Sticks and Stones: Shadow Valley U, Book 1 (Unabridged‪)‬

Sticks and Stones is the first book in this new series by S. Massery and SJ Sylvis. It's a forced proximity, rivals to lovers, hockey romance. The dynamic between Wren and Stone was great. This story was witty, action packed, has great chemistry and all the feels. I loved the secondary characters as well.

Alex Kydd and Kiera Stevens did an amazing job bringing these characters to life.

S. Massery and S.J. Sylvis team up to create this amazing sports romance novel and a great start to an exciting new series. The story grabbed my attention right from the start and held it captive for the entire book. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to like and care about too. Wren Davis had a challenging upbringing as her father’s neglect, involvement in illicit activities and association with unsavory characters resulted in her being placed in foster care. Only when she joined the Mitchells did she finally experience a sense of family, forming a close bond with her foster brother Evan. Her father continued to have a hold on her and had her helping him and she did something that made Evan’s best friend, Stone Foster, hate her while still in high school. Stone wanted nothing more than becoming a professional hockey player, except his father wanted him to go to college and eventually work with him. What Wren did almost cost him everything, luckily it didn’t, and he gets back on track and then on the team at Shadow Valley University, the same team his friend Evan is on and the same college Wren attends. When Stone goes to move into the house the team shared, he found someone was already in his room, someone he never wanted to see again, Wren. Wren’s boyfriend cheated on her, so she broke up with him and needed a place to stay. Evan hooked her up with the spare room, except it wasn’t spare with Stone coming in. I loved the complexity and depth of these characters, Wren’s reasoning why she did what she did, her intelligence and her vulnerabilities. Stone coming from wealth, having to live up to his father’s expectorations regardless of what he wanted. They may come from different sides of the track, but both had their challenges. This is an amazing enemies-to-lovers romance, the writing, plot and world building are amazing, as are the character growth and development. The story is original and has a perfect balance of drama, angst, heartfelt emotions, a touch of suspense, and a steamy romance. S. Massery & S.J. Sylvis, thanks for the fabulous story and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧And for fantastic narration, Alex Kydd and Keira Stevens were the perfect cast to bring these characters to life, and did so with a complete understanding of who they were portraying, giving each a voice that was fitting and believable. Stevens nailed it as Wren, grasping every aspect of her personalities, from her strength and determination to her vulnerabilities. Kydd’s Stone was spot on, bringing out his angst and not afraid to show his caring side. Both were just as fabulous performing the roles of all the secondary characters, too. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling them all. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another amazing listen.