BOOKWORM REVIEW: Hail Mary by Kandi Steiner
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Enemies-to-lovers with history? YES PLEASE.
When Mary's home needed repairs, her only option is moving across the street..with Leo. Now she is forced to share a roof with the boy who made her high school miserable and whom she hates with a fire of a thousand suns, except that he doesn't seem to remember who she is.
Leo Hernandez doesn't understand why Mary Silver hates him so much. The only woman who seems to make his heart -- and other parts -- flutter only looks at him with deathly glares. Now that she has to share space with him, he might be able to get to the reason why she detests him so much and figure out how to win her over.
This read was so captivating from beginning to end. I love the tension that slowly builds and gains momentum between Leo and Mary until it finally culminates into some phenomenal spicy scenes. Meanwhile, we also get a deep emotional bridge that is slowly being rebuilt after years of miscommunication. I get weak for young lovers who fail at their first chance at love only to have their more mature, hardened selves get a better opportunity at it. Their history coupled with their present-time intense attraction to each other made this book one of my favorite reads this year so far.
I also enjoyed the rocky road that is the arc between Mary and her mother. Mom-and-daughter relationships can be hard to navigate, especially when you have two strong-willed people. Kandi Steiner gave them such a wonderful and emotional resolution that made this girl mom tear up.
While this fourth installment in the Red Zone Rivals series can be read as a standalone, we get an update on the different couples from past books. Steiner does a fantastic job of building an incredibly tight circle of very charismatic people, sharing their HEAs with us, and leaving us with the impression that even if they become scattered around the country post-college, we readers truly believe that they remain the best of friends forever.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Kandi Steiner and Valentine PR and Literary Management for providing an ARC. **
ABOUT THE BOOK
Leo F*cking Hernandez.
North Boston University’s star running back, notorious bachelor, and number one on my people I would murder if I could get away with it list.
And now?
He’s my new roommate.
I used to think I loved him.
But that was before I hated him.
He doesn’t remember who I am, or how he made my life miserable for years. And before I unknowingly moved across the street from him, I couldn’t have cared less. I was living my life despite him and what happened that summer, chasing my dream of becoming a tattoo artist.
“The Pit,” as the university so gracefully nicknamed the house he lives in with three other football players, has served as nothing more than a pain in my ass and a constant reminder of the boy who broke my heart. Watching him parade his one-night-stands in and out of it never helped, either.
But with rent this cheap and so close to the tattoo shop, I’ve learned to ignore him — no matter how he’s tried to get under my skin.
At least, until this summer. Because when a water and mold disaster leaves me with no choice but to vacate my house, I have nowhere to go. And Leo Hernandez offers me a deal I can’t refuse.
Live at The Pit with him and the guys, free of charge, until my landlord fixes this mess.
Ignoring him was easy when I lived across the street, but in the same house, with him shirtless half the time and watching me with his cocky grin and searing gaze? It’s impossible.
Still, I have to try. I have to push him away, even when he makes it infuriatingly difficult to do so.
He’s broken my heart once.
I won't let him do it again.
Get Your Copy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QqAF1f
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/HailMaryKS
North Boston University’s star running back, notorious bachelor, and number one on my people I would murder if I could get away with it list.
And now?
He’s my new roommate.
I used to think I loved him.
But that was before I hated him.
He doesn’t remember who I am, or how he made my life miserable for years. And before I unknowingly moved across the street from him, I couldn’t have cared less. I was living my life despite him and what happened that summer, chasing my dream of becoming a tattoo artist.
“The Pit,” as the university so gracefully nicknamed the house he lives in with three other football players, has served as nothing more than a pain in my ass and a constant reminder of the boy who broke my heart. Watching him parade his one-night-stands in and out of it never helped, either.
But with rent this cheap and so close to the tattoo shop, I’ve learned to ignore him — no matter how he’s tried to get under my skin.
At least, until this summer. Because when a water and mold disaster leaves me with no choice but to vacate my house, I have nowhere to go. And Leo Hernandez offers me a deal I can’t refuse.
Live at The Pit with him and the guys, free of charge, until my landlord fixes this mess.
Ignoring him was easy when I lived across the street, but in the same house, with him shirtless half the time and watching me with his cocky grin and searing gaze? It’s impossible.
Still, I have to try. I have to push him away, even when he makes it infuriatingly difficult to do so.
He’s broken my heart once.
I won't let him do it again.
Get Your Copy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QqAF1f
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/HailMaryKS
Add to Goodreads ➡️ https://bit.ly/3GeXksA
MEET KANDI STEINER
Kandi Steiner is an Amazon Top 5 bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing "emotional rollercoaster" stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance -- in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you're a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she's your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women's Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her "freedom of press."
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.
When Kandi isn't writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, playing with her fur babies and soaking up the sweetness of life.
Connect with Kandi
Website: www.kandisteiner.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7319216.Kandi_Steiner
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kandi-Steiner/e/B00JDJOINE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KandiSteiner/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kandilandks/
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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kandi-steiner
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorkandisteiner
Pinterest: pinterest.com/authorkandisteiner
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her "events" tab to see all the signings she's attending in the near future: www.kandisteiner.com/events