4.5/5 ⭐
2.0/5 🌶️
4.0/5 🎧

This book was nothing like I expected, but I absolutely loved it. I had been told this book will leave you sobbing going in, and after looking at the blurb, I came to my own conclusions and just waited for them to happen. And waited. And waited. And realized I had it all wrong. So while it wasn't as sad as I was thinking, and while I didn't cry my eyes out, I absolutely understand why people do. There is a moment when everything shifts and it took my breath away, I started to lose hope and wondered how Meagan was going to recover the happily ever after.

*small spoilers ahead*
I really didn't like Chase. In the beginning when he chose Mason over Ari. In the middle when he got jealous. In the end when he took advantage of the situation. I had such an icky feeling about him the whole book... Noah though? That man had my whole dang heart. The way he never took advantage of Ari's emotions and was always there for her. He loved her so hard it hurt. He absolutely deserved every ounce of her love and I was so happy he got it.

The ending was so sweet. When she finds the calendar it about broke my heart. But everything that followed put it back together again. The epilogue was amazing, everything I wanted and more. I loved it so much. I'm so excited to see we'll be getting Peyton's story, I can't wait to get to see her happy.

The audio was really good. I loved Sarah McEwan and Lee Samuels and thought they did a great job narrating these characters.

Arianna has loved Chase since he moved in across the street in junior high. Her brother and his best friend claimed him as part of their friend group and they have all hung out and been close ever since. As they prepare to head off to college by spending a few wild weeks at a cottage together, Arianna finally gets the opportunity to show Chase how she has felt about him for so long. When things don’t go quite as planned, an unexpected but handsome distraction in the form of Noah Riley- quarterback for the college’s football team- appears. As Ari and Noah spend time together over the next few months and develop a beautiful friendship, everything in their lives changes dramatically causing Ari to wonder what’s more important- first love or a shiny, new love?
—————————————

The perfect combination of new adult romance, dramatic angst, strong friendships, and sexiness! While new adult romance can sometimes seem a little too young for me to enjoy, these college kids had the weight of the world on their shoulders at times, making them seem more mature. As much as it hurt reading about Ari getting her heart broken, it was a joy to watch her fall in love again with someone who was the absolute ultimate book boyfriend. Wow. Noah Riley sets the standard! I was downright swooning at times, only to be tearing up later on. The heartbreak is strong in this one and Ari goes through so much to get her happily ever after, but it’s a beautiful story on her way there.

My one dislike was her twin brother Mason. His overprotectiveness came across as demeaning and very misogynistic at times, rather than the supportive and loving brother I think he was supposed to be.

"say you swear."
"i swear"

what an emotional read! I was sucked into this story. five friends connected since childhood start college together but when ariana and her brothers best friend have a special night and he doesn't feel the same, it changes their dynamic. but then comes noah. and this man was everything.

"I want someone's all. I want someone's all and absolutely nothing less."
noah riley is just too good to be true. he was so patient and kind with ariana, even when she was battling with her feelings and contused, he was still there, always waiting for her and ready. i was rooting for him since the beginning.

i cried, gasped, smiled like an idiot, and stood frozen while reading. it was written so well and had me pulled into this whirlwind of a story.

side note: i’m so excited to learn there will be following books to this, im so excited to read about the side characters as they get their main character moments too!

Thank you Bloom Books and Netgalley.

Imagine the guy you want doesn't want you so you fall in love with their best friend. That what I want. Say you swear is addictive. Meagan Brandy you genius share.

Words can't describe how much adored Say you Swear by Meghan Brandy.
This book absolutely blew me away! Say you Swear is a slow burn, college romance, and an absolute page-turner!
I just couldn't put this book down! I was in a book slump and Say you Swear totally pulled me out of that slump!
Say you Swear takes you on a journey of friendship, love, and loyalty. The hero of this story will have you swooning and stealing your heart. I adore him. Ari is a sweet heroine torn between her past love and her new love. You will feel so many emotions, all the emotions!, the ups, and downs throughout, and the OMG the plot twist. All the characters in this book will steal a piece of your heart.

The angst in this book was insane! I was totally thrown off by what happened in this book. It was a nice change to the normal romances I read. The chemistry between Ari and Noah was off the charts and Noah is the best book boyfriend of any romance book! I would rate this book infinity stars if I could!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the arc of this book.

This is a perfect example of why I love going into books mostly blind, because I really had no idea what an emotional roller coaster Say You Swear was going to be! It was complex and unforgettable. It had an All American (tv show) vibe with the characters living together in a beach house and being centered around football. I can relate to Arianna with her quirk of thinking of a song almost any time someone says something to me, and I love people who do the same. The story really kept me invested and kind of on the edge of my seat, I needed to know how everything was going to wrap up. This is a College/young adult setting so at times the characters seem immature, depending on where you are at in your own life. I found myself really enjoying them, Noah and Ari are adorable. The secondary characters made it all the more interesting, and it is set up perfectly for book 2, which I am looking forward to. But they also deal with serious and traumatic events, such as the loss of a loved one. Check your trigger warnings for this one. I am so happy it is being re-released with a gorgeous new cover ahead of the next book in the Avix series so that I was able to request and receive an ARC, thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books!

Hmm, what to say about this book. It felt LONG. I very much got rich kid, OC vibes from the beginning at the beach house. I hated Chase from the start and even though it seemed like Brandy wanted us to like him (or at least not hate him), I just didn't. Plus, his behavior towards the end - I can’t even believe Ari’s friends and family would allow that to happen. It was gross. Noah, however, is a great book boyfriend. I was rooting for him from moment one.

The final third of this book basically had me in tears the whole time.

Did I overly enjoy this book? Not really. Were some parts super problematic? Absolutely. (Like, let’s not glorify teenage pregnancy). Did it make me feel things? Yeah.

It’s not a fault of the book, but I tend to age up any characters that are under 20 to like… 25, and I just couldn’t do that in this book since it really was about them being basically teenagers, but then the scenarios they were put in were just too mature for that. Also, the epilogue? Just no. She’s 18. Again, maybe more an issue of mine than the book itself.

⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

I loved this. 5 stars, this is the kind of story that is going to stick with me. This story was beautiful and heartbreaking and spicy. I will be looking into anything Meagan Brandy writes. I can’t stop thinking about Ari and Noah.

+ EmOtIoNaL dAmAgE +
Phew.
When I say this book PUTS YOU THROUGH IT...
What a beautiful story, dude. Absolutely stunning. So many emotions, and those tears could not be contained.
I listened to the audiobook and bought myself a shelf trophy before I even finished it. I knew this was going to be a special one, and I wasn't wrong.
This book put me in the biggest hangover. I'm a few days out and I've tried starting 3 different books and I can't because the feels from SYS are still taking over my life.
Noah is 100% the ONLY book husband who matters anymore. He is perfection.
I both love you and hate you for this @meaganbrandyauthor. Mostly love.

This book… I did not expect to ugly cry, but damn did I use a whole box of tissues😭
Took me on an emotional ride but I soaked up every single moment and the last 30% will live in my head rent free forever🥰
Without spoiling anything, I’d say to go into this knowing it’s not all sunshine and rainbows and you’ll be okay! Gotta weather the storm before the HEA😭
100% worth all the hype and Noah Riley can do no wrong! He is the damn blue print of a perfect book boyfriend and I’m obsessed😍
Time to go read all of Meagan Brandy’s other books🥳

I have seen “Say you swear” around for a long time and had it on my wishlist so was so happy to see it become available on NetGalley!

The story follows our FMC who has been in love with her brothers best friend for a long time but it is a forbidden love situation that seems end goals, then after certain events another LI enters the picture, the football team captain at the same college.

There is lots of opportunity for character growth, swoon worthy and emotional moments. Noah is definitely the best part of this book!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Bloom books, Meagan Brandy and NetGalley for the free copy 🩷

I was recommended this book by a friend and going in I did not know what it would be about, but it is one of those books that I think about all the time!

Ari starts off in love with Chase and he’s her brother’s best friend so he’s off limits. But she can’t help her emotions that she’s pining after him with. But she also meets Noah the night of a bonfire on the beach - and he’s team captain of the football team at the college she’s attending.

It’s her freshman year of college at Avix U and she doesn’t know what she wants, but she knows that she’s going to have to make a decision one way or the other when it comes to these two guys.

There’s parts of this book that I was shook and so surprised on how the plot thickened. I gasped in certain parts because I was like HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?! But we get our HEA!!

You’ll like this book if you like:
Football romance
College romance
Swoony amazing book boyfriend who can cook
Her finding out what she truly wants