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Nerds vs Jocks #3
Head to Head
If these two don't kill each other, they might fall in love.
Rand hates Jax because he’s the laid-back, vegan-eating, tree-hugging, total-Zen-until-I-get-a-chance-to-screw-you president of Sigma Mu Tau, the nerdy fraternity that’s the sworn enemy of Rand’s house, Alpha Lambda Alpha. What a phony!
Jax hates Rand for being the privileged, rich-heir-to-an-oil-empire, environment-destroying, soul-sucking president of the ALA jocks—but mostly because Rand hated him first. Rand has sent nothing but hateful vibes his way since the day they met. What a douche!
The enemies have never had a single conversation that didn’t involve shouting—until Jax’s old Buick breaks down on a road trip and Rand plays reluctant rescuer. Jax is forced to sit on Rand’s dead cow seats. Rand learns chickens can enter the living room and that Jax’s beliefs are more than skin-deep. The bitter rivals embark on a quest to save a family member and discover that sometimes animosity is a mask for crazy-hot attraction. With this much face time, head-to-head might become heart-to-heart.
HEAD TO HEAD is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract, searching for his sister, clashing cultures, MM romance—with a whole lot of fracking.
Rand hates Jax because he’s the laid-back, vegan-eating, tree-hugging, total-Zen-until-I-get-a-chance-to-screw-you president of Sigma Mu Tau, the nerdy fraternity that’s the sworn enemy of Rand’s house, Alpha Lambda Alpha. What a phony!
Jax hates Rand for being the privileged, rich-heir-to-an-oil-empire, environment-destroying, soul-sucking president of the ALA jocks—but mostly because Rand hated him first. Rand has sent nothing but hateful vibes his way since the day they met. What a douche!
The enemies have never had a single conversation that didn’t involve shouting—until Jax’s old Buick breaks down on a road trip and Rand plays reluctant rescuer. Jax is forced to sit on Rand’s dead cow seats. Rand learns chickens can enter the living room and that Jax’s beliefs are more than skin-deep. The bitter rivals embark on a quest to save a family member and discover that sometimes animosity is a mask for crazy-hot attraction. With this much face time, head-to-head might become heart-to-heart.
HEAD TO HEAD is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract, searching for his sister, clashing cultures, MM romance—with a whole lot of fracking.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2021
About the author
Eli Easton
76 books2,657 followersHaving been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
September 13, 2021
~4.5~
Head to Head is the last, and in my opinion BEST, book in the Nerds vs. Jocks series. Despite not gravitating toward stories about college boys, I really enjoyed this three-part collaboration by Eli Easton and Tara Lain.
The animosity between Jax, super smart hipster dude and leader of the Nerds, and Rand, rich and handsome all American golden boy and leader of the Jocks, is legendary, and we see it in full-screen technicolor in the two previous books.
Jax and Rand are REAL enemies; they’ve hated each other for years, and no one knows why (including Jax and Rand).
An impromptu roadtrip leads to Rand realizing why he's never given Jax a chance, and the men call a temporary truce. And when I say “truce,” I mean they get busy living their best life, in and out of the bedroom.
It turns out that although the men are definitely opposites in some ways (Rand is serious and intense, while Jax is chill and goes with the flow), they also see eye to eye on many things: They both care about the environment. They like the same music. They love their friends and family.
Supposedly, there is no fury greater than love to hatred turned, but that must be true in reverse too because once Jax and Rand put the arguments and snark on hold, it's easy for them to connect on all levels.
In some ways, this is an Insta Love story, but the attraction between the men has been simmering for a long time. I didn't mind how quickly they dove into a relationship because they fit together so well.
The main conflict in the story is Rand's dad, an oil tycoon, putting pressure on him to fit a certain mold. Rand doesn't want to get a MBA or go to Columbia University. He doesn't want to date a senator's son and live in New York. He wants to focus on environmental studies and be with Jax. He wants to know what happened to his sister. But his dad weaves a spell around Rand, making Rand promises he never intends to keep.
This is as much a story about Rand taking control of his own life and finally standing up to his charismatic, controlling father as it is a story of two sworn enemies falling in love.
This book doesn't focus as much on frat houses and college shenanigans. Instead, we visit with Jax's amazing family (I want Jax's parents to adopt me, just sayin'), then follow Rand to New York and Jax to Peru. Yes, there is a separation and a near-breakup, but no manufactured drama at all. The HEA ending brings all three books full circle and has all the feels.
I felt warm and gooey inside when I finished this book and am going to miss all six of the MCs so much.
Head to Head is the last, and in my opinion BEST, book in the Nerds vs. Jocks series. Despite not gravitating toward stories about college boys, I really enjoyed this three-part collaboration by Eli Easton and Tara Lain.
The animosity between Jax, super smart hipster dude and leader of the Nerds, and Rand, rich and handsome all American golden boy and leader of the Jocks, is legendary, and we see it in full-screen technicolor in the two previous books.
Jax and Rand are REAL enemies; they’ve hated each other for years, and no one knows why (including Jax and Rand).
An impromptu roadtrip leads to Rand realizing why he's never given Jax a chance, and the men call a temporary truce. And when I say “truce,” I mean they get busy living their best life, in and out of the bedroom.
It turns out that although the men are definitely opposites in some ways (Rand is serious and intense, while Jax is chill and goes with the flow), they also see eye to eye on many things: They both care about the environment. They like the same music. They love their friends and family.
Supposedly, there is no fury greater than love to hatred turned, but that must be true in reverse too because once Jax and Rand put the arguments and snark on hold, it's easy for them to connect on all levels.
In some ways, this is an Insta Love story, but the attraction between the men has been simmering for a long time. I didn't mind how quickly they dove into a relationship because they fit together so well.
The main conflict in the story is Rand's dad, an oil tycoon, putting pressure on him to fit a certain mold. Rand doesn't want to get a MBA or go to Columbia University. He doesn't want to date a senator's son and live in New York. He wants to focus on environmental studies and be with Jax. He wants to know what happened to his sister. But his dad weaves a spell around Rand, making Rand promises he never intends to keep.
This is as much a story about Rand taking control of his own life and finally standing up to his charismatic, controlling father as it is a story of two sworn enemies falling in love.
This book doesn't focus as much on frat houses and college shenanigans. Instead, we visit with Jax's amazing family (I want Jax's parents to adopt me, just sayin'), then follow Rand to New York and Jax to Peru. Yes, there is a separation and a near-breakup, but no manufactured drama at all. The HEA ending brings all three books full circle and has all the feels.
I felt warm and gooey inside when I finished this book and am going to miss all six of the MCs so much.
November 4, 2021
4.5 Stars
I'll be honest up-front and admit I wasn’t as enthusiastic going into book three as I was about the first two books in this series. Maybe because the enemies-status between frat house presidents, Jax and Rand, was a bit confusing to me in earlier books? I don't know. But, oh boy, am I glad to have finally read their story (after months of dilly dallying on my part). All the preconceived ideas I had about these two went flying out the window when push came to shove, and before long, Jax and Rand were burrowing their way deep into my heart, as well as each other’s.
It was great being back with all the jocks and nerds from previous stories, but I found myself appreciating the change of scenery here, as most of the story takes place off-campus during Jax and Rand’s unforeseen shared road trip, in their lead up to graduation. During their time on road, and later spent with each other’s families, Jax and Rand found themselves shedding light on some serious false conceptions they each had formed, subsequently ending their year’s long feud and allowing them to see the other for who they truly were and what they truly stood for, making it all too easy for them to fall in love in the process.
It was a good set-up and it played out expertly. The whole thing resembled the classic “forced proximity” trope, which I’m always fond of when explored well, as it was here. The dual-perspective especially helped to make Jax and Rand’s transition from enemies-to-lovers so easy and genuine. Their relationship, in all its forms, was grounded and engaging—to the point that I’d consider Jax and Rand the strongest pairing of the series yet, much to my surprise and delight.
Beyond the romance, there was a fair bit of family drama attached to this story, even more so than in previous installments, but mostly in a good way. I found myself fairly engrossed with the dynamics Jax and Rand shared with their families, particularly their parents, which played a HUGE role in what shaped each of them as young men, both driven and impassioned in their own ways.
Rand’s father was a manipulator of epic proportions, which drove a lot of the secondary plot forward, for good and bad, and I’m honestly not sure if I felt truly satisfied with how their father/son relationship left-off at the conclusion of the story. On the plus side, though, Jax and his relationship with his awesome parents, as well as his wonderful siblings, well and truly made up for any shortcomings I felt in the story due to Rand’s daddy drama.
Overall, this was a great addition to the series—possibly even the best addition, if I didn’t so ardently adore Bubba of book two—as Jax and Rand exceeded all expectations. Their story was emotionally charged, but also super sweet and steamy, in all the right ways.
This new adult, opposites-attract series, is proving to be one of my personal favourites when it comes to new M/M series of 2021, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in book four (Betting on His BF).
I'll be honest up-front and admit I wasn’t as enthusiastic going into book three as I was about the first two books in this series. Maybe because the enemies-status between frat house presidents, Jax and Rand, was a bit confusing to me in earlier books? I don't know. But, oh boy, am I glad to have finally read their story (after months of dilly dallying on my part). All the preconceived ideas I had about these two went flying out the window when push came to shove, and before long, Jax and Rand were burrowing their way deep into my heart, as well as each other’s.
It was great being back with all the jocks and nerds from previous stories, but I found myself appreciating the change of scenery here, as most of the story takes place off-campus during Jax and Rand’s unforeseen shared road trip, in their lead up to graduation. During their time on road, and later spent with each other’s families, Jax and Rand found themselves shedding light on some serious false conceptions they each had formed, subsequently ending their year’s long feud and allowing them to see the other for who they truly were and what they truly stood for, making it all too easy for them to fall in love in the process.
It was a good set-up and it played out expertly. The whole thing resembled the classic “forced proximity” trope, which I’m always fond of when explored well, as it was here. The dual-perspective especially helped to make Jax and Rand’s transition from enemies-to-lovers so easy and genuine. Their relationship, in all its forms, was grounded and engaging—to the point that I’d consider Jax and Rand the strongest pairing of the series yet, much to my surprise and delight.
Beyond the romance, there was a fair bit of family drama attached to this story, even more so than in previous installments, but mostly in a good way. I found myself fairly engrossed with the dynamics Jax and Rand shared with their families, particularly their parents, which played a HUGE role in what shaped each of them as young men, both driven and impassioned in their own ways.
Rand’s father was a manipulator of epic proportions, which drove a lot of the secondary plot forward, for good and bad, and I’m honestly not sure if I felt truly satisfied with how their father/son relationship left-off at the conclusion of the story. On the plus side, though, Jax and his relationship with his awesome parents, as well as his wonderful siblings, well and truly made up for any shortcomings I felt in the story due to Rand’s daddy drama.
Overall, this was a great addition to the series—possibly even the best addition, if I didn’t so ardently adore Bubba of book two—as Jax and Rand exceeded all expectations. Their story was emotionally charged, but also super sweet and steamy, in all the right ways.
This new adult, opposites-attract series, is proving to be one of my personal favourites when it comes to new M/M series of 2021, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in book four (Betting on His BF).
Shelved as 'maybe'
March 17, 2021BLURB & COVER (already live on Amazon pre-order page):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
If these two don't kill each other, they might fall in love.
Rand hates Jax because he’s the laid-back, vegan-eating, tree-hugging, total-Zen-until-I-get-a-chance-to-screw-you president of Sigma Mu Tau, the nerdy fraternity that’s the sworn enemy of Rand’s house, Alpha Lambda Alpha. What a phony!
Jax hates Rand for being the privileged, rich-heir-to-an-oil-empire, environment-destroying, soul-sucking president of the ALA jocks—but mostly because Rand hated him first. Rand has sent nothing but hateful vibes his way since the day they met. What a douche!
The enemies have never had a single conversation that didn’t involve shouting—until Jax’s old Buick breaks down on a road trip and Rand plays reluctant rescuer. Jax is forced to sit on Rand’s dead cow seats. Rand learns chickens can enter the living room and that Jax’s beliefs are more than skin-deep. The bitter rivals embark on a quest to save a family member and discover that sometimes animosity is a mask for crazy-hot attraction. With this much face time, head-to-head might become heart-to-heart.
HEAD TO HEAD is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract, searching for his sister, clashing cultures, MM romance—with a whole lot of fracking.
May 30, 2021
“Do we have to go to Omaha? Can’t we just stay in this suite forever? They’ll find our sex-depleted bodies withered on the bed sometime in the future, and everyone will say what a way to go.”
This is basically how you feel reading this story. You just want to ignore all logic, and enjoy it without a care in the world.
The enemies part of the relationship fizzled out pretty fast, so I thought it would bore me, but it didn't. It felt a little instalove, but even if it was I didn't mind it, especially since we have the build up of their years-long animosity. There was a bit of a mishmash of themes, and there was the whole soap opera-ish Jax's doppelganger/Rand's sister thing, but it's also the most serious story so far. The awful parents theme is back, and it's dialed up all the way.
BUT, every time, every single time I thought this was okay, but nothing special, they would win me over. Whether it's the reveal after their (HOT) first time, or Jax imagining their future together, od something like that, I was just like - Dammit, they got me!
"I was dozing off when Rand said, “I wonder if, when I met Jason and felt for him the way I did… I wonder if that was really about him? Or if some part of me thought it was you who’d arrived.”
I know, okay? I know it's cheesy.
It's probably ridiculous and a melodramatic way to explain away any cognitive dissonance about the similarity between Jax and Rand's ex. But it's also beautiful, and my little telenovela-loving heart fell for it hook line and sinker.
I think it's the strongest one in the series. When I think about it, it reminds me a little of Balls to the Wall series. Sweet, hot, enjoyable, dramatic, but sincere. I enjoyed those books a lot, which is probably the reason I liked this so much. Another reason is definitely the writing. There's a lot going on here, but the prose is very good, and the pacing is excellent. There's a very good balance between these OTT moments and their relationship, so it never drags, and even when something seems too much, you just keep reading because you want more.
Simply leave all your expectations at the door, and I think you'll enjoy this a lot.
*I have received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and I am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review*
May 27, 2021
3.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well babes, I'm actually at a loss on what to say about this installment. I didn't dislike it per se, but it feels like it's in another stratosphere from the series. Where books 1 and 2 are mostly OTT, horny, college shenanigans this is...well not that. It feels very serious™ in comparison. It also feels like I read 3 different books in one, but let me backtrack a bit.
The story follows SMT and ALA Fraternity President's Jax and Rand, aka sworn enemies, aka heated rivals, aka arch nemesis, etc. etc. The reason why they hate each other is actually so dumb that I'm choosing to ignore it because it would require too much not thinking on my part. Well they move past the hate portion relatively easily and dive into schmoopy city. Not a complaint necessarily, just not at all what I was expecting. Then the book goes through a series of events so varied that looking back I'm surprised they managed to cram it all in there. The frats are barely in it as the story starts 2 weeks prior to college graduation, so the large majority of the book is family/drama/family drama post-grad. Also, in one of my updates I mused that around the halfway mark if felt like the book could've wrapped up, and I maintain that but another like 3 storylines were included after that so... 🤷🏻♀️
Like I said I didn't dislike it, but it felt very different from the previous books which I was not expecting. This series is meant to be consumed as mindless fun, so keep that thought when picking this up 😌
Well babes, I'm actually at a loss on what to say about this installment. I didn't dislike it per se, but it feels like it's in another stratosphere from the series. Where books 1 and 2 are mostly OTT, horny, college shenanigans this is...well not that. It feels very serious™ in comparison. It also feels like I read 3 different books in one, but let me backtrack a bit.
The story follows SMT and ALA Fraternity President's Jax and Rand, aka sworn enemies, aka heated rivals, aka arch nemesis, etc. etc. The reason why they hate each other is actually so dumb that I'm choosing to ignore it because it would require too much not thinking on my part. Well they move past the hate portion relatively easily and dive into schmoopy city. Not a complaint necessarily, just not at all what I was expecting. Then the book goes through a series of events so varied that looking back I'm surprised they managed to cram it all in there. The frats are barely in it as the story starts 2 weeks prior to college graduation, so the large majority of the book is family/drama/family drama post-grad. Also, in one of my updates I mused that around the halfway mark if felt like the book could've wrapped up, and I maintain that but another like 3 storylines were included after that so... 🤷🏻♀️
Like I said I didn't dislike it, but it felt very different from the previous books which I was not expecting. This series is meant to be consumed as mindless fun, so keep that thought when picking this up 😌
May 28, 2021
this was a surprising read. i was hesitant at first bcos a lot of the reviews i had read were very polarising. so when that happens, i tend to lower my expectations and go in tentatively. and in the beginning, i will admit, i wasn’t fully enjoying myself. i was skeptical and neither Jax nor Rand were endearing to me. it wasn’t until they had a civil conversation when Rand rescues Jax that this really picked up for me.
neither Rand or Jax were what i was expecting. they were even better than id imagined. i expected Rand to be an obnoxious jerk, tbh, while i thought Jax would be kind of intellectually pretentious— you know those people who think they’re above you bcos they’re smarter types? *shudders* (i went to a uni where everyone was like that... so initially i was expecting some war flashbacks to that truly brutal era of my life). but thank god neither one were like i imagined (keeping all of my ptsd at bay). Rand had a soft vulnerability that i didn’t expect. he was thoughtful, kind, and lonely, the latter being something i hadn’t anticipated. again, i assumed he was just going to be a shallow jerk with a rich daddy. but hey, what’s the saying about not judging a book by its cover?
and Jax. he was a lot funnier and light-hearted than i expected. i thought he’d take himself too seriously and stifle the plot. but he was an outgoing jokester type with a severe protective streak. the scenes with his siblings were really fun and beautiful to read. same with Rand and his sister. it was sweet, vulnerable and a whole lot of fun!
and i seriously found myself rooting for them. they were more compatible than i expected. Jax brought out a playful, spontaneous and loving side of Rand that was just waiting to bloom under the right kind of love. the scene in the hotel when they’re dancing around the suite to some old jazz songs was seriously cute and made me smile. and the scene where all their friends find out about them being together truly made me laugh out loud.
i do have my qualms tho, unfortunately. they had me debating giving this 3.5 stars. but clearly, i decided against that.
the enemies segment of the novel didn’t last as long as id hoped. like these two had fucking loathed each other for a solid three years straight. no one in the frats quite had a rivalry like Jax and Rand. so, i expected them to be enemies for longer than a few chapters :/// that simmering hatred turns to tentative and soft friendship pretty quickly after their first true one-on-one encounter (not with any of the other frat guys around). it was cute, don’t get me wrong. but i wanted more of ‘i-fucking-hate-everything-about-you’ rather than ‘oh-you’re-not-so-bad-after-one-human-conversation’, you know? Jesse and Dobbs had a similar type of transition in book one, but it worked for them since they were more cautious rivals than ‘i-fucking-hate-you’ enemies, lmao.
i was also expecting a deep-rooted reason for their rivalry. like some sordid history that has made them loathe one another ever since... and it was low-key the stupidest thing ever. it was pretty vapid, honestly. the whole Jason-Jax situation was so far fetched and bizarre. literally, the authors could have used anything but that as the catalyst for Rand’s dislike of Jax, and i wouldn’t have minded. it was just too much and not enough at the same time.
so when their declaration of dating comes along, that, too, felt slightly rushed. i assumed they had more to figure out. more hesitancy and shyness, considering they spent so long (unfoundedly) hating each other. i was expecting a bit more angst and uncertainty. but there really wasn’t any. but, i will say, it allowed for them to truly navigate what a realistic relationship is like after college/university. when your lives are going in different directions and how to handle your relationship with all they external consequences in mind. was it frustrating and at times a lil boring? yes. for sure. but i appreciated that the authors didn’t give them the easy, cookie-cutter, happily ever after.
one thing that grated on me was the shadow of Rand’s father over the whole story. it was always a point of contention between Rand and Jax, and Rand started to frustrate me when he spent so long defending his father. even after finding out about the incident with his sister, Peyton. i wanted to shake him several times at how blind he was. it dimmed my enjoyment a bit— like most ridiculous family drama in my romances tend to do. Fremont, too, was another character who’s shadow was cast over the romance. and i found him unnecessary. like wasn’t Rand’s dad enough. i did find myself skimming some of it since it irked me so much.
but, ultimately, i could somewhat overlook those qualms bcos i really liked Jax and Rand together. this would be a full five stars just for the romance. but the other things i mentioned prevented me from doing so.
also, side note, that literally has nothing to do with the actual plot but it’s making me antsy. Jax says that words that are pronounced the same but spelt differently (like whole/hole, mail/male, there/their) are called homonyms. is that an American thing? bcos I have always called them homophones and my life feels like a lie.
neither Rand or Jax were what i was expecting. they were even better than id imagined. i expected Rand to be an obnoxious jerk, tbh, while i thought Jax would be kind of intellectually pretentious— you know those people who think they’re above you bcos they’re smarter types? *shudders* (i went to a uni where everyone was like that... so initially i was expecting some war flashbacks to that truly brutal era of my life). but thank god neither one were like i imagined (keeping all of my ptsd at bay). Rand had a soft vulnerability that i didn’t expect. he was thoughtful, kind, and lonely, the latter being something i hadn’t anticipated. again, i assumed he was just going to be a shallow jerk with a rich daddy. but hey, what’s the saying about not judging a book by its cover?
and Jax. he was a lot funnier and light-hearted than i expected. i thought he’d take himself too seriously and stifle the plot. but he was an outgoing jokester type with a severe protective streak. the scenes with his siblings were really fun and beautiful to read. same with Rand and his sister. it was sweet, vulnerable and a whole lot of fun!
and i seriously found myself rooting for them. they were more compatible than i expected. Jax brought out a playful, spontaneous and loving side of Rand that was just waiting to bloom under the right kind of love. the scene in the hotel when they’re dancing around the suite to some old jazz songs was seriously cute and made me smile. and the scene where all their friends find out about them being together truly made me laugh out loud.
i do have my qualms tho, unfortunately. they had me debating giving this 3.5 stars. but clearly, i decided against that.
the enemies segment of the novel didn’t last as long as id hoped. like these two had fucking loathed each other for a solid three years straight. no one in the frats quite had a rivalry like Jax and Rand. so, i expected them to be enemies for longer than a few chapters :/// that simmering hatred turns to tentative and soft friendship pretty quickly after their first true one-on-one encounter (not with any of the other frat guys around). it was cute, don’t get me wrong. but i wanted more of ‘i-fucking-hate-everything-about-you’ rather than ‘oh-you’re-not-so-bad-after-one-human-conversation’, you know? Jesse and Dobbs had a similar type of transition in book one, but it worked for them since they were more cautious rivals than ‘i-fucking-hate-you’ enemies, lmao.
i was also expecting a deep-rooted reason for their rivalry. like some sordid history that has made them loathe one another ever since... and it was low-key the stupidest thing ever. it was pretty vapid, honestly. the whole Jason-Jax situation was so far fetched and bizarre. literally, the authors could have used anything but that as the catalyst for Rand’s dislike of Jax, and i wouldn’t have minded. it was just too much and not enough at the same time.
so when their declaration of dating comes along, that, too, felt slightly rushed. i assumed they had more to figure out. more hesitancy and shyness, considering they spent so long (unfoundedly) hating each other. i was expecting a bit more angst and uncertainty. but there really wasn’t any. but, i will say, it allowed for them to truly navigate what a realistic relationship is like after college/university. when your lives are going in different directions and how to handle your relationship with all they external consequences in mind. was it frustrating and at times a lil boring? yes. for sure. but i appreciated that the authors didn’t give them the easy, cookie-cutter, happily ever after.
one thing that grated on me was the shadow of Rand’s father over the whole story. it was always a point of contention between Rand and Jax, and Rand started to frustrate me when he spent so long defending his father. even after finding out about the incident with his sister, Peyton. i wanted to shake him several times at how blind he was. it dimmed my enjoyment a bit— like most ridiculous family drama in my romances tend to do. Fremont, too, was another character who’s shadow was cast over the romance. and i found him unnecessary. like wasn’t Rand’s dad enough. i did find myself skimming some of it since it irked me so much.
but, ultimately, i could somewhat overlook those qualms bcos i really liked Jax and Rand together. this would be a full five stars just for the romance. but the other things i mentioned prevented me from doing so.
also, side note, that literally has nothing to do with the actual plot but it’s making me antsy. Jax says that words that are pronounced the same but spelt differently (like whole/hole, mail/male, there/their) are called homonyms. is that an American thing? bcos I have always called them homophones and my life feels like a lie.
May 29, 2021
I loved this three book series as a whole and I was really looking forward to Jax and Rand’s story, but it just fell a bit short for me, maybe because it was set outside of the college environment? Not sure really. Either way, it was good, but just not the best of the three.
May 28, 2021
A Generous 3 Stars 😕😜😕
What a hot mess...if you thought watching these two fight it out in other books was fun, that's the only enjoyment you will get. Honestly, I started out liking the book, but my opinion tanked as the chapters passed.
There is so much drama happening that its hard to find the romance. I had to double check to make sure it was supposed to be a romance story.
Rand is a confused doormat. He gets talked into so much by his father that he needs others(his aunt, Peyton, Jax, Jax's Dad) to point out what Rand actually wants in life. The issue of his attraction to Jason/Max was so bungled I can't get why it wasn't cut out. How did he gets to be president of a Frat with that much indecision is beyond me.
Jax was a decent character. He's got some odd moments but has ideals are solid until the every end when he leaves his post grad scholarship to be with Rand?...Really?
Brand's dad is a used car/snakeoil salesman of a guy. Highly manipulative with the most backassward 19th century ideals of male/ female relationships. But sure, take his money & all the strings that go with it. Trot little Randy around the SOB to get his hooks into the next generation.
Bottom line: No. No,No,No...
What a hot mess...if you thought watching these two fight it out in other books was fun, that's the only enjoyment you will get. Honestly, I started out liking the book, but my opinion tanked as the chapters passed.
There is so much drama happening that its hard to find the romance. I had to double check to make sure it was supposed to be a romance story.
Rand is a confused doormat. He gets talked into so much by his father that he needs others(his aunt, Peyton, Jax, Jax's Dad) to point out what Rand actually wants in life. The issue of his attraction to Jason/Max was so bungled I can't get why it wasn't cut out. How did he gets to be president of a Frat with that much indecision is beyond me.
Jax was a decent character. He's got some odd moments but has ideals are solid until the every end when he leaves his post grad scholarship to be with Rand?...Really?
Brand's dad is a used car/snakeoil salesman of a guy. Highly manipulative with the most backassward 19th century ideals of male/ female relationships. But sure, take his money & all the strings that go with it. Trot little Randy around the SOB to get his hooks into the next generation.
Bottom line: No. No,No,No...
August 6, 2021
I can't understand why someone rates books that haven't even come out yet. So that's why I'm temporarily giving this book five stars to balance this unfair rating. I will change it after I devour it.
***
Yup. Read it. Love it. :)
***
Yup. Read it. Love it. :)
June 27, 2021
3.5 stars. Ugh, Rand hates Jax Johnson, President of the Sigma Mu Taus aka the Poindexters.
And Jax hates him right back.
Driving home Rand finds Jax along the road with a broken car. He offers him a ride.
The ride ends it so much more. Beings close together and know the other real personality they start something. Only Rands life is complicated.
Rand gets manipulated by Fre, his boyfriend not boyfriend, the senator‘s son, by his father and the firm.
To get free of all the shackles Rand almost loses the love of his life.
So, the enemies to lovers theme was sadly enough quite short, it’s my favorite genre so it was a bit disappointing. I had trouble with Rand and how he acted around his father, how he let him manipulate him over and over again. It got awfully on my nerves. Rand in the claws of his dad and even others.
It a nice story, there are many opposites, but in the end, it turned out okay.
A friendly, decently written story, entertaining and lovely. Besides my irritation I enjoyed it.
And Jax hates him right back.
Driving home Rand finds Jax along the road with a broken car. He offers him a ride.
The ride ends it so much more. Beings close together and know the other real personality they start something. Only Rands life is complicated.
Rand gets manipulated by Fre, his boyfriend not boyfriend, the senator‘s son, by his father and the firm.
To get free of all the shackles Rand almost loses the love of his life.
So, the enemies to lovers theme was sadly enough quite short, it’s my favorite genre so it was a bit disappointing. I had trouble with Rand and how he acted around his father, how he let him manipulate him over and over again. It got awfully on my nerves. Rand in the claws of his dad and even others.
It a nice story, there are many opposites, but in the end, it turned out okay.
A friendly, decently written story, entertaining and lovely. Besides my irritation I enjoyed it.
May 25, 2021
⭐ 5 "BETTER TOGETHER" STARS ⭐
We’ve been building up to Rand and Jax’s story over the course of two books now and I think readers will be surprised by how their story plays out! The glimpses we’ve gotten showed two people who couldn’t stand each other. Their every interaction was filled with tension and always resulted in verbal blows being delivered from both sides.These two were interesting from the get go and I had a theory that there was a shared past between Rand and Jax. That level of animosity couldn't be just because of the rivalry between their two frat houses. And I was kinda right but also very wrong...in the best way!
Because it is indeed about much more than the frats and in this book we go beyond that. We're stepping away from college life and follow Rand and Jax into figuring out what they want from life after school. As luck would have it they land themselves in a forced proximity situation and go on a journey (more of a long car ride really) of self discovery together, unwilling at first but gradually their differences get resolved and it turns out they complement each other so well! We see them grow from getting fired up at the sight of each other to...well they still get fired up but for different reasons 🔥
For two people who were enemies and bitter rivals and couldn't be more opposite on paper, Rand and Jax developed an amazing bond that was healthy, honest and heartfelt. They were ✨communicating✨ (you love to see it). The real danger and problems came from outside their relationship. External factors were testing them and putting pressure on a newfound connection. But in the end Rand and Jax are simply better together ❤
“(..) maybe that proved that we belonged together, that we did better together than apart, and that together we could beat any odds.”
One of the best things about this book, and the previous two too, were the new side characters. They made the story extra fun and interesting. If I had to add a critical note I’d say there were a couple of side characters that I expected would play a bigger role and I wanted to see more of them. Though that’s a sign of a well written fictional world!
When the characters from the previous books did show up it felt like seeing old friends again. So saying goodbye to this world of flag football, quiz bowls and rivalries is bittersweet. Reading the epilogue gave me the same feeling as watching the series finale of my favorite show 🥺 I'm going to miss this lovely group of people!
“Every moment since we went head-to-head, my life has been a wild, unexpected adventure.”
We’ve been building up to Rand and Jax’s story over the course of two books now and I think readers will be surprised by how their story plays out! The glimpses we’ve gotten showed two people who couldn’t stand each other. Their every interaction was filled with tension and always resulted in verbal blows being delivered from both sides.These two were interesting from the get go and I had a theory that there was a shared past between Rand and Jax. That level of animosity couldn't be just because of the rivalry between their two frat houses. And I was kinda right but also very wrong...in the best way!
Because it is indeed about much more than the frats and in this book we go beyond that. We're stepping away from college life and follow Rand and Jax into figuring out what they want from life after school. As luck would have it they land themselves in a forced proximity situation and go on a journey (more of a long car ride really) of self discovery together, unwilling at first but gradually their differences get resolved and it turns out they complement each other so well! We see them grow from getting fired up at the sight of each other to...well they still get fired up but for different reasons 🔥
For two people who were enemies and bitter rivals and couldn't be more opposite on paper, Rand and Jax developed an amazing bond that was healthy, honest and heartfelt. They were ✨communicating✨ (you love to see it). The real danger and problems came from outside their relationship. External factors were testing them and putting pressure on a newfound connection. But in the end Rand and Jax are simply better together ❤
“(..) maybe that proved that we belonged together, that we did better together than apart, and that together we could beat any odds.”
One of the best things about this book, and the previous two too, were the new side characters. They made the story extra fun and interesting. If I had to add a critical note I’d say there were a couple of side characters that I expected would play a bigger role and I wanted to see more of them. Though that’s a sign of a well written fictional world!
When the characters from the previous books did show up it felt like seeing old friends again. So saying goodbye to this world of flag football, quiz bowls and rivalries is bittersweet. Reading the epilogue gave me the same feeling as watching the series finale of my favorite show 🥺 I'm going to miss this lovely group of people!
“Every moment since we went head-to-head, my life has been a wild, unexpected adventure.”
June 2, 2021
Cute, sweet, and exactly what I expected and wanted from this adorable series.
I will admit, this book was 3 stars (or less) for almost the whole first quarter. I almost stopped reading I was so disappointed. As soon as Jax and Rand got to Jax’s parents house everything changed. It was like I was reading a different book. The rest of the book more than makes up for the slow beginning.
This series had some genuinely good people as MCs and that’s exactly how I’d describe Jax and Rand. They were good, genuine, and earnest. They both had strong beliefs and were surprisingly similar. Jax was a level-headed middle child with good instincts. Rand was passionate but naive from years of being gaslit by someone important to him. Somehow they worked and I felt their chemistry.
I really liked the family intrigue and drama in this book. It helped showcase personalities and character growth while also being entertaining. It was also annoying and frustrating as hell at times, but it did help drive the story and kept me reading. I did hate that there was a boyfriend involved. It was handled better than I thought it would be, especially when you realize there is no emotional attachment.
I loved loved loved seeing other characters from the previous books and getting a taste of everyone’s HEA in the epilogue. Such a good epilogue for this book and series! All of the slightly insta love, wholesome feelings, and satisfying resolutions made this book ultimately enjoyable for me.
I will admit, this book was 3 stars (or less) for almost the whole first quarter. I almost stopped reading I was so disappointed. As soon as Jax and Rand got to Jax’s parents house everything changed. It was like I was reading a different book. The rest of the book more than makes up for the slow beginning.
This series had some genuinely good people as MCs and that’s exactly how I’d describe Jax and Rand. They were good, genuine, and earnest. They both had strong beliefs and were surprisingly similar. Jax was a level-headed middle child with good instincts. Rand was passionate but naive from years of being gaslit by someone important to him. Somehow they worked and I felt their chemistry.
I really liked the family intrigue and drama in this book. It helped showcase personalities and character growth while also being entertaining. It was also annoying and frustrating as hell at times, but it did help drive the story and kept me reading. I did hate that there was a boyfriend involved. It was handled better than I thought it would be, especially when you realize there is no emotional attachment.
I loved loved loved seeing other characters from the previous books and getting a taste of everyone’s HEA in the epilogue. Such a good epilogue for this book and series! All of the slightly insta love, wholesome feelings, and satisfying resolutions made this book ultimately enjoyable for me.
May 27, 2021
I really liked the first two books in this series but found this one to be frustrating and confusing. I realize my opinion is an outlier, but Rand's character simply didn't make sense. How could Rand not realize Jax looked like Jason? His father and sister picked it up immediately, and Rand had known Jason much longer and dated him. Why would he continue to give his father the benefit of the doubt after the public fiance business or the (insane) sister situation? Why would anyone believe Rand's dad genuinely changed? I didn't understand what Jax saw in Rand, and Jax's character seemed to take a backseat to the soap opera of the Rand family.
Maybe I misinterpreted the situation, but Rand's implied (described?) behavior during undergrad was sort of bizarre too. He was out, a star athlete, gorgeous, and president of a frat, but he didn't date or fool around bc he had a 30 year old boyfriend that he 1. wasn't really interested in 2. rarely saw and 3. wasn't exclusive with? What? Fre wouldn't give him five minutes after the fiance bomb; you know he wasn't celibate...
Despite my issues with Head to Head, I usually enjoy Eli Easton's work and would continue reading future installments of this series if they decide to write them. PJ in Vegas would be great!
Maybe I misinterpreted the situation, but Rand's implied (described?) behavior during undergrad was sort of bizarre too. He was out, a star athlete, gorgeous, and president of a frat, but he didn't date or fool around bc he had a 30 year old boyfriend that he 1. wasn't really interested in 2. rarely saw and 3. wasn't exclusive with? What? Fre wouldn't give him five minutes after the fiance bomb; you know he wasn't celibate...
Despite my issues with Head to Head, I usually enjoy Eli Easton's work and would continue reading future installments of this series if they decide to write them. PJ in Vegas would be great!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2021
4.5 stars
Rand and Jax hate each other, so sharing a car seems a really bad idea… or maybe it is not?
Heads of rival frat houses, perfectly-coiffed jock Rand hates beanie-wearing nerd Jax on sight… They’ve been hating each other for years, until an unexpected circumstance forces them to share close quarters. All that hate turns then in an all-consuming passion, but will they be able to fit in each others lives? Or will their choices soon make them drift apart?
The third and last instalment of the Nerds Vs Jocks series did not disappoint. Rand and Jax’s story is a great example of the enemies to lovers trope, but it is something else as well. It is a story about maturing and making choices that will affect your future. Growing up and finding out who you are and who you want to be… and what you must do to get there.
It is greatly written, fast paced, entertaining and sweet. It was great to see the characters of the previous books interacting here, and also to have a glimpse of the future generations learning from their mistakes… or not (LOL).
Really entertaing
I received an ARC and this is my honest review
Rand and Jax hate each other, so sharing a car seems a really bad idea… or maybe it is not?
Heads of rival frat houses, perfectly-coiffed jock Rand hates beanie-wearing nerd Jax on sight… They’ve been hating each other for years, until an unexpected circumstance forces them to share close quarters. All that hate turns then in an all-consuming passion, but will they be able to fit in each others lives? Or will their choices soon make them drift apart?
The third and last instalment of the Nerds Vs Jocks series did not disappoint. Rand and Jax’s story is a great example of the enemies to lovers trope, but it is something else as well. It is a story about maturing and making choices that will affect your future. Growing up and finding out who you are and who you want to be… and what you must do to get there.
It is greatly written, fast paced, entertaining and sweet. It was great to see the characters of the previous books interacting here, and also to have a glimpse of the future generations learning from their mistakes… or not (LOL).
Really entertaing
I received an ARC and this is my honest review
September 10, 2021
I'm probably biased at this point as I have grown to love these SMT and ALA guys. I have been waiting for Jax and Rand's story since the beginning and it doesn't disappoint. The reason they hate each other is a bit ridiculous, but once they reached a truce it was a very heart warming and sweet love story.
Both their family play a big roles in here, with Jax's big loving and boisterous family, while Rand's dad is a manipulative dickhead.
The epilogue is amazing with all 3 couples enjoying their new chapter of their life. It feels like the ultimate finale, so I was surprised there will be a 4th book coming up. I can't wait for PJ and Felix's shenanigans at Vegas. Oh la la.
Both their family play a big roles in here, with Jax's big loving and boisterous family, while Rand's dad is a manipulative dickhead.
The epilogue is amazing with all 3 couples enjoying their new chapter of their life. It feels like the ultimate finale, so I was surprised there will be a 4th book coming up. I can't wait for PJ and Felix's shenanigans at Vegas. Oh la la.
October 4, 2022
4.5 I-want-to-kill-Rand's-father-so-bad stars
This book was a great way to conclude/complete the main intertwined storyline between our three couples. I really liked Rand and Jax! I didn't expect them to be so different than to their primary portrayal in previous installments. What a change, and definitely for the better💕
The frustration towards Rand and his relationship with his dad was actually one of the reasons I loved the book. It showed how you can persistently want to believe in someone's sincerity, even if they proved you wrong before. It was messed up but so well done. On the other hand I could have gone without the ending twist which seemed a bit meh...
This book was a great way to conclude/complete the main intertwined storyline between our three couples. I really liked Rand and Jax! I didn't expect them to be so different than to their primary portrayal in previous installments. What a change, and definitely for the better💕
The frustration towards Rand and his relationship with his dad was actually one of the reasons I loved the book. It showed how you can persistently want to believe in someone's sincerity, even if they proved you wrong before. It was messed up but so well done. On the other hand I could have gone without the ending twist which seemed a bit meh...
July 14, 2021
It's Eli Easton, it's enemies-to-lovers, it's a jock and a nerd - of course it's on my wishlist! Even if the vegan and tree hugging is a tough one for me, and I really don't see how the heir of an oil company can get into a partnership with a environmental radical. Let's see! :-)
:
:
:
:
Long time later:
Gosh, I should have reviewed right after reading. I would give it a polite 3 star. I just have a problem with the vegan/oil barons son trope, change of heart from daddy, ... I don't know. Maybe a 3+ star, thinking about it ...
On a side note: Tara Lain and her typical awkward sex scenes at their best, and when did Eli start having her protagonists "bark"? I am afraid Tara is contagious?
:
:
:
:
Long time later:
Gosh, I should have reviewed right after reading. I would give it a polite 3 star. I just have a problem with the vegan/oil barons son trope, change of heart from daddy, ... I don't know. Maybe a 3+ star, thinking about it ...
On a side note: Tara Lain and her typical awkward sex scenes at their best, and when did Eli start having her protagonists "bark"? I am afraid Tara is contagious?
April 26, 2023
E anche il 3 volume della serie è stato veramente carino, divertente e che le apparenze possono essere sbagliate.
I nostri 2 Presidenti delle Confraternite
Rand Charles - Alpha Lambda Alpha,
& Jax Johnson - Sigma Mu Tau, sono agli ultimi mesi dalla fine del college.
Tra Rand e Jax una rivalità che porterà a confrontarsi, a conoscersi, a trovare delle verità nascoste e a diventare adulti.
E poi si sa che i caratteri gli opposti si attraggono...
Anche la scommessa tra "Idioti e sfigati"/ "Nerd contro atleti" si sta per concludersi ed è stata galeotta a far nascere delle coppie.
Consigliato 💖💖💖💖 e aspetto con gioia la prossima uscita del 4 Volume! 🤩
I nostri 2 Presidenti delle Confraternite
Rand Charles - Alpha Lambda Alpha,
& Jax Johnson - Sigma Mu Tau, sono agli ultimi mesi dalla fine del college.
Tra Rand e Jax una rivalità che porterà a confrontarsi, a conoscersi, a trovare delle verità nascoste e a diventare adulti.
E poi si sa che i caratteri gli opposti si attraggono...
Anche la scommessa tra "Idioti e sfigati"/ "Nerd contro atleti" si sta per concludersi ed è stata galeotta a far nascere delle coppie.
Consigliato 💖💖💖💖 e aspetto con gioia la prossima uscita del 4 Volume! 🤩
June 19, 2021
This was my favorite one out if this series. Though I thought that Rand was exhausting from time to time I actually loved the romance.
April 14, 2022
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and I have chosen to leave an honest review.
This is the latest in the series, were the nerd frat and jock frat try to resolve their rivalry. and gay romance happens. This time it is the two presidents of the frats who are the main characters. Rand (jock) and Jax (nerd) are about as opposites as you can be on paper. but in real life they are very similar. Rand is the son and heir apparent of the founder of an oil company active in fracking, meat eating, jock, and spoiled. Jax is an eviromental activist, vegan, middle child. We see them first in Philadelphia were the two frats have members on the quiz bowl which used to be the exclusive domain of the nerds until the college dean forced the two frats to work together. Jax has to take the family pass me down car to Indianapolis to his teen sister from his brother who lives Philadelphia.
On the way there the car dies and Rand who was Driving to Omaha for the flag football Championship, which is also now a joint team. Rand picks him up and takes him to Indianapolis. where Rand meets Jax's family. Rand finds out that Jax's father is a well known enviromental lawyer, who Rand admires. Jax learns that rand is trying to change the activities of his father's company. While the he sees Jason, the man who was his ex and the father of his sister's son. Rand finds out contrary to what he was told that his sister was not with Jason, who looks very similar to Jax. They seek the help of Jax's father in finding her. She lives not far from Omaha where rand and Jax are both going.
Rand's father is a manipulating control freak who loses the affection of both his kids. He learns that the control doesn't make him happy and in the end we see the first steps of his redemption and reconciling with his son and daughter. 3 books three relations between the jocks and nerds and an ending to that rivalry.
This is the latest in the series, were the nerd frat and jock frat try to resolve their rivalry. and gay romance happens. This time it is the two presidents of the frats who are the main characters. Rand (jock) and Jax (nerd) are about as opposites as you can be on paper. but in real life they are very similar. Rand is the son and heir apparent of the founder of an oil company active in fracking, meat eating, jock, and spoiled. Jax is an eviromental activist, vegan, middle child. We see them first in Philadelphia were the two frats have members on the quiz bowl which used to be the exclusive domain of the nerds until the college dean forced the two frats to work together. Jax has to take the family pass me down car to Indianapolis to his teen sister from his brother who lives Philadelphia.
On the way there the car dies and Rand who was Driving to Omaha for the flag football Championship, which is also now a joint team. Rand picks him up and takes him to Indianapolis. where Rand meets Jax's family. Rand finds out that Jax's father is a well known enviromental lawyer, who Rand admires. Jax learns that rand is trying to change the activities of his father's company. While the he sees Jason, the man who was his ex and the father of his sister's son. Rand finds out contrary to what he was told that his sister was not with Jason, who looks very similar to Jax. They seek the help of Jax's father in finding her. She lives not far from Omaha where rand and Jax are both going.
Rand's father is a manipulating control freak who loses the affection of both his kids. He learns that the control doesn't make him happy and in the end we see the first steps of his redemption and reconciling with his son and daughter. 3 books three relations between the jocks and nerds and an ending to that rivalry.
May 10, 2021
I loved this! This entire series has been just so good, but Rand and Jax were just so fabulous together. After years of such a deep animosity between them, fate brings them together and the finally stop and take time to get to know each other. They slowly realize they both made some errors in judgment and what follows is such a sweet and wonderful love story. Their first kiss gave me butterflies, Jax's family made me smile from ear to ear, we got to revisit with old friends from books 1 and 2...it was just perfect! This was everything I was hoping for in the last book in the series--finally learning why the 2 frat presidents couldn't stand each other, watching Rand come into his own with Jax by his side, and seeing both Jax and Rand fall head over heels in love. I hope these two authors decide to pair up again in the future, they write fantastic books together!
October 15, 2022
DNF 49%. It's all over the place. And the family drama plot is over the top. Not much chemistry really between the MCs either. The reason for the love-hate is soooo contrived.
I give up o this series.
I give up o this series.
May 6, 2021
Loved book 3 as much as the others. I wondered about the hatred between Rand and Jax and we finally get our answers. The flow of their story, their off the charts chemistry, and all the frat brothers keeps you reading from page 1. Amazing story and hoping from the epilogue we’ll get more
May 26, 2021
Despite the (what I look at as) not the most fortunate covers or the most "original" trope, this series is actually a really amazing, thoughtful, sweet but also realistic college-level gay romance.
The use of the term "jock" to refer to an athletic man is thought to have emerged around 1963.[2] It is believed to be derived from the word "jockstrap," which is an undergarment worn to support/protect the male genitals while playing sports.[5]
Jocks are often contrasted with another stereotype: nerds. This dichotomy is a theme in many American movies, television shows, and books.
And how interesting that can be - right? But just as any other stereotype, it does fail to capture, let's say, the deeper truth. of which this one has plenty of.
One of the main focus of this book is a certain paradigm shift (look at me being all fancy with my YouTube channel education), which is, for those who like me, never heard of it before, is a concept and maybe a whole possible conflict where someone discovers that a view they held for some considerable time and that we consider central to our identity is... not true, basically. To offer a simple and kind of extreme example, it would be like a Christian person suddenly stop believing in God. It is, truth to be told, a powerful thing, used in many books as well as films. We are (usually) confronted by different ideas every day and do have to shift are stance or opinions or just our database of "facts" when confronted with new realities and this is what happens with paradigm shifts as well - we adapt or we refuse, we ignore it or we struggle to incorporate the new into out old. To deny such basic pillar of his identity would be to also question his whole life, his own strength, his own integrity... we are not very well equipped to do this, as people. I think we are taught more how to defend our opinions, if anything, than to admit that we may be wrong, even in such "small" stuff like a friendly debate, nothing quite as big as the illusions we may be living with.
This, I think, is what also made this book so impactful. We are all taught that blood is thicker than water, that every fence can be mended if you only put in the effort (in the better scenario) or that "they only want the best for you, just accept it" BS (in the not so good scenario). Because rejecting toxic people in your life is okay as long as they are not related. Because family never hurt each other. Right.
And family is a pretty big theme here. It's all a bit... bigger than the previous books. It's great seeing a series like this expand in this direction - when it is actually good just the way it is/was.
Just the other day I was complaining about too fast romance - when done wrong. Well, this is a week long affair. And it totally works.
To sum it up, if you read the first two books, this should be just as good - if you didn't, you should give them a chance. It's like a gay, more progressive version of the college romance except there is no pretty blonde cheerleader and star quarterback, just two smart, hard working and loving guys who realize they can have a great future together.
The use of the term "jock" to refer to an athletic man is thought to have emerged around 1963.[2] It is believed to be derived from the word "jockstrap," which is an undergarment worn to support/protect the male genitals while playing sports.[5]
Jocks are often contrasted with another stereotype: nerds. This dichotomy is a theme in many American movies, television shows, and books.
And how interesting that can be - right? But just as any other stereotype, it does fail to capture, let's say, the deeper truth. of which this one has plenty of.
One of the main focus of this book is a certain paradigm shift (look at me being all fancy with my YouTube channel education), which is, for those who like me, never heard of it before, is a concept and maybe a whole possible conflict where someone discovers that a view they held for some considerable time and that we consider central to our identity is... not true, basically. To offer a simple and kind of extreme example, it would be like a Christian person suddenly stop believing in God. It is, truth to be told, a powerful thing, used in many books as well as films. We are (usually) confronted by different ideas every day and do have to shift are stance or opinions or just our database of "facts" when confronted with new realities and this is what happens with paradigm shifts as well - we adapt or we refuse, we ignore it or we struggle to incorporate the new into out old. To deny such basic pillar of his identity would be to also question his whole life, his own strength, his own integrity... we are not very well equipped to do this, as people. I think we are taught more how to defend our opinions, if anything, than to admit that we may be wrong, even in such "small" stuff like a friendly debate, nothing quite as big as the illusions we may be living with.
This, I think, is what also made this book so impactful. We are all taught that blood is thicker than water, that every fence can be mended if you only put in the effort (in the better scenario) or that "they only want the best for you, just accept it" BS (in the not so good scenario). Because rejecting toxic people in your life is okay as long as they are not related. Because family never hurt each other. Right.
And family is a pretty big theme here. It's all a bit... bigger than the previous books. It's great seeing a series like this expand in this direction - when it is actually good just the way it is/was.
Just the other day I was complaining about too fast romance - when done wrong. Well, this is a week long affair. And it totally works.
To sum it up, if you read the first two books, this should be just as good - if you didn't, you should give them a chance. It's like a gay, more progressive version of the college romance except there is no pretty blonde cheerleader and star quarterback, just two smart, hard working and loving guys who realize they can have a great future together.
November 8, 2021
The whole thing was a lazy mess.
The storyline with Rand and his ex-boyfriend made no sense. They were together but weren't...he wanted to get back together but didn't. Even go so far as telling Jax "Yeah, I might dump you and go back to him" on more than one occasion and didn't really get why this might upset Jax...
The storyline with the younger sister made even less sense. He hadn't realised his ex had nothing to do with it and then there was the whole storyline with Jax looking like him and that's why they hated him. Right. Right. Yup. Wait, what?
Then the whole scene at the graduation ceremony where Rand's dad brings his boyfriend and the whole thing just lacks any dramatic tension. The authors totally forego all build-up and any sort of big 'oooh' moment to just sort of...plop it out. It was a waste of 100 pages of building the whole storyline up.
In short - Jax had no backbone. Also, his family were so twee and boring and his monther's stupid sayings were cliched and dumb. And Rand was so stupid and whipped by his family (I just. Did not. Care. About. Their. Stupid. Storyline.) - super-rich controlling NYC billionaire dad? Like we haven't seen that before (Literally the CU Hockey books did that same storyline in book 2).
Then, in the epilogue, Jax transfers colleges across the country to be with Rand. Cool. Good for you. Doormat. And then none of the frat brothers stayed in touch and none of them seemed to even like each other anymore. What a weird way to end it.
I don't even know why I'm giving this two stars, to be honest...
The storyline with Rand and his ex-boyfriend made no sense. They were together but weren't...he wanted to get back together but didn't. Even go so far as telling Jax "Yeah, I might dump you and go back to him" on more than one occasion and didn't really get why this might upset Jax...
The storyline with the younger sister made even less sense. He hadn't realised his ex had nothing to do with it and then there was the whole storyline with Jax looking like him and that's why they hated him. Right. Right. Yup. Wait, what?
Then the whole scene at the graduation ceremony where Rand's dad brings his boyfriend and the whole thing just lacks any dramatic tension. The authors totally forego all build-up and any sort of big 'oooh' moment to just sort of...plop it out. It was a waste of 100 pages of building the whole storyline up.
In short - Jax had no backbone. Also, his family were so twee and boring and his monther's stupid sayings were cliched and dumb. And Rand was so stupid and whipped by his family (I just. Did not. Care. About. Their. Stupid. Storyline.) - super-rich controlling NYC billionaire dad? Like we haven't seen that before (Literally the CU Hockey books did that same storyline in book 2).
Then, in the epilogue, Jax transfers colleges across the country to be with Rand. Cool. Good for you. Doormat. And then none of the frat brothers stayed in touch and none of them seemed to even like each other anymore. What a weird way to end it.
I don't even know why I'm giving this two stars, to be honest...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2022
Not my favorite romance of the series, I just struggled with believing any of it. I find it hard to believe these two would have had this much hate between them for 3 years and never addressed it. I mean, neither of them knew why they hated each other. Hating someone for how they look to this extreme was just too far fetched for me.
I did enjoy the rest of the book though, just not so much the romance.
And again, I'm going to mention that these do not read like nerds or even jocks. I almost wish they had called this something else.
One more to go and I gotta admit, I don't know even why this one is happening. I'll get to it after all my Christmas reads.
I did enjoy the rest of the book though, just not so much the romance.
And again, I'm going to mention that these do not read like nerds or even jocks. I almost wish they had called this something else.
One more to go and I gotta admit, I don't know even why this one is happening. I'll get to it after all my Christmas reads.
June 1, 2021
Solid end to an enjoyable series
This isn’t my favorite series or my favorite book from this series, but it was cute and enjoyable.
The first two books were about the deal that the university Dean made- putting a jock on the Quiz Bowl team and putting a nerd on the flag football team. This one is about the two fraternity presidents and their unexplained hatred of one another. Or rather, Rand’s unexplained hatred of Jax.
The reasons for Rand’s immediate antipathy are explained as the two unexpectedly find themselves on a road trip together. Once again, we get a side trip to the home of one of the guys, which I enjoyed as much as I did in the first book.
These guys are just a week or so from college graduation, and their future plans don’t really overlap at all. I wasn’t entirely sure how that was going to work out, but I like the solution the authors devised. My one quibble is the redemption of the evil parent, which felt unnecessary and not realistic. But these are not high angst books, so I understand why the authors wanted to resolve everything with a HEA.
This isn’t my favorite series or my favorite book from this series, but it was cute and enjoyable.
The first two books were about the deal that the university Dean made- putting a jock on the Quiz Bowl team and putting a nerd on the flag football team. This one is about the two fraternity presidents and their unexplained hatred of one another. Or rather, Rand’s unexplained hatred of Jax.
The reasons for Rand’s immediate antipathy are explained as the two unexpectedly find themselves on a road trip together. Once again, we get a side trip to the home of one of the guys, which I enjoyed as much as I did in the first book.
These guys are just a week or so from college graduation, and their future plans don’t really overlap at all. I wasn’t entirely sure how that was going to work out, but I like the solution the authors devised. My one quibble is the redemption of the evil parent, which felt unnecessary and not realistic. But these are not high angst books, so I understand why the authors wanted to resolve everything with a HEA.
May 27, 2021
This was not the book I expected. Partially, the plotting was unusual for this series, with one character really needing to evolve in order for the story to evolve. But also, there was just a lot of stuff that felt out of sync. These two guys loved the environment, but did an amazing amount of air travel and driving anyway. The storyline with TL didn’t so much as resolve, but seemed to go back to baseline. The Peruvian forest piece was sort of outdated - colonialist science isn’t where the funding is at these days. So, it wasn’t bad or anything, but a lot of things in the plot made me itchy.
May 7, 2021
I received an ARC and am providing a review - this is as enjoyable as the previous books in this series.
Rand and Jax are the heads of their rival frat houses and have hated each other for years This is book 3 in the nerds vs jocks books .
Rand is the son of highly successful father who has ideas and plans for his future.
Jax encounters problems driving home to his extended family and Rand rescues him . They discover that their feelings change as they get to know each other better.
Jax's family and the previous and new characters help flesh out their story. Jax's parents are particularly appealing.
Rand and Jax are the heads of their rival frat houses and have hated each other for years This is book 3 in the nerds vs jocks books .
Rand is the son of highly successful father who has ideas and plans for his future.
Jax encounters problems driving home to his extended family and Rand rescues him . They discover that their feelings change as they get to know each other better.
Jax's family and the previous and new characters help flesh out their story. Jax's parents are particularly appealing.
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