character...Bam! NV Roez presents another twist and turn and you’re left wondering...just who is this girl and how has she survived?!?

This is definitely a slow burn in terms of relationships, but for once that didn’t deter me as a reader because the three Alplaholes definitely need to earn Evie’s trust and love back so this is understandably not an easy switch from enemies to lovers for her! The dynamics in other relationships she builds along the way with new friends, as well as a few brief introductions of others from her past, are well written so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.

Overall this book is a definite must read, and NV Roez is a must follow author for sure! But man...that ending was killer! And the intro into the second book only left me wanting more, more, more!

[Rebecca Norvitz Norvitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’M OUT OF PAGES!!!

I just finished and I need more! I have so many questions and so many theories that my mind won’t quit racing.

I love this FMC, I love her so much that I want to keep her as my bestie and never let her go #minenow

The guys, oh the guys I want to smack them upside their heads for being so aggravating 😤😤

I read this book in one seating, it had me captivated from the first page. I ignored everything around me so I didn’t have to put it down.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.. I don't even know where to begin with how brilliantly written 'Return' is.
I didn't want to put it down and was hooked from the start.
I found myself on the edge of the seat with anticipation as I progressed through the pages meeting characters I liked, some I hated, some I wanted to shake until they came to their senses and some I loved.

This story isn't for the faint hearted and if you struggle reading difficult topics, this isn't for you. Though do check the author's disclaimer at the beginning to be sure.

I look forward to seeing what NV Roez writes next.

[Trac · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF The cover& blurb lured me; but this book had such underdeveloped, irrational; unnecessary characters and storylines it was just ott:. I could not stand the FMC and the hypocrisy that is her character. Why act like u are tough , when you’re not ? Another doormat masked as tough . There was no real fight in her at all. It’s like that girl who gets bullied and she just keeps saying stop it and walks away with her head held high and doing nothing about it ,thinking she’s the bigger and better person. That’s not tough . That’s putting your head in the sand and just hoping to get through it , what is the point of surviving all that crap to let a bunch of “ mean girls” beat you at life.?Waste of a character . And I hate bully romances where the MC are so heinous that they are just unredeemable . Why do they have to be so extra and over the top . It’s one girl against a bunch of you. What was the point to making them so bad that there is no way readers can root for them . Defeats the purpose of a romance .

[Basak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God! Where have I been? How did I miss this series? I consider myself a true bookworm and romance booklover, and I am disappointed in myself for missing out on Stratham Knights all this time. I am sitting in my bed in the middle of the night thinking about what I would do or how I would feel after so much hurt, so much loss and so many dreams lost if I were in Evie’s shoes, god forbid. Would I ever trust anyone or would I stay where I am or pack up and leave to go to a place where nobody knows me. I am just going to tell you that this has been a first read for me by N.V. Roez, and it definitely will NOT be my last. You just know that it’s a real good story if it leaves you in a tangled mess of emotions and questions as if you were actually a part of the story you’ve been so invested in. Simply thankful for finding another brilliant author who can take me to a dream world for a few hours at a time.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of emotion. Betrayal... bullying... love... hate...abuse...violence academy. One minute you want to cry and the next do harm to the males around her. The FMC and her best friend are strong not whine like so many females. She finds herself dealing with a past that caused her so much pain and does it like a rockstar. The males you will love to hate, but ain't that what makes a good dark romance after all! There is so much that happens and still leaves you needing more. I can see a prequel even but look forward to the next book and hope for some revenge on the males before she gives in!

[Rockymountainreader · Rating 2 out of 5]

This idea of this story was great. I don’t think it was executed well tho. The secrecy and hidden past are good to drive the mystery and the plot but I didn’t really feel like it went anywhere. In the end I still had tons of unanswered questions about the past and I was really questioning who all the people were. I was expecting a bit of spicyness since this is tagged as reverse harem but there really wasn’t any. Lots of trigger warnings too so keep that in mind. Overall I like the idea, the characters are interesting and I like the mystery. I don’t feel this is marketed well tho as it definitely reads more as dark academia, mafia/bully, and mystery than reverse harem.

[Lorena Garcia -- Brittany's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with this series and this is the first book, I need the next two STAT!

Evelyn has secrets that she doesn't like to talk about but when she meets up again with her three guys (now part of the Knights) the last thing she wants to do is run into them, but inevitably she does and it's not a pleasant one either. The boys, Micah, Caleb and Elijah are not very nice to her when they first see her again after four years and that's because they blame her for what happened after their last encounter and they never let her explain herself to them, they just took it upon themselves to hate her for something they have no clue if it was provoked, if she really caused it or if it was really an accident.



Well these boys are now trying to raise hell for her at Stratham University but Evie will not go down without a fight. She's a fighter and she will do whatever it takes to show them that she's not afraid of them or anyone else. Someone or Someone(s) are out to get her and she is going to find out who or why they are trying to make her life a living hell or why they are trying to steer her out of the university one way or another.

The only one who seems to be softening towards her from the boys is Micah but she isn't 100% sure if she could trust him or not, the question is, why is this happening to her?? The boys are saying they aren't trying to do anything to her nor trying to steer her one way or another, but is that true?

Wow, this book had me feeling all kinds of ways. I was literally sitting at the edge of my seat, biting my nails. But one thing is for sure, Evie was one hell of a fighter and this girl had some major b@lls that's for sure. Go EVIE!!

A book full of mystery, thrills and secrets that will leave your heart pumping for more!

5 Return Stars

**Received an ARC in exchange for honest review**

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie is doing her best to move on from her traumatic past. When she moves across the country to attend Strathem University, a prestigious university in PA she is hoping this is her chance to start over. What she was not expecting was to run into her past there, but there were the 3 boys she once loved that betrayed her and changed her life forever. Micah, Caleb and Elijah are part of the university's “elite” and they make it their mission to make Evie’s life a living hell, determined to get her to leave Strathem. What they don’t realize though is that Evie isn’t the young and vulnerable girl she once was, her past has only made her stronger and she is not going down without a fight this time.

What a wild ride! My mind is still whirling from the twists and revelations in Return, not to mention that cliffhanger *MINDBLOWN*. The story was fast paced and captivating. Evie’s flashbacks were heartbreaking and left me with a pit in my stomach, but her resilience and strength despite everything that has happened to her left me admiring her. I wanted to smack the guys for being such jerks, I am ready for some groveling in book 2. There is still so much that hasn’t been brought to light yet, I am dying to get my hands on book 2 in audio.

This full cast duet narrated audiobook was spectacular! I knew when I saw the cast that it would be, but I was still blown away by just how good it was. Heather Firth brought Evie’s vulnerability and anguish to life during the flashbacks so well but then she also brought all of her fierceness in the present day scenes to life perfectly. I have been a big fan of Michael Gallagher and Gregory Salinas for a while now and their performances just reinforced why I am. In some of the flashback scenes they captured the guy’s light and carefree personalities. Then went performed the guys being bullies and alpha holes so good too!

[✨✨ Claire✨✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This is a very busy start to a series!

There's so much going on....but yet we're left with soooo many questions with no answers at the end of this first book!!

We follow Evelyn -"Evie". All chapters follow in first person dialogue mostly in the present with the occasional flashbacks.

Evie appears to have had a very sad and turbulent past and we're really only scratching the surface. We know she's lost her family and she's been in juvie for setting a fire - albeit accidentally. We also find out that her best friends at the time testified against her, shattering her further.

Now, 4years later she's managed to get into Stratham University, as a promise to her late twin, Ivy.  Everything is going smoothly until she comes across those best friends - Caleb, Micah and Elijah.  All grown up, gorgeous and Knights - the Greek Council that rule the School.

The 3 boys act like Evie is the worst person on the planet and along with their girlfriends, the bitchiest sisterhood on campus they make it difficult for her to just get by.

She's gained attention from the Coach, Ryan who's not much older and good looking and doesn't give up easily!

Her roommate, Celeste surprises her by actually becoming a friend which she wasn't counting on.

Between life threats from the bitches, trouble that happened to Celeste that she can't speak of, and trying to avoid the 3 Knights it's a nightmare first year.

Micah is the first to want to know evie again and won't give in easily. But when they get a cup of coffee early one morning, Evies new York past, a deal Ryan and his friends made while on spring break and a gun going off leads to Micah on the floor bleeding out and the blame solely on her.......

[Rachel Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly intrigued

The book: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

This is a book that from the beginning, gives the vibe this is going to be an intense story. Evelyn has been through a lot in life and we are only just starting to scratch the surface. I can't wait to find out all of her secrets. She has a depth of pain that is palpable. I can tell she's not as messed up as the Stratham Knights would like to think, but at the same time, she's been through enough that I think a part of her wants to suffer.

There is one scene in particular where she stands up for herself. I won't give the specifics because I don't want to ruin it. But it makes you go "holy bleep, she's going to burn the world down for herself" and from that moment on I devoted the next X hours of my life to see her do it.

Her ex-friends want her to suffer too, and these guys aren't pulling any punches. They hate Evelyn, and hold a lot of grudges for the past. There's obviously a lot of misunderstandings and secrets to be uncovered, and with how hard these boys fight, I'm all the more excited to see them fall!

The guys: oh these guys do not seem worthy of Evelyn! But I'm very intrigued to learn more about them! These are guys that hold a lot of grudges, and that just means the harder they will fall in the future!

Overall I'm very intrigued by the story. Like I said, I'm about to disappear down the rabbit hole to devour the rest of this series, and I highly recommend any reader to do the same!

[GML · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥🖤FANTASTIC BOOK🖤🔥

🖤This book got me in since the very first chapter. If you like wild rides and crazy shit this is your book. Welcome to the madness.

🖤We meet Evelyn she is a very reserved girl with a very dark past. She get a new opportunity to a new life in this Elite University. Everything was ok till 3 guys from her past are in the same University as her. An then a lot of things happen and let me tell you it gets wild wild wild. But God its so f*cking good.

🖤There is a lot of secres, lies, angst, steam, frustration, emotions, twist and all of it was very well done.

🖤You get in the feels with her and all the things she say and do you feel them I connect with this book so much.

🖤Amazing story line and f*cking intriguing and interesting plot.This is the type of book that I love and I got in to it blind and that was the best decision ever. I devoure this book so fast that I was so mad because I wanted more.

🖤I love Celeste so much she is a very very good best friend.

🖤The guys got me so mad that hell I want to kill them the only one that I can tolerate is Micah and girl I wanted to slap him more than one time.

🖤The ending the motherf*cking ending I can't with that ending.

🖤NV ROEZ girl you did something amazing with this book know you have a new stalker I will be watching you wating for next book.

🖤Thank you so much for this amazing book🖤

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dark Romance ✔
Reverse Harem ✔
Ememies to Lovers ✔

After I finished reading this I just sat there and blinked a few times... trying to process what the hell just happened. That ending tho 🤯

Evelyn is trying to get a fresh start at life...at Stratham University by putting her shitty past behind her along with the three boys who betrayed her and ripped her heart out. 

After her friend Celeste drags her to a soccer game, she is completely dumbfounded to see Elijah, Caleb, & Micah are now a part of Stratham's Elite. WTF!

My heart broke deeply for Evie 😢 Not only is she flooded with memories of her disgusting childhood but is also feeling the deep betrayal and hurt of how the boys she trusted & loved treated her as if she was nothing. 

Return is filled with secrets, betrayal, anger, and snippets of the horrific things that happened to Evie as a little girl. Is her past coming back to haunt her? Someone knows about her deep dark secret and is enjoying taunting her.

Devoured this book in one sitting. Beautifully written...raw and unapologetic. The suspense is killing me!  Waiting patiently for book #2 to figure out what is going on with Celeste and to see if Evie will be able to convince the boys that what happened when they were kids wasn't her fault.

[Steiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know where to begin I am still trying to process and organize my thoughts after finishing this beauty.

So first off, Evelyn, I liked her a lot even though sometimes I wanted to slap her or get in the book and prevents her to do some things or decisions she made.
I love Celeste, she is such a good friend.

I was extremely pleased by the tropes with the guys as usually I am not fond of rh or romance when they already know each other for years but I really loved this one because even though they knew each other, they hadn't seen each other for years which means they changed a lot across the years and we don't really know what happened, we got crumbs and that's why I enjoyed it so much.

At first the pace was slow for me but once I was in it I couldn't put it down. It may be slow the times to put the foundation of the story but it is so worth it.

I love all the mysteries around Evelyn and can't wait to see if my theories are true.

This books does contain triggers for some person so procede with caution read the warnings, put on your seat belt and enjoy the bumpy ride in company of Evelyn

[Chanel Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to start off with WOW!!

I normally jump into reviews with a little bit about the story but I can’t …… I have to get into my thoughts!

Sometimes when you read a blurb or teaser about bully college kids, you kind of understand what you’re going to get. And while that is what this story contained, it was so much more. I literally read this in 3 hours and COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN!!

There was so much happening but it was precisely explained and I was never confused. Evie is a boss babe!! She has gone through so much in her short life. Love, loss, betrayal. I literally cried when Evie would talk about how much she missed her sister and how much the boys that she loved hurt her and betrayed her.

I’ll give the quick version of the story. Evie was punished for a crime she didn’t commit. And the people that she loved that were supposed to believe her and protect her ended up abandoning her instead. After years away, she attends Stratham University where her “boys” are attending as well. Let the bullying ensue.

There’s so much more to say but I don’t want to give any spoilers!! Just read it!

I can’t wait to read book 2!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
🌶🌶/ 5

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

꧁✿☾✩♡ⒸⒽⓁⓄⒺ'Ⓢ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌⓈ♡✩☽✿꧂

This book was filled with tension and emotion...and betrayal. There are many flashbacks to the abuse suffered by the FMC. But that will not be mistaken is that she is incredibly strong and will not allow anyone to erase the hard work she has done to get where she is.

Evelyn is trying to live her life in peace, she wants to get her degree and disappear. That can't be too hard? After all the trauma and abuse she's suffered she deserves this one thing, but no...things are about to get that much more heated.

Evelyn is attending Stratham University, an Ivy League elite school that her sister always dreamed of attending. She's doing it for her sister, the girl that deserved the world when it was taken from her too soon. She meets her amazing roommate Celeste who quickly turns into her ride of die, they are inseparable.

What she doesn't realize is the three men that betrayed her are now the Kings of the university and they are ready to destroy her...They want her gone..and they will do anything in their power to accomplish that...

[Sarah Roupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

NV Roez's debut novel, "Return: Stratham Knights book 1", is AMAZING and fun!!

"Return" follows herione, Evie, where she is starting at a top-tier university and trying to forget her tragic past. But her plan to forget that life is put to the test when she's finds out that the 3 boys who were responsible for her time in juvie are part of the Elite of university. Lots of twists are spun into the story of redemption and romance.

"Return" is a great introduction to a great dark romance, reverse harem series. The quality of writing is great. The pace and plot development are wicked. The characters are remarkable (who doesn't love a yummy, tattooed alpha-hole?). I enjoyed reading the whole book and it was easy to read. Evie, the MFC, is a great herione. She's smart, can kick ass and is a true fighter and survivor. This story definitely keeps you on-your-toes and has great plot twists. The alphaholes are completely drool-worthy!  I'm definitely looking forward to more from this author. This book leaves you wanting more and holy cow, that ending was jaw-dropping.

I'd recommend this to those who enjoy reading new adult, dark romance and reverse harem novels. Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆☆.

[Jess McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know what to say after that ending. I would have never known this was a debut book.

Evelyn, or Evie for short, has a dark past. We learn bits and pieces throughout the book, but she has lived a very hard life. She has moved across the country to get away from her past and from the 3 boys that abandoned her when she needed them the most, not knowing that she is entering right into their den.

There are so many things that I need answers to! I need to know more about Micah, Caleb and Elijah. There are obviously some bigger players in the game, and not just the Knights on campus.

Now let's talk about that ending. What. Just. Happened. I was totally blindsided by the end. I was not expecting that at all. I love when things are not predictable. With all that being said. I need more. More than that evil little epilogue...

Bravo, NV! I loved Return and I am now obsessed.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! That was one hell of an emotional and thrilling story! Evelyn’s tragic past pulled on my heartstrings and had me shocked at how resilient she is. Not many people would survive what she went through. Even with what she endured growing up, she still becomes a fierce, kickass woman. I have high hopes for her becoming the queen she is.

Evelyn’s story is action packed, intense, thrilling and so very entertaining that I never wanted it to end. This story takes us on many twisted turns that keep us questioning how it will all turn out in the end. I have theories and ideas but every time I think I know what will happen this author throws another wrench into the story.

I loved the characters, the writing, the slow burn romance and the delicious darkness. It’s dark and gritty with raw emotions that will keep you gripping your kindle tightly with anticipation of what will happen next. Well done, captivating and exciting story!

[Chey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing Story

Eve has been enrolled in Stratham University and has worked hard to move forward with her life. But the men she used to call friends, but became her enemies, are there and have power. Now they plan to make her life hell for crimes she didn't commit.

This story was an interesting read. The plot was fast paced and we get an intriguing story that makes you question what is happening and what will happen next. Eve is incredibly strong, and while we don't know everything about her past, we know it's sordid and she had incredible strength because of it.

There were several places that didn't make sense in the story. Some of the scenes with Micah were confusing and sent mixed signals about what was happening. It felt like the author was trying to add twists and they didn't work out.

[Belle McLaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok but frustrating

it’s an interesting enough read … but i kept waiting for the FMC to show some personality … a dark sense of humour / sarcasm / anything at all to make her not so cliche and to validate why anyone would want to hang out with her…

and for someone who had survived so many terrible experiences and was also supposedly highly intelligent … she was so ruled by her hormones she had zero self preservation / very little common sense or situational awareness … which to me was weird for someone with her past

i didn’t particularly enjoy having to look up the spanish dialogue … mainly because (for me) it broke the “flow” of reading … so after a while i just didn’t bother …but i guess other readers won’t mind that

on the plus side … it is well written and the writer is clearly talented … so it’s just a shame (for me) that i didn’t like the FMC

[Evelyn Jane Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was intense, emotional, insane, mysterious, heartbreaking, mind blowing and it had me hooked from the very first page. I loved Evelyn so much because she was a very interesting character with a complex and mysterious background. There were some very interesting characters in this book including Celeste and Taylor who were two of my favourite.

My mind was continuously blown throughout this story especially with each new piece of Evelyn’s past which felt like a puzzle that I was trying to put together. There are so many secrets, twists and turns which made the story not only very interesting but also unpredictable in my opinion.
I can’t wait for the next book especially after that explosive ending.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

[Tia Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection

I must admit there are certain dark romance themes I avoid reading for my own emotional health. Truthfully, I have wanted to read this story for awhile now, especially since the excerpt I read was so well written, but I also knew that the amazing talent of this author to paint pictures with words was going bring me into a world I wasn’t ready to explore yet. So, after finally feeling strong enough to delve into this dark universe of college and crime, here I am today. The beautiful story was exquisitely written, and might be one of the best offerings I’ve read to date in the Bu11y Romance genre. I cannot recommend this read enough. If I could give it ten stars, I would. Be sure to read the triggers before purchase.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasantly shocked by this one! I was all the way drawn into Evie’s story. Return is dark and twisted. There is a lot to unpack while reading this one - Evie has not had an easy life and it seems like no matter how hard she tries, it always falls apart.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For starters, I wanted to just wrap Evie up in a big hug. This girl is the epitome of strength and perseverance. She is dealt a horrible hand and somehow turns it around and gets into a great college.

The guys are awful…like I only semi like Micah and he’s still pretty bad. There’s got to be a huge redemption arc before I can get past their crap. Anyways - Micah is the only one who seems to feel bad about everything. He’s also the only piecing together that they weren’t given all the facts. Elijah and Caleb can go fly a kite though. I’ve got nothing nice to say here.

Overall - read the trigger warning. There are very dark topics here. All that aside, I knew what I was getting into, but I was not ready for the strong dislike of her harem. My little black heart hurts for her. At least there’s two more books that can give them an opportunity for redemption.