Losing Memphis

NE University #3

by Hannah Gray

Lane Rivers is no stranger to tragic events. To everyone else though, it seems like his biggest issue is who he’s bringing home from tonight’s party.
Inside, he’s living in his own personal hell. Each day is a struggle. Booze and women are the only ways he can numb the pain.
Memphis Montgomery could be considered the world’s most responsible college kid. She has no interest in being wild and careless, like every other coed she sees. That is, until Lane ignites something inside of her she didn’t know existed.
Lane warns her that getting attached to him is not a good idea. After all, the last thing he wants is to hurt yet another person. But she doesn’t take no for an answer. Eventually, his willpower runs out, and he finds himself unable to resist Memphis any longer.
It’s all fun and games—until it isn’t. When push comes to shove, decisions must be made. And just as Lane promised her, someone ends up getting hurt.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, College, Football, College Romance

Unknown Binding

About the author

Hannah Gray spends her days in vacationland, living in a small, quaint town on the coast of Maine. She is an avid reader of contemporary romance and is always in competition with herself to read more books every year.

During the day, she loves on her three perfect-to-her daughters and tries to be the best mom she can be. But once she tucks them in at night--okay, scratch that. Once they fall asleep next to her in her bed--because their bedrooms apparently have monsters in them--she dives into her own fantasy world, staying awake well into the late-night hours, typing away stories about her characters. As much as she loves being a wife and mom--and she certainly does love it--reading and writing are her outlet, giving her a place to travel far away while still physically being with her family.

She married her better half in 2013, and he's been putting up with her craziness every day since. As her anchor, he's her one constant in this insane, forever-changing world.

Facbook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hannahgrayau...
Twitter: @AuthorHannahGr1
IG: @authorhannah_gray

Reviews

[Tania's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two are by far my favorite couple from this series. Lane and Memphis were total opposite. She was literally a good girl and he was a star football player who was the life of the party to the outside but fighting demons on the inside; and Memphis sees the real him. The way they came together was cute and not rushed at all. Memphis was completely different from all the other females he’s met. She was unbelievably stunning and didn’t care he was an athlete. She actually turned him down couple times but they developed a very genuine friendship that Lane kept very close to his heart for other reasons. Memphis couldn’t understand what was happening between them but she went with the flow. It was adorable and they gad their ups and downs. I loved how Lane didn’t want to treat her like all the other girls. Time passed and these two realized they’d fallen hard for each other but there was a lot still holding them back. When Lane was ready he came back for his girl and I loved the cheerleaders that they had lol. The ending was beautiful and funny all wrapped on one. I laughed so hard because apart from Memphis, his relationship with Trent and Mason was everything. They were his brothers. Lane family was amazing and supportive and Memphis mom was also amazing. I want more of these two!!!

[Naptime Novels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow. The connection between Memphis and Lane. Undeniable. Lane is the guy we all wanted to know more about in the first 2 NEU books and we finally got ALL our answers. What a tortured soul! Memphis and Lane are polar opposites. One is a boring soon to be school teacher who plays it safe in all situations. The other is a wild partying football player with a heartbreaking past. They end up being each others balance; what they never knew they needed in a partner. This one will make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, it will literally give you all the feels! I’ve been a beta reader for all 3 booms in the NEU series and just when I think she can’t top the last, Hannah Gray does it! Losing Memphis is the perfect closing book to an absolutely killer 3 book series by the always impressive Hannah Gray! Looking forward to MANY more books by her.

[Jena Stelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Losing Memphis is my first book by Hannah Gray and now I have to go back and read the firs two books in the N E University series. It was easy to follow ever though it was the third book. It can be read as a stand-alone.

Losing Memphis definitely sucked me in. I didn’t want to put it down. I just had to know how Memphis and Lane’s story would play out. There was such a connection between the two. You could feel the pull between them. Ms Grey definitely wrote two great characters. This story pulls at your heartstrings.

I recommend Losing Memphis. Especially if you love emotional, put your heart back together books.

[nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Skye Yanovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved!!! Deliciously angsty and steamy!

I randomly came across Losing Memphis in someone’s IG stories and was intrigued. I was looking for a very angsty sports romance and this fit the bill. I really enjoyed this story. Lane has ghosts that destroy all chance for real happiness. Memphis is everything beautiful and perfect he thinks he doesn’t deserve. His despair killed me but I could see that he was a really good guy underneath his quest to keep punishing himself. Memphis was amazing....she went for what she wanted and demanded what she deserved. This book has tons of steam, almost made me cry a few times and left me with a big smile.

I’m actually going back to read the 2 books earlier in the series since I loved this one so much.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

'When you finish a story and you wish you hadn’t started it yet because you want to relive it all over again for the first time, that’s an incredible feeling' and that's how I feel about Memphis and Lane's book.
Addictive, emotional and with an HEA I couldn't put this book down 5 stars.
I won an ARC and I'm leaving an honest review, this was the first book of Hannah's I've read and now need to read Trent and Mason's stories.

[Cassie Alley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible love story that I just couldn’t put down!!!

Wow....just WOW!!! This last book really did it for me. I fell in love with each and every character for all three of these books. Lane and Memphis did not disappoint!! The raw emotion and realistic circumstances that happen in this book just really draw you in. I can not wait to see what Hannah Gray has in store next for us 😍😍

[Ode to my book boyfriends · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feels

This is the first book I’ve read by Hannah Gray, but it certainly won’t be the last. There were a few typos, but didn’t take away from this amazing story.

This book made me laugh and cry. It’s told in dual POV and has really strong character development. Memphis (amazing name) and Lane’s story has a lot of emotional bumps along the way, but it’s oh so good!

Time to dig into more of her NEU books!

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a wonderfully emotional book by Hannah who was a new author to me. Memphis and Lane are both a little bit broken but perfect for each other. I couldn’t put this book down and I devoured it wanting to find out what was going to happen next. I won an arc of this book and I am so very happy that I did.

[Sarah Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

good story, great characters.

[Carolynn Brill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great story!

I have enjoyed all the books in this series, so I have also enjoyed this story about Lane & Memphis. But I just love these guys & have so enjoyed seeing them make their mark on college, football, each other and of course, on one special girl who completes them!

[Lizzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story that tugs at your heart strings. Such an emotional story between Memphis and Lane. Loved it!!!

[Alyson Nerren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an outstanding book

This entire series was amazing!! 3 best friends that fell hard that had demons! Lane wrecked me!! Gah I felt so bad for him for the first half and didn't even know what really happened...kinda had an idea, but not what exactly happened! Memphis and Lane were amazing! Great story

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this series and by far Lane & Memphis are my favorites!! I could not put this book down!

Lane and Memphis are polar opposites. Lane, a talented athlete that is the biggest man whore on campus & Memphis, the quiet geek that finally moves out of her mothers house her senior year of college, one would never fathom them as a couple. On top of that both have demons, Lane's being very deep & it takes alot for him to even consider a relationship. This book has all the feels that a romance needs but really has a wonderful story of two people finding on another and thriving once they do!

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

A total waste of my time and I’m pretty sure I’m pissed off.

[Mallory Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lane and Memphis

College sports romance (football)
Friends with benefits
Bad boy/good girl
Sneaking around
Slow burn/low spice
Angst, angst, angst

What I loved: I love the way this author writes her couples and how their relationship evolves through the story. Lane was such a perfect MMC, he had trauma from his past that made him a toxic bad boy with a soft and gentle heart. He continued to be tormented by his demons from the past, and it was so hard for him to break free from those. It was a beautiful journey watching him discover that he is worthy of love and being loved. I loved his internal conflict during the whole story about his feelings for Memphis and how he fought them for so long because he felt that he didn’t deserve it. I love that Memphis was so certain in her love, and she was the one that pulled him out of his deep pit of despair. I loved that she fought for him and she knew that he was worth the fight. The way that they came together was so intoxicating and I was obsessed with them as a couple. Their chemistry was so good and I loved the way that they loved each other. I truly felt their passion and pull towards each other, and it truly was an addicting thing to experience and read. This book was filled with so much angst and I loved it so much, it was such an enthralling read that I didn’t ever want to put it down. I jsut love the way this author writes!

What I didn’t love: I was a little caught off guard about the spice in this book because I have read the author’s more recent works, and those books are definitely spicy. This book was very PG-13 and felt almost fade to black in some situations. I think I was just surprised based off of her more recent work and I didn’t realize that her earlier books were so low in spicy description during the scenes. I would’ve loved to see more of them together and definitely more spicy scenes with them. It would’ve been nice to have more of the book of them as an actual couple, but I didn’t mind it too much because that just added to the angst.


Overall rating: 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst: 5/5
Spice: 1/5

[Alyssa GSell · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Review✨

4.5/5⭐️

Lane has things that haunt him.. He literally has nightmares about it.. He blames himself and tries to numb the pain with drinking and hooking up…

Memphis comes into his life and rocks his world…

She is a good girl… Doesn’t drink or anything.. She is also still a virgin… She wants to let loose and find herself and she wants Lane to be the one to help her…

Lane bluntly tells her that they will never be anything more than what they are currently but she doesn’t care… She will deal with the broken heart later when it comes…

They both end up falling hard…

Memphis learns the real reason he is the way he is and he doesn’t take it so well…..

She tells him to figure his shit out but she will wait for him…..

—————————

“Hi. Sorry it’s so late,” I apologize to Memphis. Hoping I didn’t wake her. She leans against the door, her eyes narrowing. “Why are you here, Lane?” “Because I’ve finally figured it out. That’s why.” Confusion crosses her face. “Figured what out?” I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “That I love you. I always have. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I pull back and look into her eyes. “I’m so in love with you that I can’t fucking think straight.”

[Rate the Roster with Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing Memphis — Hannah Gray

Losing Memphis felt like stepping into two people’s pain and watching them slowly figure out how to breathe again. The characters are raw in a way that makes you want to hold onto them — they’re hurting, guarded, and trying so hard to keep it together. That’s what pulled me in the most: the emotional tension between wanting connection and being terrified of it.

You can tell this is from Hannah Gray’s early writing era. It’s emotional and on-edge in a way that hits fast, sometimes a little too fast, and I found myself wishing the story slowed down and let us sit with the characters longer. There were moments where I wanted more — more depth, more time, more space for their healing to unfold.

But even with that, the heart of the story is strong. The connection between the characters feels real, and the emotional beats land in that quiet, aching way that sticks with you. It’s a story about two broken people trying to choose healing, and that’s what makes it linger.

Losing Memphis — Tropes

• Trauma & recovery
• Slow burn
• Protective MMC
• Emotional, character‑driven romance
• College setting
• Choosing healing together

Check out my post

Instagram: Ratetherosterwithjess

[Cynthia Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

be still my heart

What an absolute tear jerker this story turned out to be. I knew that Lane was going to have a difficult story since we had watched him drown himself in alcohol the previous two stories; however, nothing prepared me for what this man had gone through. This story was made extra special by having Memphis be the one to help Lane through what he has dealt with. There were times were all I wanted to do was cry, and there were times were I was crying from laughing so hard (Thanks Mason).

Lane. The possessive, alpha football player with more demons than he knows what to do with.

Memphis. The strong willed girl who doesn’t take no for an answer. She honestly couldn’t have been a better heroine for Lane. She pushed him to be a better man and became the calm to his storm while Lane awakened her to push her out of her comfort zone.

Unfortunately, it’s time to let this group of 6 go even though I would give anything to see more of their shenanigans now that they all found their HEAs.

[Carola Ayres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memphis es una chica tranquila que se acaba de mudar con su mejor amiga en el último año de universidad. Tiene una muy buena relación con su madre, perdió a su padre cuando era una niña.
Lane ha vivido una tragedia y el alcohol lo ayuda a olvidar el pasado, hasta que conoce a Memphis en una fiesta y la cual le hace recordar a su antigua novia.
Pero Lane no quiere comprometerse, y Memphis, que nunca estuvo enamorada, empieza a sentir por primera vez las emociones del amor.

OPINION: ¡Me gustó mucho! 4/5. Este libro tiene un desarrollo en la historia mas envolvente que los otros. Me parece se perfecciono para este libro. Sin embargo, me gusto tanto como el segundo. El libro esta lleno de drama y ya vi que esta autora le gusta el drama. Las 3 historias son paralelas en el tiempo, y eso esta bien llevado en las historias. Logramos escuchar un poco a los finales que pasa con los otros protagonistas.
Spicy: 2.50/5. Una serie super recomendada y que te engancha de principio a fin.

Toda la serie es un drama, pero bien llevado, que no podras dejar de leerlo.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lane and Memphis

Losing Memphis is the last in the NEU series, and I think Lane and Memphis were my favorite couple! In the previous 2 books, Lane was the party boy who was always down for a good time and never looking for more than a causal hookup. But his friends were always worried about his behavior, and in this book, we get a deeper look at the real Lane Rivers.

Lane’s past is dark, and his ghosts continue to haunt him after moving away from home in hopes of escaping them. With his character, Hannah does what she does best, and that’s the exploration of the growth that stems from trauma. Memphis is the first one since high school who brings him peace and calms the storm inside his mind. She has always been the straight laced, good girl. Now a senior in college, she is looking for a tornado to make her come alive, and she finds that in Lane. The way the two balanced each other was perfection. And the fact that Memphis was becoming an English teacher made me love her even more!

Read if you enjoy:
🏈 Football romance
👩🏻 Virgin FMC
👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻 Opposites attract

[annasbook nookk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Losing Memphis is the last book of the NE University Series.
We finally get Lane's story, and he piqued my interest after reading about him in books one and two.
Lane Rivers is a star footballer loved by all. Known by not many.
He’s come from a tragic past, and he drowns himself in good times, women, and alcohol.

Memphis Montgomery is a good girl, responsible, but not interested in the party side of college.
At NE University, she meets Lake.
He warns her from the start not to get attracted to him, or he’ll hurt her.
But Memphis is not having any of it, but with what consequences?

I loved Lane's story, and he’s piqued my interest from reading him in books one and two.
I found his story very emotional and sad.
The banter and tension between the two was perfect.
Another great book by Hannah.
Overall I’ve enjoyed this series

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

College sports romance always hits differently for me. This is where love is blooming (I met my husband in college). College is also where you are discovering yourself. The love that Memphis and Lane has is a fun whirlwind romance where the characters are developing into themselves. Lane had a traumatic past making him feel unsuitable for love. He has one-night stands and just wasting his life away due to guilt of the past. He meets Lane and as messed up as he feels it is, he can't help but feel something for her. College is a small world so of course they meet again and the fun begin.

There are many ups and downs in this relationship but this is a HEA! I love Memphis for her support while Lane discovers and deals with his past. She is so strong and knows exactly her worth. This really connected with me as this is how I would feel if I was in Lane's shoes.

[Kelsey Gustafson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Lane. You sweet, confused man. I love a good book where they are down and broken. Little did he know Memphis was going to rock his world. Memphis, sweet and cautious. Just what someone like Lane needed in his life.

Lane had experienced loss and trauma during high school, which led him to a dark place. He didn’t feel worthy of love or happiness, and self medicated to mask the pain he truly was feeling. Memphis however had a pull to Lane she couldn’t explain, and while he said he could only have a physical relationship with her, she knew that was enough.

Lane had to fight his demons to get his HAE, but it was well worth the wait.

I truly loved Lane and his story. I just wanted to hug him so much and remind him how worthy he was.

[Khaleah Sims · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the other books and loved them but this one just didn’t do it for me I had to quit halfway through..

Lane thought Memphis looked like his ex and was drawn to her.. He literally kept ignoring her over and over until he saw her somewhere and got jealous ?!!

Then she willingly gives him her virginity and they start an only sex relationship?! And she tells him she’ll take whatever he can give her.. she’s worth more than that

I really tried with this book but I really don’t like how Easy Memphis character is when he treats her like garbage.

I really love the first 2 books though !

[Melis · Rating 4 out of 5]

yup, they’re definitely my favorite out of the 3 couples



Lane carried guilt he truly didn’t deserve. I thought he had been in the car driving or as a passenger but he wasn’t. But still he felt remorseful and sabotaged himself for it. What he said to Memphis was cruel but she was right about him needing to find himself first.
I will admit at first I didn’t like that he was drawn to her because she reminded him of Abby but I also liked how the author pointed out that he started to see Memphis not Abby.

[Kristina Maysonet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, but it wasn't my favorite from the series like I thought it would be based off what people told me. My only problem with it is that it had one of my biggest icks, when the girl is begging the guy to sleep with her. outside of that, I actually think Memphis & Lane had the most beautiful love story. I loved how this story was weaved in with book 1. Memphis' mom is dating Trent's dad, and they end up as stepsibling so it makes it a brother's best friend in a way. Lane's story was heartbreaking but his HEA with Memphis made it so much better

[Amy Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. Better than the first 2. Lane’s story has more depth and the writing was much better. The flow and pacing were also an improvement. The final friction did feel a bit forced. Maybe instead just make him work a bit harder to earn her forgiveness for his hurtful words.
But Once again you can see Hannah’s growth as an author from book 1-3 here. Her later books carry more connection and emotional depth in the writing. You feel the characters turmoil a great deal more. The story is there, but it is missing that connection that would push the rating higher.

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book of the NE University series, and Hannah saved the best for last! This book will make you feel all the emotions! I couldn't put it down.. I devoured this one...

Lane and Memphis are the best! These two could not be more perfect for each other. I loved their story and their struggles!

[Kim Gauger · Rating 4 out of 5]

cue the tears

Hard for ,e to cry but the end of this book got me. They save each others souls in this book and it is a great journey to read. I loved this. You didn’t learn much about lane in the past books but oh his story is great. I loved this and all the characters. A great read