Say You Swear (Boys of Avix, 1)

Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy takes readers on an emotional ride through the highs and lows of a college romance that defies expectations and keeps you guessing. Arianna's last summer before college promises endless possibilities as she navigates the complexities of her relationships with her best friend, twin brother, and his best friend, Chase. The love triangle trope is set in motion, adding tension and unpredictability to the story. However, the narrative takes an unexpected turn with the introduction of Noah Riley, the charismatic football team captain, injecting a fresh and mysterious energy into the mix. The plot unfolds with a perfect blend of charm and suspense, making it impossible to predict the twists and turns ahead. The tight-knit found family dynamic adds depth to the story, and Arianna's longstanding crush on Chase brings an element of nostalgia and tension. Noah's arrival introduces a perceptive character who quickly becomes a standout book boyfriend with his humility, attentiveness, and genuine connection with Arianna. The romance in Say You Swear is the beating heart of the story, filled with heartfelt and genuine moments. The recurring promise between Arianna and Noah, "say you swear," becomes a poignant symbol of their connection, showcasing the power of small gestures in love. Noah's character shines with his charming personality, adding a delightful and lighthearted touch to the relationship. A surprising plot twist keeps readers on the edge of their seats, adding an element of shock and anticipation. Despite initial reservations about the love triangle trope, the story navigates it skillfully, turning it into an intriguing aspect rather than a hindrance. This book offers a unique and unforgettable romance with well-drawn characters, genuine emotions, and unexpected plot twists. Meagan Brandy weaves a tale that challenges conventional romance norms, delivering surprises, heartache, and, ultimately, a satisfying love story. For readers seeking a romance novel that goes beyond the ordinary, this book is a must-read. #SayYouSwear #MeaganBrandy #CollegeRomance #RomanticSuspense #UnexpectedTwists #BookReview #BookRecommendation #BookishLove #RomanceNovel #BookNerdJoy #BookishSurprises #BookReview #Arianna #Mason #Chase #Noah #Family #NewAdultRomance #FirstLove #SportsRomance #Football #BrokenHearts #BeachHouse

Say You Swear By Meagan Brandy Closing this book at the end, I got closure I wasn’t sure I was going to get more than halfway through this book. It gave me all the feels and Noah Riley could very well be my number 1 book HUSBAND, forget the boyfriend label. I should mention, I am writing this review after my second read of this book. I picked it up for a re-read after some major changes occurred in my life and I needed the feelings this book gave me – sorrow, anguish, swoon worthy butterflies, awe, and all of the synonyms that go along with these listed. It is not a slow burn but it’s not a fast burn, either. Is there such things as a “medium burn?” If so, this is it, but again, WORTH IT. The plot is primarily from the point of view of the FMC, Arianna, but also includes POV from MMC, Noah. Arianna has a twin, Mason, whose best friend is named Chase. Arianna has been in love with Chase since the minute she met him as kids, when his family moved to town. However, from the first interaction between them, Mason stepped in and shut it down, quick-like. From that point on, Chase was too afraid to choose Arianna over Mason, as he felt like he was going against his best friend. Fast forward to the summer before college and while the gang is enjoying the summer at their new beach house (gifted to them by all of their parents) and Arianna meets Noah, the new captain of the football team at Avix, where all of them will attend college together at the start of the year. Noah is handsome, has beautiful blue eyes, and does not push himself on Arianna, although it is very clear he is attracted to her. She is attracted to Noah, too, but she can’t get pass the childhood crush on Chase. The story develops with a new quick friendship between two characters and a want-what-you-can’t-have mentality from another. Fast forward, again, towards the end of the semester and tragedy strikes. I mean, it is devastating! What happens with Ari and Noah? What happens with Ari and Chase?? You MUST read to find out how this story ends – it is so worth it! Meagan Brandy’s writing style in this book was right up my alley, I followed along well AND (the first time I read it) I definitely did not guess the plot. I don’t enjoy books where I can predict what is going to happen, who the “bad guy” will be, etc. Meagan hit me with the plot twist around the 75-80% mark in the book and my insides fell to pieces. My overwhelming need to know how it was going to pan out kept me going with determination to finish the book. I am glad I did. It did NOT immediately result in a HEA, either. After the devastation of the major plot twist in this book, there is lots of turmoil and anguish amongst all of the characters and Brandy kept you pressing forward towards the ending. Some of my favorite quotes from the book: “We’re half a bowl down when he looks over. “What?” I ask over a mouthful of French bread. “For the record, that about killed me, and it was a one-time thing that will never replay itself.” His lips pull into a one-sided grin. “So next time you ask, be sure because I won’t deny you again.” ‘Say you swear.’” “At first, Noah doesn’t move, his head following my brother and the boys, but then slowly returning to me. It takes him a moment, but his attention finally falls to the hoodie I’m wearing, and his eyes snap up to mine. He gets it, that I didn’t come for them. I came for him. His backpack falls to the ground where he stands, and he erases the last two steps between us. Before he reaches me, I spin, showing him the back, where his number is boldly printed, but he knows that. After all, he’s the one who gave me the hoodie. I throw my arms out, peeking at him over my shoulder. “Does this count as me wearing it to a game?” His lips curve up, and he gives a slow shake of his head. “Not a chance.” I spin again, now facing him fully, and step closer. “Does it count for something?” Noah reaches out, gripping the front of the hoodie, and tugs me to him. He whirls me around until we’re half hidden by the open door, his hand gliding into my hair. “You already know the answer to that,” he says, and then he’s kissing me.” ““You will?” he rasps. “Of course I will.” His palms shake as he grips my cheeks, his eyes piercing mine. “Say you swear?” Placing my palm over his tattoo, I recite its meaning. “Fear not the fall, but the life that comes from having never leaped at all.” I smile through my tears. “I’ll always leap if the jump leads me to you, Noah Riley. Always.” “And forever.” “I swear.”" Overall, this book definitely sits on my “will be re-read” shelf in Kindle. It is hard to pull yourself away from such an all encompassing love! I loved this book so much, I followed up with reading the other two with overlapping characters from Say You Swear, which are: Fumbled Hearts and Defenseless Hearts. All three are 5 stars, in my opinion. Read them all when you are looking for a perfectly written story with great characters, where you’ll feel happy, devastated, on pins and needles during the torment of the fall out, back to where Meagan Brandy puts your heart back together, piece by piece.

On a recommendation I uncharacteristically chose to read this one, despite all the personal strikes it had against it. Myself never choosing the sportsy books, the ridiculous length of the book was a bad strike, and it being an older book of sorts (having enough new releases on my tbr to keep me entertained!) and a series book. I generally bypass them when they are more than a duet, I prefer a standalone. But this book, I'm glad I accepted it as a read. The characters were likable, the MMC especially outshone the others in the book. The author did well in stereotyping the whole college scenario. It was well written, made for some tearing up. The family, friends, and teenage angst all made for a good combo in this one. All from an author I'd never heard of! She did well at keeping my attention!

Book Review- Say You Swear By Meagan Brandy🏈🌊🌞 the plot- Say You Swear is not a typical romance novel. It has depth of many layers, not only does it have romance, it has hardships, family friends, and personal growth of the characters. The pacing of the book was just right.Noah Riley and Arianna Johnson are the main characters of the book. Arianna is just out of high school and living her best life at the beach house her and her friends own. That is where Arianna meets Noah for the first time. Arianna and Noah become friends while Arianna is heartbroken over something that happened. Slowly their friendship turns into something more.Noah helps her overcome her brokenness. She felt alone because she couldn’t tell anyone else she was broken hearted over her Brothers best friend. Now the Chase( the best friends brother) is trying to win Arianna back. Arianna is then involved in a Love Triangle. Meagan’s writing of Ariannas thoughts and feelings of the love triangle really helped the story itself. I am not a big fan of love circles but this one was done very well. This book had me crying and laughing at the same time. Say You Swear is a very emotional book, it will be heartwarming and heartbreaking at times. Meagan was able to execute perfectly to make the readers feel they are apart of the story themselves. FMC/Arianna Johnson - Arianna is a very naive young girl just looking to get out from under her twin brothers thumb and live her own life. As she is discovering the world around her Arianna starts growing more and becomes more independent.Seeing Arianna go through her heartbreak and how it effected her throughout her first semester was saddening. Slowly as her heart is healing we see a different side of Arianna a more grow up, loving, caring side to her. I really enjoyed Arianna, she is one of my favorite FMCs. MMC/ Noah Riley- Where do I start with this man, he is one of the most loving, caring, and patience MMCs I have ever read about. The way he treated Arianna through everything just showed how much he cared for her. Even as he was going through his own problems he was always there for Arianna. It was heartbreaking to read how Noah was coping with the Tragedy, Meagan really pulled at all my heart strings. The romance- OMG these two were so adorable together. I was blushing and kicking my feet the whole time reading it. You can tell there love is unconditional. They had to go through a lot of hardship together and separately but still cared and loved each other throughout it all. I cannot wait for the next book in the series! I really hope it will be Payton and Mason because I was obsessed with all the little moments they had in the book. Say You Swear What to expect- 🏈College football romance 🏈Found family 🏈an emotional roller coaster 🏈love triangle 🏈friends to lovers Rating- 5/5⭐️ Spice 2/5🌶️ PLEASE check your trigger warnings before reading this book. There is many heavy topics explored in the novel.🫶🏼

“𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒑 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒎𝒑 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔.” “𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓.” “𝑰 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓.” Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🔥.5 Tropes: College romance, sports romance (hockey), love triangle (kind of), he falls first, boy obsessed, mirror action, angsty ⚠️Check triggers⚠️ This review is going to be different than my usual format because I'm not going to provide a blurb before my review. I usually summarize the book (without spoilers), but this one is just too hard to do without giving things away. I HIGHLY recommend going in without any information because it makes it so much better. The actual blurb for the book doesn't give much away, so if you're curious, I'd recommend reading that. This book took me on a ride the entire time and I couldn't put it down. I'll be honest that the beginning was hard for me to get into, but once we met Noah in chapter 4, I knew I needed to keep reading. The angst killed me, made me sob, and had me smiling all at the same time. There's so many things that happened in this book that I can't even though on because it would spoil it, but I will say it was a journey that left me forever changed. I loved the connection Arianna had with her brother, Mason, so much. I wish he wasn't as protective of her, but I did feel like he lightened up with one of the men (name redacted to stay spoiler free) because he knew she was safe with him (hero). I thought her friendship with Cam was so pure and a perfect example of friends being soulmates. Arianna goes through it in this book. She learns a lot about herself, and what she truly wants for herself and from a partner. My heart broke for her, and her man, with their tragedy. I'm glad they were able to come back together and grieve with each other. A main trope in this book is a love triangle, but it's honestly so much more than that. It has a love triangle of sorts, but not really, in my opinion. The heroine does feel conflicted at times, but it's pretty clear for most of the book that the triangle is heavier on one side than the other to everyone but the heroine. I know love triangles aren't for everyone, but I swear this isn't like other books with this trope and there's a clear winner between the two men. I will say this isn't a perfect book. If it wasn't so hard to put down, and the hero wasn't absolute perfection, I would've rated this lower. The reason why is the writing is a bit chaotic. There's a lot of exclamation points and text lingo (lots of '?!') that made the characters come off immature and juvenile. I also found it a little long, and some of the internal thoughts were repetitive or unnecessary. For me, this could've been edited a bit more and had some parts reworked a bit. I still think it's a beautiful story and would recommend it to anyone. It's definitely going to be a top 2023 read. 🚨🚨STOP IF YOU DON'T WANT POTENTIAL SPOILERS🚨🚨 Let's talk about the star of this book for me: Noah Riley. My sweet angel baby, Noah 🥰 Noah is so pure with a true heart of gold. I loved the way he adored his mom and the love he had for her. Noah is the definition of "he falls first" and "boy obsessed". He met Arianna by accident and was taken with her right away. He was caring, sweet, adoring, and absolute perfection. I loved how he paid attention to what was important to Arianna and made her life easier. Acts of service is definitely his love language and it showed in the way he took care of her. He deserves all the love in the world and has the patience of a saint. I would give anything to have him call me 'Juliet' or 'baby' 🥺 My heart broke for him after the tragedy and the events that unfolded. There's so much trauma that he'll have to work through and I just wanted to hold him. I'll say what we're all thinking. Chase. Is. Trash. I don't care what anyone says, he is trash and will always be trash. He had his opportunities and he messed them up. I don't think he truly wanted Arianna like he thought he did because nothing would've stopped him from going after her. It was trash what he did before the tragedy and it was trash what he did in the aftermath. I find him to be so manipulative when you think about what he did after the tragedy and I truly have no sympathy for him.

Meagan Brandy's "Say You Swear" is an enthralling romance novel that takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster of love, heartbreak, and the hope of second chances. With a well-crafted plot and compelling characters, this book effortlessly captures your heart from the very first page. The story follows Arianna Johnson whose heart was shattered by her brother's best friend, Chase, the man she thought would always be her future. However, when a new teammate enters her life, Noah Riley is determined to mend what was broken, the delicate threads of her heart begin to weave a new tale of love and redemption. Brandy's writing skillfully delves into the complexities of human emotions, bringing the characters to life with their raw vulnerability and relatable struggles. The protagonist's journey is filled with realistic dilemmas, making her choices and desires tangible to readers. Her inner turmoil and conflicting emotions add depth and authenticity to her character, making her someone you genuinely care about. The chemistry between Ari and Noah is electrifying, igniting the pages with passion and intensity. The author masterfully builds the tension and longing between them, creating a palpable connection that keeps you eagerly turning the pages, yearning for their happiness. The romantic moments are beautifully depicted, striking a perfect balance between heartwarming tenderness and sizzling heat. What sets "Say You Swear" apart is Brandy's ability to intertwine themes of forgiveness, growth, and second chances into the fabric of the story. The exploration of the power of love to heal and transform is profound, leaving readers with a sense of hope and the belief that sometimes, true love can withstand the tests of time. Moreover, the pacing of the novel is impeccable, keeping the reader engaged and invested throughout. The author's skillful use of dialogue and well-crafted narrative ensures a seamless flow that effortlessly carries the story forward. Every chapter holds surprises and revelations, creating an addictive reading experience that will have you staying up late into the night, desperate to unravel the characters' fates. "Say You Swear" is an emotionally gripping novel that will leave you breathless, cheering for love, and rooting for the main characters to find their happily ever after. Meagan Brandy's storytelling prowess shines bright in this heartwarming tale of love's endurance, reminding us that sometimes, the second chance at love can be even more extraordinary than the first. In conclusion, if you're a fan of emotionally charged romance novels with well-developed characters, sizzling chemistry, and a touch of hope, "Say You Swear" is an absolute must-read. Meagan Brandy has once again proven herself as a talented author who knows how to capture readers' hearts and leave a lasting impression. Do not wait and pick up this book today!!!

Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy 2.5-3 stars Spice: 🔥🔥/5 I wanted to like this book because I’ve heard good things about it. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong – I did end up reading the whole thing. I won’t lie – I did initially DNF this book. After persuasion from another book friend of mine, I picked it back up months later. Sometimes you just aren’t in the right headspace for certain books. I was hoping that was the case for me. I liked the premise of the book because I love any type of love triangle books. The more angst, the better I say. I was rooting for Arianna and Noah the entire time. I HATE to say this because I’ve never written a book, but I struggled with the writing. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. Will I try another Meagan Brandy book? Maybe! I’m not sure. I know I have plenty on my TBR so the blurb will have to sound realllllly good for me to take time to attempt another one of hers. #avidreaderbookblog #readingislife #bookblogger #bookbloggerofinstagram #bookworm #bookaddict #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #romance #romancebookstagram #romancebookstagrammer #lovetriangle #lovetriangleromance #angst #youngadult #youngadultromance #collegeromance #meaganbrandy

Sports romance (football) College romance NA Unrequited love Love triangle OM drama 3rd act breakup (sort of) Traumatic event Amnesia Angst Golden retriever MMC Virgin FMC Standalone Multiple POV (mostly FMC) Epilogue Spice: 2.75/5 FMC: Ariana Johnson (Juliet) MMC: Noah Reilly (Romeo) Did I enjoy the book? Overall Yes Would I read this book again? No Would I read from this author again? Maybe So let me get this straight, we have parents that own a beach house together and they renovate it and then gift the deed to their 18 year olds to have forever more. Then said parents go for a months long vacation in Europe and never check in with their kids who literally are just barely legal. Absolutely not. These kids drink alcohol like seasoned older adults. They have it in their houses, they get it at the bars, and they have it in their dorms and campus housing (like the school wouldn’t care that there is alcohol being consumed on school property), they have it on hand camping. Pretty much every scene besides the library 18 year olds are drinking. People of legal drinking age just give it to them also like it’s no big deal, like the 18 year olds are in fact 21. I understand that 18 is a legal drinking age in many countries, but this book is based in the US so make it realistic when it comes to 18 year olds drinking. I know 18 year olds drink, but the situations they are in when they drink are unrealistic. I had to remind myself that these are 18 year olds with all the alcohol. The first half of this book made me want to claw my eyes out. It was awful, I didn’t think I would make it to the end. Definitely could have shortened up the first half of the book, by a lot. The second half was great! Couldn’t put it down. The second half was where all the drama and angst happened. Ariana drove me crazy, but she’s 18 so I’ll try to give her some grace. It was so obvious Noah was amazing and Chase was so not. She strung both of them along the whole book. It’s not hard to tell Chase, “it’s over, in fact it never was, leave me alone.” Through out the whole time Noah and Ari were “dating” not once do they say “hey, let’s be exclusive” and I bet if they had we could have cut out some unnecessary scenes in the book. What Chase did at the end was so low and sleazy, I don’t know how any of the other characters let that go on. I would not let him do that to her. I wouldn’t tell Ari anything because that’s what she wanted, but the group should have taken Chase aside and said what you’re doing to Ari and really Noah too is not ok. All those side characters at the beach, still don’t have any clue who the heck they are to the MCs of this book. All that could have been cut for sure. What happened to Noah’s football career in the end!? Did he just walk away from it? It was never addressed and it’s going to drive me crazy. He worked his whole life for it and you’re just not gonna tell us anything about it in the end. That’s just cruel. OMG, the baby. That was so unnecessary. And you’re telling me that an 18 year old, who let’s say has had her period for at least 4 years, isn’t keeping track of her period or does not understand what happens when you have unprotected fun time? I’m not buying it. Which unprotected fun times were never addressed. It just happens and the MCs don’t even mention it. That baby loss was put in there for added drama and angst. Noah was amazing. Every girl’s dream man. Emotionally available, physically perfect, knows how to give a girl some fun times and cooks! Lol. He has no faults except he is in love with Ariana. He could do so much better. She doesn’t deserve him. But they do have their cute moments. When reading them both, Noah reads like an adult and Ariana reads like a teenager. They just don’t fit. I liked the epilogue but I wish it was much farther in the future. I’m glad I gave it a chance to see what the hype was about, but it didn’t live up to what people say for me.